Rorke's Drift.
The sound of firing was heard at 4.20 p.m. Previously, an officer of Durnford's had been requested to send outposts in the direction of the enemy, and to check their advances as much as possible. His men, however, would not obey orders, and rode off, 100 in number, to Helpmakaar. About the same time, Captain Stephenson, with his detachment of Natal Native Contingent, left the little garrison. The line of defence was at once seen to be too extended for the small number of men that were left, and a new entrenchment of biscuit-boxes had at once to be commenced. The wall had only been built two boxes high, when, at 4.30 p.m., 600 Zulus were seen advancing at a run against the south wall. They were met by a well-sustained fire, but, notwithstanding their heavy loss, continued to advance within fifty yards. Here they encountered the additional cross-fire from the store and were checked. Unfortunately, however, some were able to take advantage of the shelter afforded by the cook-house ovens, etc. By far the larger number never stopped, but moved to the left, round the hospital, and made a rush at the north-west wall of mealie-bags. A desperate bayonet struggle took place here, which resulted in the repulse of the enemy with heavy loss.
The bush in the immediate neighbourhood, which had not been cut down, enabled the Zulus to advance under cover close to the wall. A number of desperate assaults were made, all of which were most splendidly met and repulsed by the bayonet.
A very harassing fire was encountered from the rocks, which caused severe loss, and about 6 p.m. obliged a retreat behind the entrenchment of the biscuit-boxes. While all this was going on, the Zulus had been attempting to force the hospital, and shortly afterwards set fire to its roof. The garrison there most gallantly defended the building from floor to floor, bringing out all the sick that could be moved. Four privates of the 24th Regiment (Williams, Hook, R. Jones, and W. Jones) were the last men to leave, holding the doorway with the bayonet, their own ammunition being exhausted.
Mealie-bags were then converted into a sort of redoubt, which gave a second line of fire all round. While this was being done, the hospital was in flames, and the enemy continued to make desperate attempts to fire the roof of the stores. Shortly before darkness came on, the gallant little force was completely surrounded, and, after repulsing several attacks, felt compelled to retire to the centre of their entrenchments. The vigour of the siege continued until after midnight, and then it lapsed into a desultory fire, which was kept up all night.
About 4 a.m. on the 23rd of January, the firing ceased, and at daybreak the enemy was out of sight over the hill to the south-west. The number of the defending force was exactly 104,[26] and that of the Zulus who attacked about 3000. No fewer than 350 of the enemy were killed. Thus was the colony of Natal saved by the undaunted resolution of a little band of heroes whose conduct rivals that of the men of Thermopylæ.
At about 7 a.m. a large body of the enemy were seen advancing. No reinforcements had arrived from Helpmakaar, although they had been specially sent for, and the ammunition was almost expended. At about 8 a.m. the third column providentially appeared in sight, and Lord Chelmsford and staff soon afterwards galloped up to Rorke's Drift and warmly congratulated its gallant defenders. They had by their undaunted bravery and firm attitude before an overwhelming force of the enemy done much to neutralize the effect of the disaster at Isandhlwana, and, Lord Chelmsford himself officially reports, "no doubt saved Natal from a serious invasion." He adds, "The cool, determined courage displayed by the gallant garrison is beyond all praise, and will, I feel sure, receive ample recognition."
Natal saved.
The disaster at Isandhlwana, looked at correctly, confirms most strongly the arguments advanced by the High Commissioner in favour of the war. It became perfectly evident that the Zulu king had an army at his command which could, almost any day, unexpectedly invade Natal; and, owing to the great extent of frontier and character of the natives within the colony, they might have devastated the country without the possibility of being adequately checked. To use the words of Sir Bartle Frere, it would have been vain—almost criminal—to ignore the fact that there had grown up by our sufferance alongside Natal a very powerful military organization, directed by an irresponsible, bloodthirsty, and treacherous despot. This extraordinary power simply made the existence of a peaceful English community so precarious as to prevent its safe continuance in any other form than that of an armed camp. So soon as the news of Isandhlwana reached the colony, a terrible panic was the result. The inhabitants fled to the towns, laagers were formed in every direction, while in D'Urban and Pietermaritzburg entrenchments and fortifications were at once erected. The heroic defence of Rorke's Drift and the providential flooding of the Tugela river were the means of saving the colony. Flushed with victory, nothing would have been able to withstand the Zulu armies, if they had crossed the boundary and, in their well-organized form, entered Natal.
As a result of the Isandhlwana disaster, the native allies could no longer be trusted, and melted away by means of desertion. Lord Chelmsford was obliged to report that large British reinforcements were absolutely required if the operations against the Zulus were to be carried to a successful issue. Three British infantry regiments, two cavalry regiments, and one company of Royal Engineers, as well as 100 artillerymen, were asked for. When the request reached England, it was immediately granted, but a fearful period of suspense and anxiety intervened. It is difficult to pourtray in words the feelings of the white inhabitants of Natal, who every moment expected to hear that a savage, ruthless foe was in full march for the purpose of utterly exterminating the hated white race. Sixty miles only intervened between D'Urban and the Tugela river; Pietermaritzburg was still more exposed. Numbers of people fled to the seaboard, and thence to the neighbouring colony; while, behind laagers and hastily constructed fortifications, the people waited in expectant terror for every item of news from the theatre of war. In the Cape colony, the most vigorous measures were adopted by its Government. Two hundred volunteers from Cape Town, and 100 from Port Elizabeth, proceeded immediately to King William's Town and relieved the 88th Regiment, ordered to Natal; 900 mounted yeomanry were called out to occupy certain positions on the border, in conjunction with 800 Cape Mounted Riflemen. Two thousand Europeans were thus placed under arms, 1700 of whom were mounted men. This was really necessary in order to keep down possible insurrections of Pondos, Basutos, and Griquas. All the black races throughout Southern Africa had to be feared, as they only waited an opportunity to make common cause against the Europeans. Already in detail had the Gealekas and the Gaikas been thoroughly defeated, but the Basutos and Pondos had hitherto hung back. The Zulu war was watched by them with lively feelings of interest and their sympathies were, of course, enlisted on the side of Cetywayo.