With Reference to the Zulu Regiment/s, that attack Rorke’s drift.

With Reference to the Zulu Regiment/s, that attack Rorke’s drift. Was this Regiment in the valley, with the main Zulu Army when, it was discovered by Lt. Raw. Or did they come in from a different direction.

Was their command, to attack Rorke’s Drift, or did this just happen, due to the fact they were chasing after the fugitives, that just happened to be running in that direction from Isandlwana.

Hi Old H.

The regiment under Prince Dabulamanzi. I believe they were in the valley with the main Zulu army. Don’t forget the Zulu’s were not going to attack on the 22nd Jan. They had planned to attack the following day.

“Prince Dabulamanzi and his regiment had not been involved in the battle of Isandlwana and he looked for a way to join in the success”.

“Dabulamanzi, an aggressive leader, resolved to lead these Zulu regiments to the further triumph of capturing the British base at the Rorke’s Drift.”

sas1

Because of not getting much action at Isandlwana Prince Dabulamanzi Ka Mpande lead the attack on Rorkes Drift against Cetshwayo's orders as this was over the border in Natal .
He was rebuked by Cetshwayo for his action and what made it worse his none victory over the defenders a right rollocking as we would say today
Billy blanko

Raw found the Zulu army hidden in the valley, The Zulu’s then launch their attack. The uNdi regiments was in a second gully further away. This is where the main commanders of the Zulu army could be found. These were the only regiments the Zulu General was able to stop. They were further away from the main army for two reasons. Firstly they had stayed behind to collect provisions from the Kraals on the 21st Jan, and secondly, because when am impi advance in the form of columns, the veterans warriors covered the rear.
The normal custom for a reserve Zulu regiment when taking up the horns of the Buffalo formation was to sit with their backs to the enemy. However the uNdi regiments took up position behind Isandlwana, concretely to the right of the trail leading from Rorke’s Drift to the mountain. They were there to prevent anybody from escaping along the trail and to also prevent any reinforcements from reaching the defenders that might come from the river.

The main motive for attacking Rorke’s drift was based on fact that the Veteran’s, had a proud military past, and to go back home without any battle participation, was just too much to bear. The Veteran Zulu’s were proud warriors. In-fact they had approached various Zulu commanders to lead them across the buffalo, but none of them wanted anything to do with it, and reminded them of the words of Cetshwayo, not to cross into Natal.

Prince Dabulamanzi was an aggressive man by nature, and jumped at the challenge to command them. A lot of history books often state that Dabulamanzi was a general, in-fact he was far from being a General, at the time of the Battle of Isandlwana he was in point of fact only a high ranking member of the uDloko regiment, and had no specific commanding roll. He was not even an officer of an iviyo, but he had royal connections.

S.D

But if he had Royal connections, he should have known better that to go against the word of the king.
And surly to go home defeated, would have been far worse than going home as part of the regiment that took no real part in the battle of Isandlwana

And did Cetshwayo not say to him army; never attack a British fortified position.

What I don’t understand is how did Lt James Adendorff; know the Zulu were going to attack Rorke’s Drift.

HI John

You are right the zulu were told not to attack a defensive fortified object after learning from past experiences such as the attack on the Boar Waggon Lagger at Blood River some 40 years before under orders from Dingane.
If The Guy's at the Drift had not worked so hard building defences and met the chest and loins as what the Zulu enemies were predicted to do then no doubt they would have been caught with the horns and encircled THEN Wap another disaster.
It is only my oppinion about LT James Ardendoff who was at Isandlwana and escaped.
He would have probably automaticaly thought they would carry on to the Drift after chasing the Fugitives for quite a way After notifying LT's Chard and Bromhead they were taking no chances and decided to make defences which paid off.
There is actualy no survivors reports that mentioned if he stayed to help out in the defence if he had why was he later court martialed.
Billy Blanco

It has always been presume, that Lt Adendorff was the one who brought the massage of the impending attack. Sgt Mabin was the first person to speak to the person who brought the news of the disaster at Isandhlwana. He was Fredrick Evans of the mounted infantry.
Mabin later wrote. “

It was about 3.20 in the afternoon, when I saw a rider galloping furiously towards the position and when he neared the tent, he demanded to see the officer in command. I told him; ”the major is absent, he gone to Helpmekaar.” And he replied;” For the love of god, the Zulu have killed all men in the camp at Isandlwana and they’re heading here!”

S.D.

Billy. There is no proven documentation to state that Adendorff was arrested and judged for desertion in the face of the enemy. It is clear that Adendorff had left the camp before the Zulu right horn enclosed around it. But not a great deal is known about Adendorff movements before he left his company of natives under the command of Lonsdale on the 21st to join Major Dartnell, but Adendorff, must have known that the battle was lost and fled.
However, some believe that he left Isandhlwana not only before the Zulu had completely enclosed the mountain, but earlier, when the ranks of the first groups of the N.N.C were broken with the entrance of the Zulu.

S.D

S.D You say.

Quote :

He was Fredrick Evans of the mounted infantry.

I cannot find him as one of the defenders. What happen to him. Or was he left of the roll call.

Billy Blanco,

Adendorff's forenames were Gert Wilhelm not James.

It was he that warned the men on the ponts on the Buffalo River.

S.D.,

For 'Frederick Evans' read Edward Evans - Private 45th Brigade/726, 2nd Battalion, 3rd (East Kent) Regiment The Buffs.

Isandlwana

Guest
Sorry if i have LT's Ardendorffs name as James only going on what i have in books and military history on line i have also found quite afew refer to him as G.W.
Billy

hi 24th,
found 3 references to EVANS of the mtd inf at rorkes drift . In the accounts by HITCH , page 58, J.WATERS, page 96, CPL . J . LYONS,
page 133. from RORKES DRIFT by THOSE WHO WERE THERE. All say the same thing, they heard of the massacre , and that the zulus were soon to pay them a visit, from him.. He isnt mentioned again , so i think he took off, WHO , could blame him, if anybody can place him at the defence, i will stand corrected.

cheers 90th.

HI Guest
Been on various sites for the Roll of honour for Rorkes Drift All Give it as LT James Adendorf no mention of a LT. G.W.Adendorf or is James a name us Brits called him by ?

\hi billy.
i think it may be a good idea ,not take to much notice of the sites that list ADENDORFF as , J . His name is GERT WILHELM. Here are some snippets of info on him , BORN at GRAAF REINETT in the Eastern cape 10th july 1848. he was the tenth child of 13 !!. He served in the KAFFRARIAN RIFLES during the 9th frontier war of 77-78. May also have served in the DIAMOND FIELD HORSE in 78. He arrived in NATAL on the steamer NUBIAN in november 78, was given the rank of LT, in the , 3RD REGT NATAL NATIVE CONT.
The following is from " WHO'S WHO IN THE ZULU WAR OF 1879 - VOLUME 2 - COLONIALS AND ZULUS by A.GREAVES - I. KNIGHT.

Adendorff"s role in the subsequent fighting has been the subject of particularly intense mythologizing, but in fact there is no reason to doubt a considerable body of evidence which suggests he was present at both ISANDLWANA and RORKES DRIFT. On the 22nd at isandlwana he is named as having brought a report from the piquet on the inyoni escarpment regarding zulu movements on the heights, his poor command of the english language may have been the first element of many, which led to his confusion in his role. His own account published anonymously, is entirely consistent with other sources and brutally honest. Adendorff says he stayed in the camp until the british line collapsed , then escaped. His horse was killed as he rode down the MANZIMNYAMA VALLEY, he commandered another at GUNPOINT from a mtd auxillary. He then attached himself to HLUBI"S TLOKOA, one of the few mtd groups who escaped in any order, they forced their way through the right horn and rode across country to R.DRIFT. Once at the river he and another man went ahead to warn CHARD"S men at the ponts. HLUBI"S men crossed by the drift downstraem then dismounted to rest.
The doubts about his presence at R.D seem to have started early , as whispers among his own officers, and have been enshrined in
MORRIS"S WASHING OF THE SPEARS. Morris claimed to have evidence to this effect but never published it !!!. CHARD went out of his way to single out ADENDORFF as the only ISANDLWANA survivor who stayed to assist in the R.D defence. The fact he was a complete stranger to the rest of the garrison, and occupied a post inside the storehouse, accounts for his apparant invisability. TPR FRED SYMONS of the NATAL CARBINEERS, part of CHELMFORDS COMMAND confirms his presence at R.D. on the morning of the 23rd, while WALTER STAFFORD himself an isandlwana survivor, who served with ADENDORFF"S brother in aug 1880, and knew ADENDORFF himself in later life had no doubts about his story. It is significant that HARFORD, acting as adjutant of the 3rd N.N.C,
NOTED IN HIS ALMANAC that ADENDORFF was present at R.D. Nor is there any evidence to suggest he was ever considered for officail censure in his conduct on 22-23 jan. The fact that ADENDORFF"S account when published, was greeted with contempt by the
settler community in NATAL probably accounts for his reticence on the subject. He took little part in the rest of the war, giving up military service when the 3RD N.N C.was disbanded for its poor performance in the aftermath of isandlwana. He died about 1914.

CHEERS 90TH.

HI 90th
Thank's for Info we Learn every day
Billy

What do you make of this.

A good number of historians are convinced that Adendroff did not stay and fight in spite of the fact that Chard mentioned him in his reports; they are probably unaware of the account given by a soldier who arrived at Rorke’s Drift and who recounted his experience to the Mercury of Natal on the 13th May 1879.

Yesterday I was at Rorke’s Drift fulfilling my duty. I started early, before sunrise and I remained there until half past nine, its very similar to the Illustration that appeared in the Illustrated London News. The hill at the rear part was not as large and there are fewer trees now: a stonewall has been built around it, the hospital has disappeared and apportion of the wall built as a stronghold. I spent an hour looking at the place accompanied by a non-commissioned intelligence officer, one of the defenders. He showed me the place where he had shot the Zulu who was trying to light the straw with a handful of burning grass at the top of his assegai. The walls of the building measured about 12 feet high, which gives an idea of the difficulty they must have had setting fire to it. The front of the building had a railing and it was in front of this that the barricade of corn sacks was build.

The article continued with a description of the place and the frustrated desire to travel to Isandlwana, but the country was not yet in the hands of the British and it would have meant a very risky 12-mile gallop. However the most interesting thing in this article was the reporter’s declaration about the non-commissioned officer. It could only have been Adendroff, furthermore, Chard also stated in one of his reports that Adendroff was located in the rear part of the storeroom, undoubtedly a perfect place from which to aim at any warrior approaching or trying to set fire to the straw roof.”


From The Immortal Anglo-Zulu War.

Has anyone ever heard of the story regarding an unidentified soldier, known as the (Old Soldier) Its with reference to the fight in the Hospital.

“Two of men were situated in the front rooms, had also managed to escape. Only one could be identified as the old soldier, although several names have been suggested, it is unknown whom he really was. There are few doubts that the other soldier was Roy, who personally recounted how he and his comrades escaped by the skin of their teeth."

“They took the hospital and set alight to it, while the old soldier and I were inside one of the rear windows and we knew that they had taken the front. My rifle was broken, so I fixed the bayonet on to it and charged out of the house. While we charged outside, the old soldier was wounded in the ear. There were about 30 Zulus chasing us, while the men inside the stronghold shot them before they could harm us.”

hi littlehand.

this is an extract from a letter written by C/2469 2ND CORPORAL FRANCIS ATTWOOD, ARMY SERVICE CORPS.
dated 14/ 4/ 79 RORKES DRIFT

......such a horrible night, i shall never forget. I am specially recommended for promotion, and i was the only one of my corps, at the attack on the commissariat under Lieuts Bromhead and Chard. I must tell you that i made an awful mess of one fellow, he was runningtowards the house in a slightly stooping position, when i let fly at him and struck him in the crown of the head the effect of which
was to blow the entire side of his face away. I must tell you that i was at an upper window the only one in the barn, i call it......

for his actions and conduct at RORKES DRIFT he was awarded the MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT. This being presented
on sunday 15th nov 1879 in Maritzburg by A.C.G HEALY in the presence of the whole corps.

cheers 90th

I was reading one of Hitches accounts relating to lack of intelligences, on the part of the Zulu.

“ The Blacks retreated and returned to charge again. Each time, their acts were announced with a short war cry: Incidentally, this war cry wasn’t very useful, as we then knew what to expect, Even when the darkness came over us, they continued to use the war cry; which wasn’t very intelligent on their part, because we immediately went into a state of alert.”

During the Battle of Isandlwana, did someone not say that the Zulu’s watched the members of the artillery and learnt, that when the firing team stood back behind the gun, it was time to duck?

I expect the Zulu thought that wasn’t very intelligent.

I don’t know about watching the members of the artillery, But this extract is from an Interview with Mehlokazulu Kasihayo

“The cannons only killed four men in our regiment: the shots went over us. When we saw the smoke of the cannon in its mouth, somebody shouted Umoya (Air) and we threw ourselves to the ground and the missile went over us, hitting behind, then after it had passed we got up again and continued advancing.”

Old H.
I do believe Curling made reference, to the Zulu watching the gun drill before firing. They knew when to lie down.

sas1

The main point being is, that the Defenders at Rorke’s drift were not just fight in daylight. Hitch say’s

Quote :

“ Even when the darkness came over us, they continued to use the war cry;”

So from Hitch’s point of view at the time, he probably did see it, as a lack of intelligence on the Zulu’s part. And I bet he was glad.

So how many, Zulu regiments took part in the attack on Rorke's Drift.
was it just The uNdi regiments

HI Old Historian 2

The Zulu at Rorkes Drift were the uThulwana, uDloko, iNdluyengwe,and umCijo.
Billy Blanco

Thanks Billy was the uThulwana regiment made up of married men only.

Various Zulu Regiments.

uNOKENKE
Unmarried. The shields were black although many of the warriors are recorded as carrying black shields with white spots.

UMHLANGA (THE REEDS)
Unmarried. Shields were black with white spots.

izinGulube
Fought at Nyezane

uMxapho (THE SPRINKLERS)
Unmarried. The shields were black although some may have been red or black with red spots.
Fought at Ulundi. Nyezane.

uDUDUDU
Unmarried. Shields were black with white spots.
Fought at Isandlwana. 1,500 warriors. uNODWENGU Corps. Right Horn. Ulundi. Khambula.

iMbubi (LION)
Unmarried. Shields were black with white spots.
Fought at Isandlwana. Khambula.


iNKOBAMAKOSI (THE BENDER OF KINGS)
Unmarried. The shields were of various colours such as black, black with white spots, red, red with white spots.
Fought at Isandlwana. 6,000 warriors. Chest (Centre Left). Hlobane. Khambula. Uhlundi. Gingindlovu

uDHLOKO (NAME OF A SNAKE)
Married. Shields were red with a white spot.
Fought at Isandlwana. 1,500 warriors. Undi Corps (reserve fought at Rorke's Drift). Ulundi. Khambula.

UDUKUZA (THE WANDERERS)
Married. The shields were white with large black spots.


USIXEPI
Married. The shields were white with a large black spot.


uDlambedlu (ILL TEMPERED)
Married. The shields were white with either black or red spots.
Fought at Nyezane.


MBELEBELE
(THE LITIGIOUS) Married. Shields were white with red spots.
uTULWANA (NAMED AFTER A BASUTO CHIEF)
Married. Shields were white.
Fought at isandlwana. 1,500 warriors. Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift. Uhlundi. Khambula, Gingindlovu.


iNDHLONDHLO (EUPHORBIA)
Married. The shields were white.
Fought at Isandlwana. 900 Warriors. Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift. Ulundi. Khambula.


NKONKONE (BLUE GNU)
Married. The shields were white.

UMZINYATI
(BUFFALO RIVER) Married. Shields white with black spots.


UDABAKAOMBI ( The Affair Of Ombi)
Married. Shields white with either black or red spots.


USIXEPI
Shields white with large black spots. 80 years old!


NSUGAMGENI
(Name of a hill in Zululand). Unmarried. Shields black with white spot on lower side. Fought at Ulundi.


NGWEKWE
(Crooked Stick). Unmarried. Shields white with black or red spots.


NGULUBI
(The Pigs). Unmarried. Shields white with black or red spots.


UMKUSI
(River in Zululand). Unmarried. Shields white with black or red spots.


MKULTYANE
(The Straight Lines). Unmarried. Shields were white.


isAngqu
(Vaal River). Unmarried. Shields were white.
Fought at Isandlwana.1,000 warriros. uNodwengu Corps (Right Horn). Khambula. Ulundi.

iNDLUYENGWE
(Leopards Den). Unmarried. Shields were black with a white spot on the lower half.
Fought at Isandlwana. 1,000 warriors. Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift. Ulundi. Khambula.

AMAKWENKWE
Unmarried. Shields were red with white spot.

IQWA
(Frost). Unmarried. Shields were black although some witnesses describe them as also carrying red and white shields. Fought at Ulundi.


uMbonambi
(The Evil See'rs). Unmarried. Shields were red with a white spot.
Fought at Isandlwana. 1,500 warriors. Chest (centre). Khambula, Uhlundi, Gingindlovu.

AMASHUTU
(The Lion Eaters). Unmarried. Shields were black or black with white spots.


umCijo also called uKhandempemvu
(The Sharp Pointed). Unmarried. Shields were black.
Fought at Isandlwana. 1,500. Chest (Centre). Hlobane. Khambula. Ulundi, Gingindlovu.


UNQAKAMATYE
(Stone Cobblers). Unmarried. Shields were black.


UMTULISAZWI
(The Peace Makers of the Land). Unmarried. The shields were black.


uVE
(Name of a Bird). Unmarried. Shields were white with black and red spots.
Fought at Isandlwana.3,500 warriors. Left Horn. Hlobane. Uhlundi, Gingindlovu.

abaQulusi
The abaQulusi were an administration section of the Zulu Royal House.

HI Littlehand 2

The uThulwana (Dust eater's) were doned with the headring in 1878 wich makes them a married regiment they carried the white shield.
The head dress was of Brown Crane feather otterskin head-band monkey skin earflaps split with Ostrich feathers they were also known as the ama Mboza ( Cover with Dust ) and were formed in 1854

billy blanco

Littlehand 2

sorry forgot to mention Cetshwayo had also served in the uThulwana
billy blanco

1854. uThulwana

“The Dust Raisers”
Also written as Thulwana. The Zulu word means “dust”. By 1879, this regiment also
incorporated the 1855 isiBabule “sulphur” and 1856 iNkonkoni “Wilderbeast”.

This regiment had a famous history. Created by King Mpande in 1850, both Prince
Cetshwayo and his brother Prince Mbuyazi served in the regiment during the 1852
conflict with the Swazi. uThulwana were part of uSuthu in 1856.
The uThulwana and much younger InGobamakhosi fought over women in January
1878, resulting in 60 dead. This incident also was cited by the British in their
demands for dissolution of the Zulu army.

As part of the uNdi Corps, they were present at Isandlwana (22nd January 1879), Rorke’s Drift (22 January 1879), Kambala (29th Match 1879), Gingindlovo (2 nd April 1879) and Ulundi (4th July 1879). In 1879, uThulwana, iNdlondlo and iNdluyengwe

Source: Michael Farnworth

Billy. Was it this regiment that had the highest casualty rate during the attack on Rorke’s Drift?