Letters from the Zulu War 1876-1879

by David McNamee
The Anglo-Zulu War lasted less than eight months in 1879, erned the South African Republic (Z.A.R.) north of the Vaal
yet it has been an active collecting subject from the day hostili- River. The independent Zulu nation bordered the eastern fron-
ties ceased. British soldiers sent home great numbers of Zulu tier of Natal and the southern border of Z.A.R.
artifacts. However, the postal history of the war has not been The discovery of diamonds in 1867 brought an influx of
comprehensively treated, primarily because there are less than fortune-seekers to the northern frontier of the Cape, and the
200 covers extant covering the period 1876-1879, and those are discovery of gold in the Transvaal in 1868 brought British min-
well dispersed among collectors. The war was brief, the num- ers to the Z.A.R. By 1876, the population of Natal was rapidly
bers engaged were small, and therefore the postal history is increasing and pressing the border with Zululand. Population
scarce. From a rates and routes perspective, the postal history growth and cultural differences meant that Boers, British and
is dull: a concession rate for enlisted ranks of 1d and normal Zulus were constantly testing and provoking each other over
postage of 6d for officers, with campaign mail largely carried land. Other independent native groups gave everyone trouble.
by courier to the nearest post office in Natal unless the troops British miners in the Lydenburg gold district (Z.A.R.) were
were stationed within a town. Nearly all mail went to the Brit- among the many outlying communities growing rapidly near
ish Isles by regular steam packet service. From the perspective traditional native lands. Bapedi Chief Sekukuni, an ally of Zulu
of military history, this war comes at a time when tactics were King Cetshwayo, threatened the small Lydenburg community
changing from scarlet tunics in line abreast to mounted infantry in early 1876, prompting Lt. Col. Vivian to send a plea to Natal
in butternut, and arms were changing to breech-loading rifles for protection [End Note 1]. Lt. Governor Sir Henry Bulwer
and Gatling guns able to produce horrific casualties on native made his reply through his Private Secretary (Figure 1):
troops carrying spears and clubs. The study of individual battles
and the personalities on both sides of the Zulu War is the story Estcourt, Natal
of extreme bravery and heroic sacrifice. Sir: April 27 1876
I am directed by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor to ac-
The Gathering Storm: Friction and Forces 1876-1878 knowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th inst. which has been
forwarded to him from Maritzburg.
Southern Africa in 1876 was a mix of states. Cape Colony
His Excellency learns with much concern that the English com-
was a self-governing British colony while Natal was a Crown munity at Pilgrims Rest are under apprehensions on account of the
Colony governed by the British Colonial Office. The Orange hostile attitude which you state the native chief Sicoconi has assumed
Free State was independent, and the independent Boers gov- toward the Government of the Transvaal.

Figure 1. The cover of the 1876 OHMS letter which traveled from Estcourt via Newcastle, Natal, to Lydenburg,
Z.A.R., arriving May 3. The letter was a plea for British troop protection

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 The District in which you are is in the territory of the Republic, and the construction of a string of forts near the Sekukuniland
and His Excellency cannot of course interfere in any matter that border, the British began a Second War on Sekukuni in October
concerns the Government of the Republic; nor has he the power to 1878.
appoint any person to represent Her Majesty’s Government at the Two companies of the 90th Regiment (Perthshire Light In-
gold fields, as you request. He would advise you to place yourself at
fantry) arrived at Luneburg, Z.A.R. on October 18, 1878, build-
once, if you have not done so, in communication with the Government
at Pretoria that it may take such measures as may appear to it neces- ing Fort Clery just north of Zululand to defend British subjects
sary in the condition of affairs which you report to exist. along the Pongola River from Swazi Prince Mbilini, another
I have the honor to be Zulu ally. Figure 3 shows a cover mailed by an officer attached
Sir your Obedient Humble to the 90th Regiment addressed to London.
Servant In January 1879, these forces suspended operations against
William Cox Capt. the border tribes to participate in the British invasion of Zulu-
Private Secretary land.

Following the above rebuff by Bulwer, the miners apparent- The First Invasion: Disaster and Defeat Jan.-March 1879
ly obtained Z.A.R. Government action. Z.A.R. forces attacked The personal ambitions of the British High Commissioner
Chief Sekukuni on May 16, 1876, initiating the First Sekukuni for South Africa Sir Henry Bartle Frere and the military com-
War. The campaign was concluded with a peace treaty in Feb- mander Lt. General Lord Chelmsford created a pretext for war
ruary 1877, but the campaign was a financial disaster, and the with the Zulus in 1879 with the primary aim of eventual an-
nearly bankrupt South African Republic Government was left nexation of the independent Zulu kingdom into a confederation
with chaos. The British intervened to stabilize the situation, fol- of British South African colonies.
lowed quickly by formal annexation of the Transvaal April 12, British forces available to Lt. General Lord Chelmsford
1877, much to the displeasure of the Boers. Almost at once, were experienced regiments that had just concluded the Ninth
Sekukuni ignored the treaty with the Boers and again harassed Kaffir War against the Xhosa in the Eastern Cape Province.
the area near his territory. They were joined by the Natal Mounted Police and local militia
The Zulus and Boers had a history of conflict and mutual units. The local units were invaluable for their knowledge of the
mistrust. The annexation of the Boer Republic brought the Brit- terrain and the Zulu language. Several regiments of the Natal

Figure 2

ish into direct conflict with the Zulu kingdom and its allies. The Native Contingent were formed, with Zulu-speaking white of-
militaristic Zulu kingdom was viewed as a major threat to sta- ficers.
bility and development in both Natal and Transvaal. The map of Figure 4 shows the planned lines of advance in
Settling the Ninth Kaffir War (1877-1878) in the Eastern red. Lord Chelmsford initiated a three-pronged attack on Janu-
Province of the Cape released a number of Imperial troops, ary 12, 1879, converging on the Zulu capital Ulundi and Zulu
some of which were transferred to the Transvaal-Natal border King Cetshwayo’s army of 40,000. Against the Zulus, Chelms-
region. Figure 2 shows a convenience use of an OHMS enve- ford mustered 5000 British troops and approximately 6000 Co-
lope by Lt. Thomas Fenn of the Frontier Light Horse posted at lonials and native auxiliaries. The Zulu response to the invasion
Newcastle, Natal on September 8, 1878, to London. Lt. Fenn is in blue.
was among the forces deployed in Transvaal. After the arrival The Right Flank Column was commanded by Colonel
of reinforcements from the 2/80th and the Frontier Light Horse Charles Knight Pearson of the 2/3rd (the Buffs) and included

Forerunners #94 (Vol. XXXII, No. 3, March - June 2019) Page 68
 Figure 3. Cover from Captain
Aubrey B. Maude with
the detachment of the 90th
Regiment at Fort Clery written
November 20, 1878, to his fa-
ther Col. George Maude, CB,
Crown Equerry at the Royal
Mews, Buckingham Palace,
London. The letter was carried
by military courier back to
Newcastle, Natal, and placed
in the postal system there

Figure 4. Map of the inva-

sion plan of three converg-
ing forces. Chelmsford held
reserves near Luneburg
in the north and along the
Tugela River near Grey-
town to protect against
an attack on the colonial
population

the 99th Regiment as well as various other units of mounted (2) Colonel Richard Glyn led the Center Column across the
infantry, artillery, engineers, and five troops of the Natal Volun- Buffalo River at Rorke’s Drift and camped near a butte known
teers and other forces. The route taken was from Fort Pearson as Isandlwana, 20 miles inside Zululand. Lord Chelmsford, in
near the mouth of the Tugela River and along the coastal plain overall command of the Imperial Forces, accompanied the col-
toward Eshowe and the road to Ulundi in central Zululand. Fig- umn. Early morning January 22, Lord Chelmsford initiated a
ure 5 is a cover from Lt. H. R. Knight of the Buffs on the eve reconnaissance in force with Col. Glyn and the 2/24th, based on
of the march to Eshowe January 18 endorsed “Lower Tugela, inaccurate rumors of a large Zulu force nearby, effectively split-
Zululand.” ting his forces in two. The main Zulu army then attacked the
Refer to Figure 4, the map of the first invasion. (1) Pearson’s weakened encampment at Isandlwana midday January 22, and
Right Flank Column crossed the Tugela River mouth, and on over 1300 of the 1700 British forces in camp were killed in the
the morning of January 22, the column was attacked in the first battle, including all of the officers and men of five companies
battle of the war at Inyezane River. Following the battle at the of the 1/24th.
Inyezane River, Pearson’s Right Flank Column dug in at the There are a very few pieces of mail directly connected to
abandoned KwaMondi mission station at Eshowe and remained these early events. Perhaps the finest cover discovered was writ-
besieged by Zulus from the end of January. ten by Col. Glyn to Captain Harrison stationed in the rear area

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 Figure 5. Cover from Lower Tugela January 17 as the Right Flank Column began its march to Ulundi via
the coastal plain

Figure 6. Cover of letter from Col. Glyn to a brother officer Captain Harrison. Partial transcript: “. .
On the 22nd the five companies of the 1/24 and six companies of the 2/24 were totally destroyed by
the Zulus and our (unreadable). We have lost everything and 10 officers and 350 (unreadable) before
they retired. The Batt lost 5 officers (lists the 5 names). . .”

as Assistant Quartermaster General. The letter is dated January on the Column’s fortified laager at Kambula on March 29. The
29th, a week after the massacre at Isandlwana. effect, however, halted the British advance on all fronts while
(3) Honor was salvaged by the British with their stubborn Lord Chelmsford sought reinforcements.
defense of the depot at Rorke’s Drift from an attack by another During a pause after the battle at Kambula, Lt. Col. Redvers
Zulu force the afternoon of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd Buller, V.C., of the 60th Rifles and commanding the Frontier
of January [End Note 2]. Light Horse of the Left Flank Column wrote to Viscount Gort
(4) A third Zulu force engaged Colonel Evelyn Wood and (Figure 7). The letter was about the heroic death of Viscount
the Left Flank Column in northern Zululand at the battles of Gort’s son at Isandlwana, Lt. the Hon. Standish Pendergast Ver-
Ntombe on March 12 and Hlobane Mountain near the Transvaal eker, who was serving as a British officer with the 3rd Regiment
border on March 28, inflicting significant British casualties. of the Natal Native Contingent.
These early Zulu successes were wasted by a disastrous attack

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 Figure 7. During a pause after the battle at Kambula, Lt. Col. Redvers Buller, V.C., of the 60th Rifles and commanding the
Frontier Light Horse of the Left Flank Column wrote to Viscount Gort. The letter was about the heroic death of Viscount Gort’s
son at Isandlwana, Lt. the Hon. Standish Pendergast Vereker, who was serving as a British officer with the 3rd Regiment of the
Natal Native Contingent

Telegraphic communications with London meant that Queen Durban. The HMS Shah Naval Brigade was 16 officers and 378
Victoria heard of the disastrous start of the Zulu War soon after men. The HMS Shah also brought troops of the 88th Regiment
it happened. The telegraph was also used to divert troops from diverted from St. Helena to join in the attack on the Zulus.
other posts to reinforce Chelmsford quickly, as well as inform In a heavy rain on March 27, Lord Chelmsford began to
loved ones of those missing and dead (Figure 8). ferry 5600 troops across the Lower Drift of the Tugela River to
begin the relief of Col. Pearson at Eshowe only 37 miles away.
The Relief of Eshowe March-April 1879 On the march, Chelmsford inflicted a stinging defeat of the Zu-
Figure 9 is a cover from Commander J. W. Brackenburg in lus at Gingindlovu on April 2, and his column reached Eshowe
command of the HMS. Shah unit of the Naval Brigade to his the next day. By April 6, the fort at Eshowe was abandoned, and
fiancée posted March 28 from Fort Pearson via Stanger and Chelmsford led his column back across the Tugela River.

Figure 9. The Naval

Brigade played an im-
portant role in the order
of battle. The Naval Bri-
gade brought a Gatling
gun and two 7-pounder
artillery pieces with
experienced crews to
handle them

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Figure 8: 23 Feb 1879 Telegram to Cape Town from Captain Parr, Military Secretary to Sir Henry Bartle Frere, responding to a query and
confirming a soldier reported killed at Isandlwana on 22nd of January.
Transcript: “His Excellency has received your letter of Feb 9th and directed me to make necessary enquiries. I regret very much that there is
no doubt that Henry Pearse [Natal Police Trooper Henry T. Pearce] was killed in action on 22nd ultimo [January]. One of the Natal Police is
here who was at Isandlwana and was close to Henry Pearse when he fell. If I can be of any further service pray command me.”

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 Figure 10 is a cover to Bookerstown,
Ireland, via Durban posted April 21, 1879,
to Viscount Gough. This is likely a condo-
lence letter on the death of the Viscount’s
third son, Capt. H. Rudolph Gough, a
British officer serving with the Natal Na-
tive Contingent. In spite of illness, Cap-
tain Gough fought bravely at Gingindlovu
on April 2. He died of dysentery at the
Base Hospital in Herwen, Natal, on April
19, two days before this letter was mailed.

The Second Invasion: Revenge for

Isandlwana April-May 1879
After the relief of Eshowe, the British
withdrew to defensive positions in Na-
tal in a string of forts along the Zululand
frontier. Although there were a number of
alarms during April and May, the Zulus
had adopted a policy of defending their
territory and did not intend to attack Na-
tal. The attack at Rorke’s Drift was against
Chetshwayo’s instructions.
Figure 11 is the front of a Soldier’s 1d Figure 10
concession rate cover posted at Greytown April 12, 1879, to
England from Pvt. Lewis of the 2nd Battalion/4th Regiment in the north led by Chelmsford, and the First Division led by
(King’s Own). A detachment of three companies was detailed to Major General Crealock coming up from the coast via Eshowe.
build fortifications at Greytown to defend central Natal against The cover in Figure 12 is a July 1879 Artillery Officer’s letter
Zulu attack. sent 6d due from Fort Tenedos at the mouth of the Tugela Riv-
England sent seven new regiments, plus artillery, engineers, er via Durban to England. The letter was from Lt. John Henry
and supplies to Durban, during April and May as Lord Chelms- Jervis-White-Jervis of “M” Battery 6th Brigade to his father, a
ford organized a second invasion of Zululand. The second inva- retired Colonel of the Royal Artillery and at the time serving in
sion would be a two-pronged attack with the Second Division Parliament as the Member for Harwich. Lt. Jervis-White-Jervis

Figure 11. The front of a Soldier’s 1d concession rate cover posted at Greytown April 12, 1879, to England
from Pvt. Lewis of the 2nd Battalion/4th Regiment (King’s Own). A detachment of three companies was
detailed to build fortifications at Greytown to defend central Natal against Zulu attack

Page 73 Forerunners #94 (Vol. XXXII, No. 3, March - June 2019)

 Figure 12

and his unit landed in Durban March 22 and moved up to Fort

Tenedos April 16 to join the First Division for the southern arm
of the second invasion.

Toward the Climax: The March on Ulundi May-June 1879

The map in Figure 13 shows the movements of the troops
in the second invasion. (1) The Second Division, supported by
Colonel Wood’s Flying Column on its left flank, moved out of
northern Zululand on May 27 to strike for the Zulu capital of
Ulundi. Along the way, Chelmsford’s troops destroyed as many
Zulu homesteads as they could find. On June 27, the combined
force reached the edge of the White Mfolozi valley near Cet-
shwayo’s royal homestead at Ulundi. (2) The First Division
moved up the coast, serving as both a threat in Cetshwayo’s rear
and a blocking force.
Figure 14 is an officer’s letter headed June 19, 1879, bear-
ing Durban, Natal, datestamp of 23 June and 6d in circle post-
Figure 13. Chelmsford approached from the North with the Second
age due marking to Leamington, England, endorsed “On Ac- Division supported by Wood’s Flying Column serving as a screen
tive Service/ No stamps available/ A.V. O’Brien Capt.” Capt. and as scouts. Crealock’s First Division approached from the south
A. V. O’Brien was in charge of one of the companies of the 3rd and served as a blocking force
Battalion/60th Rifles, part of the forces converging on Ulundi.
The letter was sent by courier to the post office at Durban for
packet service to England. Winding Up the War July-December 1879
Figure 15 is an officer’s letter of June 26, 1879, bearing a The defeat of the Zulus at Ulundi was not the end of all con-
Natal 6d stamp overprinted POSTAGE to Buckingham Palace, flicts. Cetshwayo had escaped, and pockets of resistance con-
London, from Captain A. B. Maude of the 90th Foot, part of tinued for several months with casualties on both sides. Natal
Col. Evelyn Wood’s Flying Column. The envelope is endorsed remained on an active war footing. Cetshwayo was captured
by the recipient “Recd 12th Augt/ Zululand 26th June/ near finally on August 28, 1879, and by October, all organized resis-
Ulundi.” The letter entered the post at Dundee, Natal evidenced tance was suppressed.
by shield-type circular date stamp with the numeral “34.” Figure 16 is a cover dated August 7, 1879, [Contains 2 let-
On July 4, 1879, Cetshwayo led 23,000 Zulus against ters dated 19 and 20 July 1879] from the First Officer of a Union
Chelmsford’s troops formed in a hollow square in open country Steamship Co. vessel waiting at Durban to his wife, comment-
near Ulundi. The massed rifles, cannons and Gatling guns put ing on the hardships of a civilian serving in a war zone, Lord
up a withering fire against the enveloping Zulu army. The Zulus Chelmsford, and the recent defeat of the Zulus at Ulundi. The
retired from the field pursued by the 17th Lancers. Total British letter was sent from Durban, Natal, to Liverpool, the 6d stamp
casualties were 10 killed and 53 wounded, and the Zulu army paying the contract packet rate to England.
lost 1500 killed. Cetshwayo fled Ulundi with a small personal Figure 17 is a cover dated August 18, 1879, from Captain
bodyguard, and the British troops burned the King’s homestead. Maude to his father, Col. Maude at Buckingham Palace, Lon-

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