On December 10th, Sir B. Frere writes to Sir M. Hicks-Beach: “The chance of avoiding war under such circumstances by any exercise of prudence, or by meeting the Zulus in a spirit of forbearance or reasonable compromise, may depend upon ourselves or upon the Zulus, or upon the nature of the issues pending between us.... Can we then rest on an armed truce?... After the most anxious consideration, I can arrive at no other conclusion than that it is impossible to evade the necessity for now settling this Zulu question thoroughly and finally ... there is clearly no possibility of now evading bringing matters to an issue with the Zulus” (ibid. pp. 183-85).
On the 23rd January, 1879, Sir M. Hicks-Beach acknowledges the receipt of Sir B. Frere’s despatches containing “the demands with which Cetywayo has been called upon to comply, together with your own descriptions of the situation with which you have to deal, as well as other very important memoranda by Sir H. Bulwer, Sir T. Shepstone, and Mr. Brownlee,” and says, “I may observe that the communications which had previously been received from you had not entirely prepared them” (Her Majesty’s Government) “for the course which you have deemed it necessary to take. The representations made by Lord Chelmsford and yourself last autumn as to the urgent need of strengthening Her Majesty’s forces in South Africa were based upon the imminent danger of an invasion of Natal by the Zulus, and the inadequate means at that time at your disposal for meeting it. In order to afford protection to the lives and property of the colonists, the reinforcements asked for were supplied, and, in informing you of the decision of Her Majesty’s Government, I took the opportunity of impressing upon you the importance of using every effort to avoid war. But the terms which you have dictated to the Zulu king, however necessary to relieve the colony in future from an impending and increasing danger, are evidently such as he may not improbably refuse, even at the risk of war; and I regret that the necessity for immediate action should have appeared to you so imperative as to preclude you from incurring the delay which would have been involved in consulting Her Majesty’s Government upon a subject of so much importance as the terms which Cetywayo should be required to accept before those terms were actually presented to the Zulu king” (ibid. pp. 187, 188).
The preliminary arrangements for the campaign were the formation of four columns, with sufficient transport, etc. to enter Zululand at different points, and concentrate on Ulundi.
No. 1 Column, Colonel Pearson, to assemble on the Lower Tugela, garrison Fort Pearson, and cross and encamp on the Zulu side, under the protection of the guns of the fort.
This Column at first was composed of 2 guns Royal Artillery, 1 company Royal Engineers, 2nd Battalion “The Buffs,” 99th Regiment, Naval Brigade (2 guns and 1 Gatling), 1 squadron Mounted Infantry, about 200 Natal Volunteers, 2nd Regiment Natal Native Contingent (2 battalions), and 1 company Natal Native Pioneers.
No. 2 Column, Lieut.-Colonel Durnford, R.E., to cover the Tugela, and co-operate with Colonel Pearson, was almost entirely composed of natives. Its strength, a rocket battery, 1st Regiment (3 battalions) Natal Native Contingent, 315 “Natal Native Horse,” and 1 company Natal Native Pioneers.
No. 3 Column, Colonel Glyn, C.B., to cross at Rorke’s Drift, when the time granted the Zulu king had expired. “On the advance being ordered,” it would “require two days for this column to reach a good military position;” and it was to keep up communications “with the columns on the left and right.” Strength of column, 6 guns Royal Artillery, 1 squadron Mounted Infantry, 1-24th Regiment, 2-24th Regiment, about 200 Natal Volunteers, 150 Mounted Police, and 3rd Regiment (2nd Battalion) Natal Native Contingent, also one company Natal Native Pioneers. A company of Royal Engineers was ordered to join this column.
No. 4 Column, Colonel Wood, V.C., C.B., to advance to the Blood River. Strength, 6 guns Royal Artillery, 1-13th Regiment, 90th Regiment, Frontier Light Horse, some 200 Native Contingent; and a small Dutch force was expected to join this column.
A 5th Column (which had been operating against Sekukuni) was under the command of Colonel Rowlands, V.C., C.B., composed of the 80th Regiment, three guns, and mounted irregulars.