On the 2nd July the second division and flying column encamped on the south bank of the White Umvolosi River, about five miles from Ulundi, and on the 4th crossed the river and advanced against the kraal. The three squadrons of the Seventeenth formed the rear-guard; but no opportunity occurred of attacking the enemy on the march. The column was now rapidly enveloped by the Zulus in great force, and the cavalry was ordered to withdraw within the hollow square into which the infantry was formed. The Zulu attack began at 8.50 A.M., and was maintained for three-quarters of an hour within a hundred yards of a murderous artillery and rifle fire. During this time the Seventeenth stood to their horses under a heavy cross-fire, and suffered some casualties, Lieutenant Jenkins, among the officers, being shot in the jaw. About 9.30 the Zulus showed signs of wavering, and the Seventeenth was ordered out of the square to attack. As they rode out Captain Edgell was shot dead at the head of his squadron, and his troop farrier was killed at the same instant. Once clear of the square the regiment formed in echelon of wings, rank entire, covering over three hundred yards of front, and charged. It was met by a hot fire in front and flank from the Zulus, who were concealed in long grass in a donga; but charging right through them the Seventeenth scattered them in every direction, and then taking up the pursuit hunted them with great execution for nearly two miles. The horses were fresh, and there was no escape from the lances, which the enemy now encountered for the first time. The Zulu 1879.army was not only defeated but dispersed by this pursuit, and never appeared in the field again. 1879. The casualties of the Seventeenth on this day were, one officer (Captain Wyatt Edgell) and two men killed, three officers, viz. Colonel Drury Lowe, Lieutenant James, Scots Greys, attached to the Seventeenth, Lieutenant and acting Adjutant Jenkins, and five men wounded; the two first-named officers slightly, and the third severely. Also 26 horses were killed and wounded. The regiment was highly complimented, both verbally and in orders, by the General for its conduct at Ulundi. The only matter worthy of note in this short Zulu campaign is the heavy loss suffered by the Seventeenth in officers as compared with men; and this through pure chance, for all ranks were equally exposed.
The regiment began the return march on the day after the battle, with the 2nd Division, and arrived at the Upoko River on the 15th July. On the 26th it was ordered to march to Koppie Allein, to give over its horses to the King’s Dragoon Guards, and to proceed dismounted to Pinetown, where it arrived on the 21st August. It was reduced a month later to six troops for Indian service; and 198 men then proceeded direct to England under Lieutenant W. Kevill-Davies. On the 1st October Colonel Drury Lowe for the second time took leave of the regiment; and Major Boulderson took command. The regiment then embarked for India; the left wing under Captain Cook sailing on board H.M.S. Serapis on 8th October, the right wing under Major Boulderson on board H.M.S. Crocodile on the 20th, and arriving at Bombay on the 28th October and 10th November respectively. The regiment was quartered at Mhow, the point from which it had started on the chase of Tantia Topee, twenty-one years before; the headquarters and the right wing arriving there on the 1st, and the left wing on the 14th November. Finally, on the 4th December Lieutenant-Colonel Gonne, who had recovered from his wound, arrived from England and took over the command. He was the only officer remaining in the regiment who had served with it in Central India in 1858–59.
The Seventeenth had not been long in India before a request 1880. came from General Phayre that the regiment might be sent up to join his force on active service in Afghanistan,—a request which, unfortunately, could not be complied with, owing to the defective state of the saddlery which was taken over in India. In July, however, twenty non-commissioned officers and men were sent up to do duty with the Transport on the Quetta-Candahar route. In this, as in all cases in the history of the regiment when small parties of men have been detached for particular duty, one and all did extremely well, and were complimented on the excellence of their work in an order published by the Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Presidency. To make the parallel complete, two of these twenty now hold commissions—Major Forbes, the officer second in command of the King’s Dragoon Guards, and Lieutenant Pilley, who remains with the Seventeenth as riding-master.
1881.
In April of the following year Lieutenant-Colonel Gonne retired from the command, being appointed Military Attaché at St Petersburg; and in November Paymaster Captain John Brown took leave of the regiment with which he had been associated for five-and-thirty years. He and Major Berryman, the latter sometime the regimental Quartermaster, are the only two members of the Seventeenth who went through Balaclava, Central India, and South Africa.
The Seventeenth remained at Mhow until January 1884 without further incident worth the chronicling. Its old Colonel, General Drury Lowe, however, was meanwhile adding to his reputation in Egypt, where he commanded the cavalry division in the campaign of 1882. The pursuit of Arabi’s army after the action of Tel-el-Kebir by the British cavalry, and the surrender of Cairo and of Arabi himself to General Drury Lowe, are matters of history. From the close of that campaign we must speak of him as Sir Drury Lowe, K.C.B.
1884.
In February 1884 the Seventeenth Lancers relieved the 10th Hussars at Lucknow. In July Lieutenant-General Benson, who had commanded the regiment during the Central Indian campaign, became its Colonel. In December of the same year the regiment furnished a squadron to act as escort to the Commander-in-Chief in India, General Sir F. Roberts, at the camp of exercise in India.
A. Bessane. Photo