However, time proved that the results of Lord Chelmsford's engagement and victory on the 4th (July) were of far greater importance than had been at first imagined. Chiefs and tribes came pouring into the various camps, not by dozens or by scores, but literally by hundreds, and the only two questions they asked—and these kept invariably recurring—were "Why was not the victory of Ulundi followed up vigorously? and why was Cetywayo allowed to escape?"
It was this great error of immediately retiring from Ulundi which made us again ridiculous, not only in the eyes of Zululand, but also in those of military Europe. It was due, not to Lord Chelmsford, nor those under his command, but to extraneous influences beyond his control; and public opinion never arrived at a more true or just conclusion than in saying that the arrival of Lord Chelmsford's successor, no matter how valuable or how necessary it might have been, came at a most inopportune time, for it was well known that Lord Chelmsford's plans were so perfectly matured, that had he been left free to carry out his own designs, instead of being hampered and constrained by the orders of the new Commander-in-chief, he would have followed up Ulundi with the utmost possible activity, and would in all probability have secured the person of the king. Terms for the final pacification of the whole of Zululand could then have been dictated on the spot, and there would have been an end to the entire business.
Under these circumstances therefore Lord Chelmsford determined to resign all command; and within three days of the brilliant victory of Ulundi it was known to the soldiers throughout the camp that their General was about to leave them, and that with him were going Sir Evelyn Wood, General Crealock, and Colonel Redvers Buller. Accordingly a grand parade of all arms was ordered on the morning of the 8th (July), that the General might take a formal leave of his men. At nine a.m. the bugle-call for coverers was sounded, the staff officers marked the alignment, and the various corps moved like clockwork upon their respective pivots. The division was then wheeled into line by General Newdigate, and the flanks, bringing forward their right and left shoulders, three sides of a large hollow square was formed, with the front ranks facing inwards. Lord Chelmsford, his staff, and three brigadiers formed the fourth side of the square, and in a few warm-hearted, well chosen, and soldierlike sentences the Commander-in-chief, under whom the troops had seen so much good hard work, honest service, and from whom all ranks had received at various times some recognition of their conduct in camp and on the field of battle, bade them farewell, and thanked them for the manner in which their duty to their Queen and country had been performed. "For the courage, the coolness, and the devotion you have all displayed wherever I have been with you, I give you my best and my warmest thanks. For the unselfish devotion and untiring energy and good-humour with which you have encountered hardship, fatigue, and privation I find it hard to sufficiently express my gratitude. In all senses you have done your duty as English soldiers." Such were the concluding words of a leader whom all loved, respected, and all regretted.
On the following day the camp bivouac was broken up, and the cavalry, the 2nd Division, and the flying column, marched en route to Intanjaneni and Kwamagwasa, thus beyond doubt leading Cetywayo and his indunas to suppose that their losses at Ulundi and want of military skill caused them to forego the advantages they had won.
Despatches from General Crealock fully demonstrate that his inability to effect a junction with the 2nd Division before the action at Ulundi was due to no want of energy or organization on his part, but solely to those causes which will impede the movements of all bodies of civilized troops in uncivilized lands. But although sickness amongst the oxen and other impediments to transport caused General Crealock to lose his share of the victory gained, his time had not been wasted, for much valuable work was done in the nature of road-making and raiding over the enemy's country, thus affording a diversion which considerably weakened Cetywayo's chances of inflicting a defeat upon the other column. The task of establishing the new base of supply at Port Durnford and the building of Fort Napoleon was thrown entirely upon the 1st Division, and naturally interfered with its rapid advance. The work, however, that fell to the coast column was fully and admirably carried out, and a pontoon and a trestle-bridge were built over the Tugela, without which no important advance could have been made along the coast. The ford over the Inyoni was rendered permanently practicable, and can, now that the descent is made easy for waggons, be passed at all seasons. The same work was effected at the Umsundusi and Amatikula rivers, whose approaches were made safe for wheels. The Umkusi and Inyezani hills and drifts were also made passable by improvement in the roads. Along the Umlatoosi valley numerous small but difficult streams had drifts made over them. From the Umlatoosi to St. Paul's Mission Station used to be a bad and most difficult road, but all the dangerous places were now levelled, and a strong and defensible position was given. Fords were secured across the Uvulu, the Entonjaneni, the Umvolosi, and the Umlalasi, and there no physical obstacle was allowed to remain to delay the march of a European column with its baggage in any part of the coast and the south of Zululand, while forts had been completed or erected at Tenedos, Pearson, Crealock, Chelmsford, Napoleon, and Durnford.
The result of this was that Sir Garnet Wolseley, in taking over Lord Chelmsford's command, found a complete chain of military posts, the like of which was never before seen in South Africa, extending along the Zulu frontier from the Blood and Buffalo rivers to the Umvolosi mouth and Port Durnford, and, in fact, encompassing three out of four sides of Cetywayo's kingdom.
In addition to the formation of the new base and the seaward communications the later operations of Barrow's cavalry fully vindicated the reputation they had obtained for activity. Barrow's Irregular Mounted Corps, although not so numerous as those of Buller, were equally worthy of praise, alike for their admirable discipline, courage in action, and skill in patrolling. They consisted of about fifty enrolled volunteers under Captain Addison, forming a body called the "Natal Guides," three troops of Lonsdale's Mounted Rifles, three of the Mounted Infantry, the Natal Horse, and a very useful contingent of mounted natives. These, under such leaders as Colonel Barrow, Major Lord Gifford, Captains Barton and Nettleton, were at once the eyes and ears of the column. On July 6th Barrow's men made a forced march, during which they were thirty hours in the saddle, and, reaching Ondini, the king's old kraal, burnt it to the ground. The patrol paraded overnight, and started some two hours before daylight, making its way through a valley district over fifteen miles in length by three or four in breadth, though here and there narrowing in parts to only one mile, over lofty spurs and ridges running into it, forming a series of densely-wooded and impracticable ravines. The weather was intensely hot, and although the men and horses were both distressed at times, the troops did their work in a manner which reflected great credit upon all present. From this valley the road or trek ran for ten or twelve miles through an open but rather broken country, the hills in the distance being covered with dense bush. The patrol then turned eastwards over a table-land which stretched away for about twenty miles, till the edge of the plateau is reached, and the path descends abruptly into the great thorn valley to the west of the White Umvolosi; at the edge of this plateau the coast road joins. From this point the patrol marched a few miles, and halted for off-saddle and breakfast on the right bank of the river. The road is fairly good, but passes through thick thorn-bush, and the country is very broken and contains a number of small streamlets tributary to the Umvolosi. The drift here is good, and is commanded by a high stony hill to the north and upon the right of the road, and within rifle range of one of the smaller royal kraals. The Ondini kraal was reached about noon. It was occupied by some Zulus, who made away as the troops advanced at a canter; the place was fired, and in half an hour was utterly destroyed. The return to camp was made by another road, which was long and tedious; several of the horses were completely knocked up, one dying from exhaustion and several having to be abandoned on the road.