On dangerous duties pertaining to the Quartermaster-General’s Department in an enemy’s country the Prince Imperial should never have been employed; as long as he remained with the British forces he should have been retained on the personal staff of the General commanding.
CHAPTER XXI.
ULUNDI.
Before entering on the history of the advance of the main column on Ulundi, we will glance at the doings of No. 1 Division, which was to operate against Ulundi from the eastward.
During May entrenched posts had been established—Fort Crealock, on the left bank of the Amatikulu River and close to John Dunn’s Road, about fourteen miles from Fort Pearson, on the Tugela; Fort Chelmsford, on the right bank of the Inyezane, also on John Dunn’s Road, and eight miles from Fort Crealock; and, in June, Fort Napoleon, on the left bank of the Umlalazi River, between Fort Chelmsford and Port Durnford, where a landing-place was established—a brief account of which may be interesting. The spot is described as a straight sandy coast near the mouth of the Umlalazi River, always having a boiling surf rolling in on the beach. The landing operations were carried out by means of large decked surf-boats of about forty tons burden each.
The mode of working them was as follows: One end of a long hawser was made fast to an anchor dropped some distance outside the surf, and the other end taken on shore by a small line, hauled taut, and secured to shore moorings.
By means of this “warp” the surf-boat travels to and from the beach. Having picked up the warp by the buoy-rope, it is placed in grooves in the bow and stern of the boat, and there retained by pins. The roll of the surf takes the boat in, large rope-stoppers being used to check her should she be going too fast.
In this way some 3000 tons of stores were landed, at a very great saving of expense over land transport. The landing operations were at all times difficult, sometimes impossible; they were conducted by Commander Caffin, R.N., and to him and the Naval Brigade there stationed is due the entire credit of the excellent work done.
Forwarding supplies and bridging the Tugela was the work of the 1st Division through May and well into June; everything military, except convoy duty, appeared at a standstill. There was a great deal of sickness amongst the troops, but General Crealock did much in providing proper hospital accommodation and improving sanitary arrangements.
Fort Pearson was converted into an extensive hospital, where there were as many as 400 patients at times, and whose garrison, after the advance of the division, was composed of the convalescents. At this hospital some wily patients managed to appropriate £5000 of the public moneys; but this fortunately was all recovered, except about £33.