大象传媒

Dabulamanzie, the brother of the Zulu leader King Cetshwayo, c.1879
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The Zulu War that inspired films but little respect for British colonial diplomacy took place in 1879. Indirectly, the cause was the misjudgement of the colonial secretary Lord Carnarvon who believed Boers and British would come together to protect each other.

The commissioner tasked with the job of implementing the Carnarvon plan (Carnarvon was about to be succeeded by Sir Michael Hicks Beech who didn't think Africa worth fighting for) was Sir Bartle Frere. His reputation in India was that of a sound and determined administrator. In Africa, he failed.

His so-called Zulu expert, Theophilus Shepstone, had annexed the Transvaal. Shepstone had supported the boundary claims of the Zulus but changed his mind even though it remained clear that his first analysis was correct and told Bartle Frere that the Zulus posed a threat to the whole region.

The home government wanted a diplomatic settlement. Frere ignored instructions and authorised the January 1879 invasion of Zululand.

On 22 January three columns of the British invasion ran short of ammunition and were decimated at Isandhlwana. Later that day between 3,000 and 4,000 Zulu's attacked the British position at Rorke's Drift. In spite of great losses, the British held on. There was after that day what is generally accepted as a despicable attempt by the British Establishment to blame a junior officer, Colonel Anthony William Durnford (killed in action) for the incompetence of their general Frederick Thesiger (later Lord Chelmsford).

However brave the Zulus under the celebrated leader Cetshwayo (he never followed up his victory at Isandhlwana) the British forced a defeat by July that year and Zululand was split into 13 districts. In 1881 some of it was given to the Boers in the Transvaal and the rest became part of British Natal.

Anthony William Durnford 1830-1879

Durnford was born in Ireland, commissioned into the Royal Engineers and sent to Ceylon in 1851. After service in Malta, Durnford arrived in Cape Town in 1871, was gazetted major and sent to Natal. His involvement with African culture, including languages and custom earned their trust but the suspicions of some of his British colleagues. In 1873 the Langalibalele tribe began shifting through the Drakensburg mountains. A huge tribe on the move was destabilizing. Durnford, in command of his Natal Volunteers and mounted native Basutos earned high praise by stopping them especially as he was twice wounded, rallied his frightened volunteers and used his skills as a Royal Englineer to demolished the Drakensburg Pass. At the start of the Zulu War, with his mounted native Volunteers, he was ordered to support General Thesiger. With a handful of volunteers Durnford fought hand to hand to cover Thesiger's retreat and died doing so.

Frere's peace proposal were sent to the Zulus shortly before Christmas 1878. Frere wanted a reply by New Year's Eve. The conditions could never be accepted because the ultimatum meant that Chief Cetshwayo would lose his army and so disband his warrior tradition.

Events of this episode took place in Southern Africa region. We're interested to hear your comments on the influence of Empire on this region:

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The British Government in London refuse Frere's request for reinforcements

Excerpt from a letter from Colonial Secretary Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Bartle Frere, 1878

"Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to comply with a request for reinforcement of troops. Information that has hitherto reached them with respect to the position of affairs in Zululand appears to justify a confident hope that by the exercise of prudence, and by meeting the Zulus in a spirit of forbearance and reasonable compromise, it will be possible to avert the very serious evil with Cetshwayo."