had barrack rooms and stables capable of
accommodating 200 men and horses.

In time detachments of the Force were
stationed in different parts of the Colony
and it was generally admitted that the
slowly growing body of Natal Mounted
Police was the most valuable military force
in the land. Hard as nails with constant
drill and no luxuries, they were beginning
to come up to the standard which their
eficient commander had intended they
should reach. Permanent outstations were
erected, some of stone while many were
similar to the better class of native huts,
but when on patrol the men slept in the
open, or in bivouacks; baggage was carried
on pack ponies so had to be very limited.

At the end of 1876 the Force now num-
bered one hundred and fifty officers and
troopers and the native police had been
‘increased in proportion. It was in this year
that Sir Theophilus Shepstone was ap-
pointed special commissioner to annex the
Transvaal, as the Boer Government un-
der President Burger had collapsed. He
was escorted to Pretoria by a troop of
Natal Mounted Police under Inspector
Phillips. The Transvaal was then in a very
unsettled state there being strong opposi-
tion to the annexation. At Standerton an
address of welcome was read and there was
another enthusiastic reception at Heidel-
berg. At Pretoria a camp was pitched in
the market square and the Union Jack was

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hoisted, but in spite of these demonstra-
tions the majority of the Boers were op-
posed to the movement. There no doubt
would have been fighting had not the lead-
ers of those who opposed the annexation
persuaded their followers to trust to an
appeal to the British Government. While
the police were in Pretoria a disturbance
was hourly expected; sentries were posted
around the building in which the Special
Commissioner was staying. When the pro-
clamation was read everything passed off
quietly, but the police were under arms
all day. They were relieved of their duties
by the arrival of the Thirteenth Regiment
from Fort Napier and returned to Pieter-
maritzburg.

THE BATTLE OF ISANDHLWANA

The saddest day in the history of the
Natal Mounted Police occurred in the
Zulu War of 1879; yet it was the day on
which the corps acquitted itself with more
glory than ever it had the opportunity of
doing since. That was at the battle of
Isandhlwana. The great struggle of “79

was threatened for many months before it
actually came about. Cetshwayo, who had
now been king of the Zulus for six years,
excelled in fraud and cunning, which had

wl

King Cetshwayo in 1875

been characteristic qualities of every Zulu
ruler. His vast army was well organized,
and it became a standing menace to both
Natal and the Transvaal. After the mur-
der of some native refugees whom his sol-
diers had pursued into Natal, a remon-
strance was sent to the Zulu king, whose
reply to the Natal Government was most
insolent. The beginning of the end came
when an ultimatum was sent to Cetshwayo
couched in very drastic terms. The surren-
der of certain Zulu offenders was asked

for, the disbandment of certain Zulu regi-
ments was insisted on and the king was in-
formed that there must be a British repre-
sentative in Zululand. With this step a
warning was uttered that if the requests
were not complied with forcible measures
would be adopted.

The Natal Government did its best to
avoid war by every means consistent with
honour, but now felt bound to use the
power with which it had been intrusted to
secure peace and safety and in the middle
of January, 1879 an army commanded by
General Lord Chelmsford invaded Zulu-
land. The General divided his army into
four columns each of about 2,000 white
soldiers with as many native levies. The
Natal natives were all anxious for revenge
on their old oppressors, the Zulus, and felt
that with the support of the white soldiers
their opportunity was now at hand.

The Third Column of Lord Chelms-
ford’s army crossed the Buffalo River at
Rorke’s Drift (£) and advancing ten miles
into Zululand camped near the kopje (4),
called Isandhlwana. This column under
Colonel Durnford consisted of six guns of
the Royal Artillery, 320 cavalry, two bat-
talions of the 24th Regiment, 200 Natal
Volunteers, 150 Natal Mounted Police un-
der Major Dartnell and 2,500 native levies.
At Rorke’s Drift some buildings had been
converted into a base depot and all super-
fluous stores and baggage were left there,
also some sick soldiers who were cared for
in an improvised hospital ward.

Between the river and Isandhlwana some
small parties of Zulus were seen and driven
from the positions they had taken up, but
Cetshway’s large impi (§) had not been
encountered when the column made camp
on the ridge below Isandhlwana hill on
January 20th.

(£) Ford.
(() Hill.
(§) Zulu army.

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