The Battlefields of KwaZulu Natal - Isandlwana - Rorke's Drift

The Battle of Isandlwana (Anglo Zulu War) - Fugitives Drift Lodge

The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Eleven days after the British commenced their invasion a 20,000 strong Zulu army attacked a portion of the British main column consisting of approximately 2,000 mixed British and colonial forces.

The Zulus were equipped mainly with the traditional Assegai iron spears and cow hide shields, but also had a number of muskets and old rifles though they were not formally trained in their use. The British and colonial troops were armed with the then state of the art Martini-Henry breech-loading rifle, and two 7 pounder artillery pieces as well as a rocket battery. Despite a vast disadvantage in weapons technology, the numerically superior Zulus ultimately overwhelmed the poorly led and badly deployed British, killing over 1,300 troops, including all those out on the firing line. The Zulu army suffered around a thousand killed.

The battle was a decisive victory for the Zulus and caused the defeat of the first British invasion. The British army had received its worst defeat fighting against a technologically inferior indigenous force. However, the defeat of the British forces at Isandlwana resulted in Britain taking a much more aggressive approach in the Anglo-Zulu War, resulting in a heavily reinforced second invasion and destroying King Cetshwayo's hopes of a negotiated peace.

The Battle of Rorke's Drift (Anglo Zulu War) - Fugitives Drift Lodge

The Battle of Rorke's Drift was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under command of Lt Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana the morning of 22 January 1879, and continued to the following day, 23 January. One hundred and thirty-nine British soldiers successfully defended their garrison against an intense assault by three to four thousand Zulu warriors. The massive but piecemeal  Zulu attacks on Rorke's Drift came very close to defeating the tiny British garrison. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.