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Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana: 22nd January 1879: Minute by Minute
The battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic episodes in military history. In the morning, 20,000 Zulus overwhelmed the British invading force in one of the greatest disasters ever to befall a British army.
Later the same day, a Zulu force of around 3,000 warriors turned their attention to a small outpost at Rorke's Drift defended by around 150 British and Imperial troops. The British victory that ensued - against remarkable odds - would go down as one of the most heroic actions of all time.
In this thrilling blow-by-blow account, Chris Peers draws on first-hand testimonies from both sides to piece together the course of the battles as they unfolded. Along the way, he exposes many of the Victorian myths to reveal great acts of bravery as well as cases of cowardice and incompetence. A brief analysis of the aftermath of the battle and notes on the later careers of the key participants completes this gripping expos� of this legendary encounter.
Later the same day, a Zulu force of around 3,000 warriors turned their attention to a small outpost at Rorke's Drift defended by around 150 British and Imperial troops. The British victory that ensued - against remarkable odds - would go down as one of the most heroic actions of all time.
In this thrilling blow-by-blow account, Chris Peers draws on first-hand testimonies from both sides to piece together the course of the battles as they unfolded. Along the way, he exposes many of the Victorian myths to reveal great acts of bravery as well as cases of cowardice and incompetence. A brief analysis of the aftermath of the battle and notes on the later careers of the key participants completes this gripping expos� of this legendary encounter.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 1, 2024
I've been wanting to read a comprehensive history of the southern end of Africa and this seemed like an appropriate appetizer. Like much of my generation, the film ZULU left a big impression on me when I was young and the fights at Isandlwana and Rorkes' Drift have remained objects of horrified fascination. This is a good recreation of both brief battles, along with a good amount of background to attempt to make sense out of the insanity of the most powerful nation on Earth locked in desperate combat with the "primitives" who refuse to be ruled by them. Like any good military account, it emphasizes the utter chaos and haphazard fortune of close combat, even on a small scale. It's easy to see the events of the day as a kind of demarcation line between the voracious policies of empire and the inevitable decline. We're all of course still paying a price.
February 12, 2022
Quite a short book chronicling the events of 22nd January 1879 in a time zone fashion that clearly shows how the day unfolded. Chelmsford had divided his force and moved ahead with the main bulk of his force when the large Zulu attack force swept down onto the base camp at Isandlwana completely destroying them before moving to Rorke's Drift where they found a much smaller British force in a defensive formation which they attacked. The Zulu force eventually tired and moved away after repeated attacks. Chelmsford moving back towards the crossing passed close by the Zulu forces but there was no engagement and the crossing was eventually relieved. An interesting round-up shows the fates of the more well known survivors and VC recipients.
An interesting read with good references, maps and modern photos showing the territory.
An interesting read with good references, maps and modern photos showing the territory.
January 12, 2026
I honestly feel like this war theory paper I’m writing will never end, but that’s probably because I also read fiction in parallel to maintain my sanity, which in all fairness is slowing me down a bit.
The differences in outcomes between Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana were stark in their difference in outcomes, with the battle at Rorke’s Drift shocking me the most. (Query: if these battles are almost 200 years old, are these really spoilers at this point?)
British arrogance led to their downfall at Isandlwana, they assumed that the Zulus would simply be ‘brushed aside’. Impi formations followed common formation tactics, using cattle (a culturally significant creature) as the means of describing their design: the ‘chest’ was the group that attacked the enemy in the centre, the ‘horns’ were the flanks consisting of younger and fitter men to push for encirclement, and the ‘loins’ were the older and more experienced warriors that were kept in reserve to commit to key moments in the fight. The British wound encircled, and once their ammunition ran out were overwhelmed by sheer numbers (12,000 Zulus to 1,200 British, a 10:1 combat ratio).
Rorke’s Drift was a shock because 137 British fended off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulus, which is upwards of a 30:1 combat ratio (!!!). The difference here was that the British took preparation seriously, allowing them to build barricades from food stores and gain a tactical advantage of their Martini-Henry rifles, which included longer reach bayonets that gave them an advantage in close-quarter combat against Zulu assegais while protected from the barriers. After the British survived the night, the Zulus sustained so many casualties and saw reinforcements coming to the British position in the morning that they decided it wasn’t worth it and left. The end result was 17 British dead and 10 wounded as compared to the 350-500 Zulu casualties (!).
It is a recommended read for those who want to learn how technological imbalances can change predicted outcomes. Or, if you don’t want to read, I suppose you could just watch “Zulu” starring Michael Caine 🤷🏻♂️.
The differences in outcomes between Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana were stark in their difference in outcomes, with the battle at Rorke’s Drift shocking me the most. (Query: if these battles are almost 200 years old, are these really spoilers at this point?)
British arrogance led to their downfall at Isandlwana, they assumed that the Zulus would simply be ‘brushed aside’. Impi formations followed common formation tactics, using cattle (a culturally significant creature) as the means of describing their design: the ‘chest’ was the group that attacked the enemy in the centre, the ‘horns’ were the flanks consisting of younger and fitter men to push for encirclement, and the ‘loins’ were the older and more experienced warriors that were kept in reserve to commit to key moments in the fight. The British wound encircled, and once their ammunition ran out were overwhelmed by sheer numbers (12,000 Zulus to 1,200 British, a 10:1 combat ratio).
Rorke’s Drift was a shock because 137 British fended off 3,000 to 4,000 Zulus, which is upwards of a 30:1 combat ratio (!!!). The difference here was that the British took preparation seriously, allowing them to build barricades from food stores and gain a tactical advantage of their Martini-Henry rifles, which included longer reach bayonets that gave them an advantage in close-quarter combat against Zulu assegais while protected from the barriers. After the British survived the night, the Zulus sustained so many casualties and saw reinforcements coming to the British position in the morning that they decided it wasn’t worth it and left. The end result was 17 British dead and 10 wounded as compared to the 350-500 Zulu casualties (!).
It is a recommended read for those who want to learn how technological imbalances can change predicted outcomes. Or, if you don’t want to read, I suppose you could just watch “Zulu” starring Michael Caine 🤷🏻♂️.
April 14, 2023
The history of the British Empire does not perhaps know a period of time so agitated from a military point of view as that which enclosed the day 22 January and the early hours of 23 January 1879.
Anyone who knows the history or has seen the two films "Zulu" (Cy Endfield - 1964) and Zulu Dawn (Douglas Hickox - 1979) will know very well that what we are talking about is the Anglo Zulu conflict, which developed in 1879 and which modeled much of South Africa for the remaining 100 years. Those two films have awakened the attention of historians to those exciting and tragic hours of that distant day in January 1879. Since then and in recent years historians have produced detailed analyzes of the conflict (thanks also to the contribution of new generations of scholars). and of that seminal date, that January 22nd which saw the defeat, incredible even to think of a British infantry battalion and various auxiliary units in the famous battle of Isandlwana but also the courageous and desperate defense of the frontier post of Rorke's Drift, on the border with Natal.
Today's book, published by Greenhill Books and written by historian Chris Peers, is a detailed timeline (as far as possible) of the two battles happened within hours. The book obviously relies on the numerous accounts of the survivors of Rorke's Drift while instead the battle of Isandlwana is always, for many events, the result of speculation as to the time in which they may have happened. This is not to say that Peers with his enormous experience in the field of colonial wars and specifically the Anglo Zulu war does not reason abundantly on the exact moment of each action.
The main problem is precisely given by the fact that no one present in the Isandlwana camp (where some companies of the 1st Battalion of the 24th Regiment plus one of the 2nd Battalion had remained in defense after the commander of column number 3 and commander-in-chief Lord Chelmsford had headed southeast with other forces to track down the Zulu forces) survived the battle. In fact, the Zulus never took prisoners and as a custom opened the belly to dead enemies (so as to free their souls) and therefore did not leave any wounded alive. If there were survivors, it was those few British (many more were the auxiliaries) who managed to escape before the Zulu encircled the camp at the base of a mountain, called Isandlwana.
However, the chronological form is very effective because in those hours different forces move on the battlefield and elsewhere. The Zulus, first of all, who are provoked into action, as their plan was to begin the attack on the 23rd. Then the British and auxiliary forces, with the Chelmsford detachment forces, the remaining forces at the camp commanded first by Pulleine and later by Durnford (who arrives on the field and launches immediately an attack) and other forces often overlooked by many narratives such as that of the Bengough's Native Auxiliary Battalion (NNC). In the background, the unsuspecting soldiers of Rorke's Drift with officers Chard (Royal Engineers) and Bromhead (24th Rgt.) who will be protagonists after the destruction of the field in Isandlwana. The account of those events has been covered by many books, from which Peers draws. Ian Knight with his encyclopedic "Zulu Rising", Adrian Greaves with "Rorke's Drift" (which presents a series of appendices of absolute documentary value) and then the two works by Colonel Mike Snook on the two battles, published by Frontline "How can man die better "and" Like wolves on the fold "which revolutionized the approach to the battle of Isandlwana. So this is certainly a book that excellently complements the main texts already present in the various collections of fans of Victorian wars and above all of the Anglo Zulu war, but also for those who approach for the first time the two battles that brought a terrible blow (Isandlwana) but which also represented a huge source of pride (Rorke's Drift) for the Queen's forces, to spur the interest in following events hour by hour and understanding how it all happened in just over 24 hours.
Isandlwana was a battle that suffered the fate of other battles against forces considered "inferior" from a military point of view. The division of forces certainly did not help as it did for Custer against the Sioux (Little Big Horn 1876) and for the Royal Italian Army in 1896 at Adua against the Ethiopians. The chronology hour by hour, which however also contains reflections and is in-depth, is a way to follow this battle in a clear and interesting way. Peers's book is therefore extremely valid and useful for fully understanding the unfolding of those two events, so different as an outcome and so important for the British Empire in South Africa.
Anyone who knows the history or has seen the two films "Zulu" (Cy Endfield - 1964) and Zulu Dawn (Douglas Hickox - 1979) will know very well that what we are talking about is the Anglo Zulu conflict, which developed in 1879 and which modeled much of South Africa for the remaining 100 years. Those two films have awakened the attention of historians to those exciting and tragic hours of that distant day in January 1879. Since then and in recent years historians have produced detailed analyzes of the conflict (thanks also to the contribution of new generations of scholars). and of that seminal date, that January 22nd which saw the defeat, incredible even to think of a British infantry battalion and various auxiliary units in the famous battle of Isandlwana but also the courageous and desperate defense of the frontier post of Rorke's Drift, on the border with Natal.
Today's book, published by Greenhill Books and written by historian Chris Peers, is a detailed timeline (as far as possible) of the two battles happened within hours. The book obviously relies on the numerous accounts of the survivors of Rorke's Drift while instead the battle of Isandlwana is always, for many events, the result of speculation as to the time in which they may have happened. This is not to say that Peers with his enormous experience in the field of colonial wars and specifically the Anglo Zulu war does not reason abundantly on the exact moment of each action.
The main problem is precisely given by the fact that no one present in the Isandlwana camp (where some companies of the 1st Battalion of the 24th Regiment plus one of the 2nd Battalion had remained in defense after the commander of column number 3 and commander-in-chief Lord Chelmsford had headed southeast with other forces to track down the Zulu forces) survived the battle. In fact, the Zulus never took prisoners and as a custom opened the belly to dead enemies (so as to free their souls) and therefore did not leave any wounded alive. If there were survivors, it was those few British (many more were the auxiliaries) who managed to escape before the Zulu encircled the camp at the base of a mountain, called Isandlwana.
However, the chronological form is very effective because in those hours different forces move on the battlefield and elsewhere. The Zulus, first of all, who are provoked into action, as their plan was to begin the attack on the 23rd. Then the British and auxiliary forces, with the Chelmsford detachment forces, the remaining forces at the camp commanded first by Pulleine and later by Durnford (who arrives on the field and launches immediately an attack) and other forces often overlooked by many narratives such as that of the Bengough's Native Auxiliary Battalion (NNC). In the background, the unsuspecting soldiers of Rorke's Drift with officers Chard (Royal Engineers) and Bromhead (24th Rgt.) who will be protagonists after the destruction of the field in Isandlwana. The account of those events has been covered by many books, from which Peers draws. Ian Knight with his encyclopedic "Zulu Rising", Adrian Greaves with "Rorke's Drift" (which presents a series of appendices of absolute documentary value) and then the two works by Colonel Mike Snook on the two battles, published by Frontline "How can man die better "and" Like wolves on the fold "which revolutionized the approach to the battle of Isandlwana. So this is certainly a book that excellently complements the main texts already present in the various collections of fans of Victorian wars and above all of the Anglo Zulu war, but also for those who approach for the first time the two battles that brought a terrible blow (Isandlwana) but which also represented a huge source of pride (Rorke's Drift) for the Queen's forces, to spur the interest in following events hour by hour and understanding how it all happened in just over 24 hours.
Isandlwana was a battle that suffered the fate of other battles against forces considered "inferior" from a military point of view. The division of forces certainly did not help as it did for Custer against the Sioux (Little Big Horn 1876) and for the Royal Italian Army in 1896 at Adua against the Ethiopians. The chronology hour by hour, which however also contains reflections and is in-depth, is a way to follow this battle in a clear and interesting way. Peers's book is therefore extremely valid and useful for fully understanding the unfolding of those two events, so different as an outcome and so important for the British Empire in South Africa.
November 6, 2022
Having seen Michael Caine in the excellent film 'Zulu' I was aware of the heroics carried out by the British at Rorke's Drift when the Zulus were defeated but I was unaware that on the same day, only a few hours earlier there had been a much larger battle just a few miles aware in which the British were heavily defeated, nay, very nearly wiped completely out. In an enthralling minute by minute account of the two confrontations, Chris Peers puts the record straight.
I am no military historian nor knowledgeable on tactics but from the early skirmishes at Isandlwana it did appear that the British officers were taking things a little less seriously than they should have been. Indeed, in his final assessment in the chapter 'The Aftermath, it is noted that the War Office came to the conclusion in August 1879 that the main cause of the Islandwana disaster was 'the under estimate formed of the effective fighting power of the Zulu army'.
The implication of this remark was that it was the responsibility of the commander in chief Lord Chelmsford, who it did seem failed to encourage his men to fully investigate when hoards of Zulu warriors were spotted in the surrounding countryside before the fighting began. As a result Chelmsford was, as Peers states, 'kicked upstairs'. But by then it was too late the damage had well and truly been done. As for the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, he had written about Cape affairs in September 1878 when he commented, 'Every day brings forward a new blunder', and he was not wrong. He, too suffered by the Islandwana disaster because at the April 1880 General Election he was defeated by the Liberal Party under William Gladstone, who had criticised his foreign policy failures in South Africa.
From midnight through to 4pm on 22 January the fighting on and around the hill that was Islandwana raged and at the end of it all the British had lost battalion after battalion and troops were wandering around as though they had no leadership. The author has discovered many first-hand accounts of the goings on in the battle and most of them tend to suggest that things were not right in the organisation of the troops. Admittedly the British were heaviiy outnumbered by the 20,000 Zulu force, who also suffered heavy losses, but the 2,000 British and African troops lost over 1,300 of their 2,000 force.
Once the Zulu army had been triumphant, the action moved, almost seamlessly, a few miles down the road to Rorke's Drift where a small force of British and African soldiers reversed the results of Islandwana. Fortunately forewarned by the residue of the remnants of the retreating forces from the earlier battle, 120 British troops shot down more than 500 Zulu warriors in a 12-hour battle that was very much a firefight as the Zulus set fire to the thatched properties. Once again there are first-hand accounts, some of which are quite harrowing.
The tale brings out many acts of bravery as well as cases of cowardice and incompetence and is quite a gripping read.
I am no military historian nor knowledgeable on tactics but from the early skirmishes at Isandlwana it did appear that the British officers were taking things a little less seriously than they should have been. Indeed, in his final assessment in the chapter 'The Aftermath, it is noted that the War Office came to the conclusion in August 1879 that the main cause of the Islandwana disaster was 'the under estimate formed of the effective fighting power of the Zulu army'.
The implication of this remark was that it was the responsibility of the commander in chief Lord Chelmsford, who it did seem failed to encourage his men to fully investigate when hoards of Zulu warriors were spotted in the surrounding countryside before the fighting began. As a result Chelmsford was, as Peers states, 'kicked upstairs'. But by then it was too late the damage had well and truly been done. As for the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, he had written about Cape affairs in September 1878 when he commented, 'Every day brings forward a new blunder', and he was not wrong. He, too suffered by the Islandwana disaster because at the April 1880 General Election he was defeated by the Liberal Party under William Gladstone, who had criticised his foreign policy failures in South Africa.
From midnight through to 4pm on 22 January the fighting on and around the hill that was Islandwana raged and at the end of it all the British had lost battalion after battalion and troops were wandering around as though they had no leadership. The author has discovered many first-hand accounts of the goings on in the battle and most of them tend to suggest that things were not right in the organisation of the troops. Admittedly the British were heaviiy outnumbered by the 20,000 Zulu force, who also suffered heavy losses, but the 2,000 British and African troops lost over 1,300 of their 2,000 force.
Once the Zulu army had been triumphant, the action moved, almost seamlessly, a few miles down the road to Rorke's Drift where a small force of British and African soldiers reversed the results of Islandwana. Fortunately forewarned by the residue of the remnants of the retreating forces from the earlier battle, 120 British troops shot down more than 500 Zulu warriors in a 12-hour battle that was very much a firefight as the Zulus set fire to the thatched properties. Once again there are first-hand accounts, some of which are quite harrowing.
The tale brings out many acts of bravery as well as cases of cowardice and incompetence and is quite a gripping read.
August 29, 2023
On a sunny day in 1965 my parents took my sister and I on a day trip to Skegness. A few hours on the beach was clearly the intention but my father spotted that a film called Zulu was playing at the Parade Cinema. Clearly excited, he took me by the hand and told my mother that we would be "a couple of hours". Such was my introduction to a subject which has fascinated me ever since. I have visited the battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift a couple of times and a year or so ago fulfilled a lifelong ambition by walking the Fugitive's Trail. I am not alone in my fascination - aside from the two iconic films (Zulu and Zulu Dawn) there is a huge volume of popular literature on the topic and innumerable documentaries and academic papers. It was with some scepticism therefore, that I started to read this latest book from African colonial warfare expert Chris Peers. After all, what more is there to be said about a campaign that has been the subject of so much scrutiny?
The book is a minute by minute account of the two battles, with the action switching backwards and forwards in a way which gives readers a real understanding of the interplay between the two. The story is a familiar one but the time-line format adopted by the author is hugely effective in building tension and drawing the reader in. The depth and quality of the writing is superb - every pertinent fact is cross-checked for authenticity using an impressively expansive range of sources. The various commands given, Younghusband's famous final charge on the Nek, the flight back to the relative safety of Helpmekaar, Melville and Coghill's VC action, the confusion that ensued during the late afternoon, Chelmsford's return to the camp and the drama at Rorke's Drift are all described in a hugely engaging style. Furthermore, Zulu personalities and actions are given equal weight with detailed explanations of the Zulu tactics, their command structures and the actions of key players like Cetshwayo, Dabulamanzi kaMpande and Ntshingwayo kaMahole.
Aside from the riveting minute by minute storytelling, the author provides just the right amount of context. He also whets the readers appetite with some fascinating descriptions of what happened afterwards - in particular, the fate of those who survived from both sides and the rationale applied in awarding medals for bravery to those who fought for the Queen. In his conclusion the author indulges in some counterfactual history - but this serves to enhance understanding and is a useful supplement to what is a very comprehensive account. The conclusion that 'it is instructive to think of Isandlwana not as a British defeat but as a Zulu success' is a great summation of what is written on the preceding pages. This an outstanding book which as well as being entertaining, also brings insight and clarity to the understanding of a battle which has left an enduring legacy not only for those directly involved but also for the generations that followed. Recommended without reservation.
The book is a minute by minute account of the two battles, with the action switching backwards and forwards in a way which gives readers a real understanding of the interplay between the two. The story is a familiar one but the time-line format adopted by the author is hugely effective in building tension and drawing the reader in. The depth and quality of the writing is superb - every pertinent fact is cross-checked for authenticity using an impressively expansive range of sources. The various commands given, Younghusband's famous final charge on the Nek, the flight back to the relative safety of Helpmekaar, Melville and Coghill's VC action, the confusion that ensued during the late afternoon, Chelmsford's return to the camp and the drama at Rorke's Drift are all described in a hugely engaging style. Furthermore, Zulu personalities and actions are given equal weight with detailed explanations of the Zulu tactics, their command structures and the actions of key players like Cetshwayo, Dabulamanzi kaMpande and Ntshingwayo kaMahole.
Aside from the riveting minute by minute storytelling, the author provides just the right amount of context. He also whets the readers appetite with some fascinating descriptions of what happened afterwards - in particular, the fate of those who survived from both sides and the rationale applied in awarding medals for bravery to those who fought for the Queen. In his conclusion the author indulges in some counterfactual history - but this serves to enhance understanding and is a useful supplement to what is a very comprehensive account. The conclusion that 'it is instructive to think of Isandlwana not as a British defeat but as a Zulu success' is a great summation of what is written on the preceding pages. This an outstanding book which as well as being entertaining, also brings insight and clarity to the understanding of a battle which has left an enduring legacy not only for those directly involved but also for the generations that followed. Recommended without reservation.
June 28, 2024
Two remarkable battles occurred on the same day just a short distance from each other. One was a humiliating defeat for British arms, and the other a heroic defense again by British arms. The victor of the first, and the loser of the second was the Zulu Nation. This account takes the events of the day hour by hour, minute by minute of the struggles. While the Zulu War is not high on most historians’ study lists, there are things to be learned here that stand the weathering of time.
February 20, 2022
A very detailed and we'll researched novel about the ill-fated Zulu Wars. This was a war that could have been avoided but Imperialism and bull headed leadership dominated over foresight and common sense.
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August 16, 2022Gripping read
A very well written and easy to understand book that had you thinking at times you were right there, I'm glad that many of the acts of bravery were explained so that the reader would understand.
A very well written and easy to understand book that had you thinking at times you were right there, I'm glad that many of the acts of bravery were explained so that the reader would understand.
June 4, 2022
Says what it is on the tin, very good read for factual action of the battles, if you're looking for creative writing look elsewhere. I personally enjoyed it as I'm a huge history buff
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews