For the main text on the action, we have Lt. Chard's full account which he submitted to Queen Victoria upon her request in February 1880, an expanded version of his official report of the 3rd February 1879. It gives a clear, picture of the action, although some of the smaller detail points are understandably incorrect, an officer can only see so much.

Private Hook provides us with the detail of the fighting in the hospital and Private Hitch and Trooper Harry Lugg of the N.M.P. give us some further detail, building up the complete picture.

At right, Major Chard, 3rd from left with Victoria Cross medal.

Major J.R.M. CHARD VC, RE

Early in January 1879, shortly after the arrival of the 5th Company, Royal Engineers, at Durban, an order came from Lord Chelmsford directing that an officer and a few good men of the R.E., with mining implements, etc., should pin the 3rd Column as soon as possible. I was consequently sent on in advance of the company, with a light mule wagon containing the necessary tools, etc., and in which the men could also ride on level ground; with a *Corporal, three Sappers and tone Driver, my batman, who rode one, and looked after my horses. (*862 Corporal Gamble and Sappers Cuthbert, MacLaren and Wheatly -- killed at Isandlwana.)

The wagon was driven by a Cape black man, with a Natal Kaffir lad as vorlooper. The roads were so bad that in spite of all our exertions, our progress was slow, and although we got a fresh team at Pietermaritzburg, we did not reach Rorke's Drift until the morning of the 19th January 1879. The 3rd Column was encamped on the other side (left bank) of the river Buffalo, and the wagons were still crossing in the ponts. I pitched my two tents on the right (Natal) bank of the river, near the ponts, and close to the store accommodation there for keeping them in repair. On the 20th January, the 3rd Column broke up its camp on the Buffaio River and marched to Isandhlwana, where it encamped, and the same evening, or following morning, Colonel Durnford's force arrived and took up its camp near where the 3rd Column had been.

There were two large ponts at the river, one of which only was in working order, and my sappers were during this time working at the other, which was nearly finished, to get it also in working order. Late in the evening of the 21st January I received an order from the 3rd Column to say that the men of the R.E., who had lately arrived, were to proceed to the camp at Isandhlwana at once - I had received no orders concerning myself.

I reported this to Major Spalding, who was now in command at Rorke's Drift, and also pointed out to him that the sappers leaving there were no means at my disposal for putting the ponts in working order, or keeping them so. Major Spalding had also received no orders respecting me, except that I was to select a suitable position protecting the ponts, for Captain Rainforth's Company 1/24th to entrench itself. I consequently asked, and obtained permission from Major Spalding, to go to the camp at Isandhlwana and see the orders.

On the morning of the 22nd January, I put the corporal and three sappers in the empty wagon, with their field kits, etc., to take them to the camp of the 3rd Column; and also rode out myself. The road was very heavy in some places, and the wagon went slowly; so I rode on in advance, arrived at the Isandhlwana Camp, went to the Head-Quarters Tent, and got a copy of the orders as affecting me, and found that I was to keep the ponts in working order, and also the road between Helpmakaar and Rorke's Drift and the orders also particularly stated that my duties lay on the right bank of the River Buffalo.

A N.C.O. of the 24th Regiment lent me a field glass, which was a very good one, and I also looked with my own, and could see the enemy moving on the distant hills, and apparently in great force. Large numbers of them moving to my left, until the lion hill of Isandhlwana, on my left as I looked at them, hid them from my view. The idea struck me that they might be moving in the direction between the camp and Rorke's Drift and prevent my getting back, and also that they might be going to make a dash at the ponts.

Seeing what my duties were, I left the camp, and a quarter of a mile, or less, out of it met with Colonel Durnford, R.E., riding at the head of his mounted men - I told him what I had seen, and took some orders, and a message all along his line, at his request. At the foot of the hill I met my men in the wagon and made them get out and walk up the hill with Durnford's men. I brought the wagon back with me to Rorke's Drift, where on arrival I found the following order had been issued. The copy below was given me, and preserved from the fact of its being in my pocket during the fight:

Camp Rorke's Drift
Camp Morning Orders
22nd January 1879.

1. The force under Lt. Col. Durnford, R.E., having departed, a Guard of 6 Privates and 1 N.C.O. will be fumished by the detachment 2/24th Regiment on the ponts.

A Guard of 50 armed natives will likewise be furnished by Capt. Stevenson's detachment at the same spot - The ponts will be invariably drawn over to the Natal side at night. This duty will cease on the arrival of Capt. Rainforth's Company, 1/24th Regiment.

2. In accordance with para. 19 Regulations for Field Forces in South Africa, Capt. Rainforth's Company, 1/24th Regiment, will entrench itself on the spot assigned to it by Column Orders para. - dated - H. Spalding, Major, Commanding

The Guard as detailed was over the ponts - Captain Rainforth's Company had not arrived. I went at once to Major Spalding on arrival, told him what I had seen, and pointed out to him that in the event of an attack on the ponts it would be impossible with 7 men (not counting the natives) to make an effective defence. (According to the orders, Capt. Rainforth's Company should have been already at Rorke's Drift.)

Major Spalding told me he was going over to Helpmakaar, and would see about getting it down at once. Just as I was about to ride away he said to me 'Which of you is senior, you or Bromhead?'

I said 'I don't know' - he went back into his tent, looked at an Army List, and coming back, said - 'I see you are senior, so you will be in charge, although, of course, nothing will happen, and I shall be back again this evening early.'

I then went down to my tent by the river, had some lunch comfortably, and was writing a letter home when my attention was called to two horsemen galloping towards us from the direction of Isandhlwana. From their gesticulation and their shouts, when they were near enough to be heard, we saw that something was the matter, and on taking them over the river, one of them, Lieut. Adendorff of Lonsdale's Regiment, Natal Native Contingent, asking if I was an officer, jumped off his horse, took me on one side, and told me that the camp was in the hands of the Zulus and the army destroyed that scarcely a man had got away to tell the tale, and that probably Lord Chelmsford and the rest of the column had shared the same fate.

His companion, a Carbineer, confirmed his story - He was naturally very excited and I am afraid I did not, at first, quite believe him, and intimated that he probably had not remained to see what would occur. I had the saddle put on my horse, and while I was talking to Lieut. Adendorff, a messenger arrived from Lieut. Bromhead, who was with his Company at his little camp near the Commissariat Stores, to ask me to come up at once. [Private Frederick Evans, 'H' Company Mounted Infantry brought news].

I gave the order to inspan the wagon and put all the stores, tents, etc., they could into it. I posted the sergeant and several men on the high ground over the pont, behind a natural wall of rocks, forming a strong position from which there was a good view over the river and ground in front, with orders to wait until I came or sent for them. The guard of natives had left some time before and had not been relieved. I galloped up at once to the Commissariat Stores and found that a pencil note had been sent from the 3rd Column by Capt. Allan Gardner to state that the enemy were advancing in force against our post [Joint note from Capt. Essex who with Lt Cochrane and Capt. Gardner escaped the camp and rode on to Helpmakaar sending a trooper to the post] - Lieut. Bromhead had, with the assistance of Mr. Dalton, Dr. Reynolds and the other officers present, commenced barricading and loopholing the store building and the Missionary's house, which was used as a Hospital, and connecting the defence of the two buildings by walls of mealie bags, and two wagons that were on the ground.

The Native Contingent, under their officer, Capt. Stephenson, were working hard at this with our own men, and the walls were rapidly progressing. A letter describing what had happened had been sent by Bromhead by two men of the Mounted Infantry, who had arrived fugitives from Isandhlwana, to the Officer Commanding at Helpmakaar. These two men crossed the river at Fugitives Drift, with some others, and as they have since reported to me, came to give notice of what had happened, to us at Rorke's Drift, of their own accord and without orders from anyone.

I held a consultation with Lieut. Bromhead, and with Mr. Dalton, whose energy, intelligence and gallantry were of the greatest service to us, and whom, as I said in my report at the time, and I am sure Bromhead would unite with me in saying again now, I cannot sufficiently thank for his services. [Dalton urged defence using stores for barricades].

I went round the position with them and then rode down to the ponts where I found everything ready for a start, ponts in midstream, hawsers and cables sunk, etc. It was at this time that the Pontman Daniells, and Sergt. Milne, 3rd Buffs, who had been employed for some time in getting the ponts in order, and working them under Lieut. MacDowell, R.E. (killed at Isandhlwana), offered to defend the ponts, moored in the middle of the river, from their decks with a few men. Sergt. Williams 24th and his little guard were quite ready to join them.

We arrived at the Commissariat Store about 3.30 p.m. Shortly afterwards an officer of Durnford's Horse reported his arrival from Isandhlwana and I requested him to observe the movements, and check the advance, of the enemy as much as possible until forced to fall back. [Hlubi and Edendale troops, 100 troopers, Officer Lt. Henderson]. I saw each man at his post, and then the work went on again.

Several fugitives from the Camp arrived, and tried to impress upon us the madness of an attempt to defend the place. Who they were I do not know, but it is scarcely necessary for me to say that there were no officers of H.M. Army among them. They stopped the work very much, it being impossible to prevent the men getting around them in little groups to hear their story. They proved the truth of their belief in what they said by leaving us to our fate, and in the state of mind they were in, I think our little garrison was as well without them.

As far as I know, but one of the fugitives remained with us Lieut. Adendorff, whom I have before mentioned. He remained to assist in the defence, and from a loophole in the store building, flanking the wall and Hospital, his rifle did good service. [There is some doubt as to whether Lt. Adendorff stayed behind as Chard is the only witness who mentions him.]

There were several casks of rum in the Store building, and I gave strict orders to Sergt. Windridge, 24th Regiment, who was in charge (acting as issuer of Commissariat stores to the troops), that the spirit was not to be touched, the man posted nearest it was to be considered on guard over it, and after giving fair warning,was to shoot without altercation anyone who attempted to force his post, and Sergt. Windridge being there was to see this carried out. Sergt. Windridge showed great intelligence and energy in arranging the stores for the defence of the Commissariat store, forming loopholes, etc.

The Reverend George Smith, Vicar of Estcourt, Natal and acting Army Chaplain, went for a walk (before the news of the disaster reached us) to the top of the Oscarberg, the hill behind Rorke's Drift. Mr. Witt, the missionary, went with him, or met him there. They went to see what could be seen in the direction of the Isandhlwana camp. He saw the force of the enemy which attacked us at Rorke's Drift, cross the river in three bodies, and after snuff-taking, and other ceremonies, advance in our direction. He had been watching them for a long time with interest, and thought they were our own Native Contingent. There were two mounted men leading them, and he did not realize that they were the enemy until they were near enough for him to see that these two men also had black faces.

He came running down the hill and was agreeably surprised to find that we were getting ready for the enemy. Mr. Witt, whose wife and family were in a lonely house not very far off, rode off, taking with him a sick officer, who was very ill in hospital and only just able to ride. [Back in England Mr Witt lectured around the country, stating that he had been at both Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, and unsuccessfully sued the Crown for £ 600 for the destruction of his home and property]. Mr. Smith, however, although he might well have left, elected to remain with us, and during the attack did good service in supplying the men with ammunition.

About 4.20 p.m. the sound of firing was heard behind the Oscarberg. The officer of Durnford's returned, reporting the enemy close upon us, and that his men would not obey his orders but were going off to Helpmakaar, and I saw them, about 100 in number, going off in that direction. I have seen these same men behave so well since that I have spoken with several of their conduct - and they all said, as their excuse, that Durnford was killed, and it was no use. About the same time Capt. Stephenson's detachment of Natal Native Contingent left us - probably most fortunately for us.

I am sorry to say that their officer, who had been doing good service in getting his men to work, also deserted us. ['I' Company, some firing after NCOs and Officer. An NCO was shot dead]. We seemed very few, now all these people had gone, and I saw that our line of defence was too extended, and at once commenced a retrenchment of biscuit boxes, so as to get a place we could fall back upon if we could not hold the whole.

Private Hitch, 24th, was on the top of the thatch roof of the Commissariat Store keeping a look-out. He was severely wounded early in the evening, but notwithstanding, with Corpl. Allen, 24th, who was also wounded, continued to do good service, and they both when incapacitated by their wounds from using their rifles, still continued under fire serving their comrades with ammunition.

We had not completed a wall two boxes high when, about 4.30 p.m., Hitch cried out that the enemy was in sight, and he saw them, apparently 500 or 600 in number, come around the hill to our south (the Oscarberg) and advance at a run against our south wall. [inDlu-yengne Regt. first to appear and attack led by an inDuna on a white horse, with the uThulwana and uDloko sweeping round the side of the hospital when the initial attack stalled, several hundred warriors taking to the Oscarberg Ridge].

We opened fire on them, between five and six hundred yards, at first a little wild, but only for a short time, a chief on horseback was dropped by Private Dunbar, 24th. The men were quite steady, and the Zulus began to fall very thick. However, it did not seem to stop them at all, although they took advantage of the cover and ran stooping with their faces near the ground. It seemed as if nothing would stop them, and they rushed on in spite of their heavy loss to within 50 yards of the wall, when they were taken in flank by the fire from the end wall of the store building, and met with such a heavy direct fire from the mealie wall, and the Hospital at the same time, that they were checked as if by magic.

They occupied the Cook-house ovens, banks and other cover, but the greater number, without stopping, moved to their left around the Hospital, and made a rush at the end of the Hospital, and at our north-west line of mealie bags.

There was a short but desperate struggle during which Mr. Dalton shot a Zulu who was in the act of assegaing a corporal of the Army Hospital Corps, the muzzle of whose rifle he had seized, and with Lieut. Bromhead and many of the men behaved with great gallantry. The Zulus forced us back from that part of the wall immediately in front of the Hospital, but after suffering very severely in the struggle were driven back into the bush around our position.

The main body of the enemy were close behind the first force which appeared, and had lined the ledge of rocks and caves in the Oscarberg overlooking us, and about three or four hundred yards to our south, from where they kept up a constant fire. Advancing somewhat more to their left than the first attack, they occupied the garden, hollow road, and bush in great force. The bush grew close to our wall and we had not had time to cut it down - The enemy were thus able to advance under cover close to our wall, and in this part soon held one side of the wall, while we held the other.

A series of desperate assaults was made, on the Hospital, and extending from the Hospital, as &r as the bush reached, but each was most splendidly met and repulsed by our men, with the bayonet. Each time as the attack was repulsed by us, the Zulus close to us seemed to vanish in the bush, those some little distance off keeping up a fire all the time. Then, as if moved by a single impulse, they rose up in the bush as thick as possible, rushing madly up to the wall (some of them being already close to it), seizing, where they could, the muzzles of our men's rifles, or their bayonets, and attempting to use their assegais and to get over the wall.

A rapid rattle of fire from our rifles, stabs with the bayonet, and in a few moments the Zulus were driven back, disappearing in the bush as before, and keeping up their fire. A brief interval, and the attack would be again made, and repulsed in the same manner. Over and over again this happened, our men behaving with the greatest coolness and gallantry.

It is impossible for one individual to see all, but I particularly myself noticed the behaviour of Col. Sgt. Bourne 24th, Sergt. Williams 24th, Corpl. Scheis N.N.C., Corpl. Lyons 24th, Private McMahon A.H.C., Privates Roy, Deacon, Bush, Cole, Jenkins 24th, and many others.

Our fire at the time of these rushes of the Zulus was very rapid - Mr. Dalton dropping a man each time he fired his rifle, while Bromhead and myself used our revolvers. The fire from the rocks and caves on the his behind us was kept up all this time and took us completely in reverse, and although very badly directed, many shots came among us and caused us some loss - and at about 6.00 p.m. the enemy extending their attack further to their left, [around cattle kraals] I feared, seriously would get in over our was behind the "biscuit" boxes.

I ran back with 2 or 3 men to this part of the wall and was immediately joined by Bromhead with 2 or 3 more. The enemy stuck to this assault most tenaciously, and on their repulse, and retiring into the bush, I caDed all the men inside our retrenchment - and the enemy immediately occupied the wall we had abandoned and used it as a breastwork to fire over. [Defence line now behind biscuit boxes].

Mr. Byrne, acting Commissariat Officer, and who had behaved with great coolness and gallantry, was killed instantaneously shortly before this by a bullet through the head, Just after he had given a drink of water to a wounded man of the N.N.C. [Storehouse verandah now became makeshift hospital].

All this time the enemy had been attempting to fire the Hospital and had at length set fire to its roof and got in at the far end. I had tried to impress upon the men in the Hospital the necessity for making a communication right through the building - unfortunately this was not done. Probably at the time the men could not see the necessity, and doubtless also there was no time to do it.

Without in the least detracting from the gallant fellows who defended the Hospital, and I hope I shall not be misunderstood in saying so, I have always regretted, as I did then, the absence of my four poor sappers, who had only left that morning for Isandhlwana and arrived there just to be killed.

The garrison of the Hospital defended it with the greatest gallantry, room by room, bringing out all the sick that could be moved, and breaking through some of the partitions while the Zulus were in the building with them. Privates Williams, Hook, R. Jones and W. Jones being the last to leave and holding the doorway with the bayonet, their ammunition being expended. [Not door but window knocked out, 6ft. drop]

Private Williams's bayonet was wrenched off his rifle by a Zulu, but with the other men he still managed with the muzzle of his rifle to keep the enemy at bay. Surgeon Reynolds carried his arms full of ammunition to the Hospitai, a bullet striking his helmet as he did so. But we were too busily engaged outside to be able to do much, and with the Hospital on fire, and no free communication, nothing could have saved it. Sergeant Maxfield 24th might have been saved, but he was delirious with fever, refused to move and resisted the attempts to move him. He was assegaied before our men's eyes.

Seeing the Hospital burning, and the attempts of the enemy to fire the roof of the Store (one man was shot, I believe by Lt. Adendorf who had a light almost touching the thatch), we converted two large heaps of mealie bags into a sort of redoubt which gave a second line of fire all around, in case the store building had to be abandoned, or the enemy broke through elsewhere. Assistant Commissary Dunne worked hard at this, and from his height, being a tall man, he was much exposed, in addition to the fact that the heaps were high above our walls, and that most of the Zulu bullets went high.

Trooper Hunter, Natal Mounted Police, escaping from the Hospital, stood still for a moment, hesitating whkh way to go, dazed by the glare of the burning Hospital, and the firing that was going on all around. He was assegaied before our eyes, the Zulu who killed him immediately afterwards falling. While firing from behind the biscuit boxes, Dalton, who had been using his rifle with deadly effect, and by his quickness and coolness had been the means of saving many men's lives, was shot through the body.

I was standing near him at the time, and he handed me his rifle so cooDy that I had no idea until afterwards of how severely he was wounded. He waited quite quietly for me to take the cartridges he had left out of his pockets. We put him inside ow mealie sack redoubt, building it up around him. About this time I noticed Private Dunbar 24th make some splendid shooting, seven or eight Zulus falling on the ledge of rocks in the Oscarberg to as many consecutive shots by him.

I saw Corporal Lyons hit by a bullet which lodged in his spine, and fall between an opening we had left in the wall of biscuit boxes. I thought he was killed, but looking up he said, 'Oh, Sir! you are not going to leave me here like a dog?' We pulled him in and laid him down behind the boxes where he was immediately looked to by Reynolds.

Corporal Scammle (Scammell) of the Natal Native Contingent, who was badly wounded through the shoulder, staggered out under fire again, from the Store building where he had been put, and gave me all his cartridges, which in his wounded state he could not use. While I was intently watching to get a fair shot at a Zulu who appeared to be firing rather well, Private Jenkins 24th, saying 'Look out, Sir,' gave my head a duck down just as a bullet whized over it. He had noticed a Zulu who was quite near in another direction taking a deliberate aim at me. For all the man could have known, the shot might have been directed at himself. I mention these facts to show how well the men behaved and how loyally worked together.

Corporal Scheiss, Natal Native Contingent, who was a patient in the Hospital with a wound in the foot, which caused him great pain, behaved with the greatest coolness and gallantry throughout the attack, and at this time creeping out a short distance along the wall we had abandoned, and slowly raising himself, to get a shot at some of the enemy who had been particularly annoying, his hat was blown off by a shot from a Zulu the other side of the wall.

He immediately jumped up, bayonetted the Zulu and shot a second, and bayonetted a third who came to their assistance, and then returned to his place.

As darkness came on we were completely surrounded. The Zulus wrecking the camp of the Company 24th and my wagon which had been left outside, in spite of the efforts of my batman, Driver Robson (the only man of the Royal Engineers with us), who had directed his particular attention to keeping the Zulus off this wagon in which were, as he described it, 'Our things.'

They also attacked the east end of our position, anal after being several times repulsed, eventually got into the Kraal, which was strongly built with high walls, and drove us to the middle, and then to the inner wall of the Kraal the enemy occupying the middle wall as we abandoned it.

This wall was too high for them to use it effectively to fire over, and a Zulu no sooner showed his head over it than he was dropped, being so close that it was almost impossible to miss him. Shortly before this, some of the men said they saw the red-coats coming on the Helpmakaar road. The rumour passed quickly round could see nothing of the sort myself, but some men said they could. A cheer was raised, and the enemy seemed to pause, to know what it meant, but there was no answer to it, and darkness came. [Major Spalding with the 2 Companies from Helpmakaar came within 3 miles of the post but with smoke visible, and Zulus visible he withdrew].

It is very strange that this report should have arisen amongst us, for the two companies 24th from Helpmakaar did come down to the foot of the hill, but not, I believe, in sight of us. They marched back to Helpmakaar on the report of Rorke's Drift having fallen.

After the first onslaught, the most formidable of the enemy's attacks was just before we retired behind our line of biscuit boxes, and for a short time after it, when they had gained great confidence by their success on the Hospital. Although they kept their positions behind the walls we had abandoned, and kept up a heavy fire from all sides until about 12 o'clock, they did not actually charge up in a body to get over our wall after about 9 or 10 o'clock.

After this time it became very dark, although the Hospital roof was still burning- it was impossible from below to see what was going on, and Bromhead and myself getting up on the mealy sack redoubt, kept an anxious watch on all sides. [The burning hospital helped light up surrounding area, so Zulu attacks could be seen].

The enemy were now in strong force all around us, and every now and then a confused shout of 'Usutu' from many voices seemed to show that they were going to attack from one side and immediately the same thing would happen on the other, leaving us in doubt as to where they meant to attack. About midnight or a little after the fire slackened, and after that, although they kept us constantly on the alert, by feigning, as before, to come on at different points, the fire was of a desultory character.

Our men were careful, and only fired when they could see a fair chance. The flame of the burning Hospital was now getting low, and as pieces of the roof fell, or hitherto unburnt parts of the thatch ignited, the flames would blaze up illuminating our helmets and faces. A few shots from the Zulus, replied to by our men - again silence, broken only by the same thing repeatedly happening.

This sort of thing went on until about 4 a.m. and we were anxiously waiting for daybreak and the renewal of the attack, which their comparative, and at length complete silence, led us to expect. But at daybreak the enemy were out of sight, over the hill to our southwest. One Zulu had remained in the Kraal and fired a shot among us (without doing any damage) as we stood on the walls, and ran off in the direction of the river although many shots were fired at him as he ran. I am glad to say the plucky fellow got off.

Taking care not to be surprised by any ruse of the enemy, we patrolled the ground around the place, collecting the arms, and ammunition, of the dead Zulus.

Some of the bullet wounds were very curious. One man's head was split open, exactly as if done with an axe. Another had been hit just between the eyes, the bullet carrying away the whole of the back of his head, leaving his face perfect, as though it were a mask, only disfigured by the small hole made by the bullet passing through. One of the wretches we found, one hand grasping a bench that had been dragged from the Hospital, and sustained thus in the position we found him in, while in the other hand he still clutched the knife with which he had mutilated one of our poor fellows, over whom he was still leaning.

We increased the strength of our defences as much as possible, strengthening and raising our walls, putting sacks on the biscuit boxes, etc., and were removing the thatch from the roof of the Commissariat Store, to avoid being burnt out in case of another attack, when at about 7 a.m. a large body of the enemy (I believe the same who had attacked us) appeared on the hills to the south-west.

I thought at the time that they were going to attack us, but from what I now know from Zulus, and also of the number we put hors de combat, I do not think so. I think that they came up off the high ground to observe Lord Chelmsford's advance; from there they could see the Column long before it came in sight of us.

A frightened and fugitive Kaffir came in shortly before, and I sent for Daniells the Pontman, who could speak Zulu a little, to interview him. Daniells had armed himself with Spalding's sword, which he flourished in so wild and eccentric a manner that the poor wretch thought his last hour had come. He professed to be friendly and to have escaped from Isandhlwana, and I sent him with a note to the Officer Commanding at Helpmakaar, explaining our situation, and asking for help; for now, although the men were in excellent spirits, and each man had a good supply of ammunition in his pouches, we had only about a box and a half left besides, and at this time we had no definite knowledge of what had happened, and I myself did not know that the part of the Column with Lord Chelmsford had taken any part in the action at Isandhlwana, or whether on the Camp being taken he had when back on Helpmakaar.

The enemy remained on the hill, and still more of them appeared, when about 3 a.m. the Column came in sight, and the enemy disappeared again. There were a great many of our Native Levies with the Column, and the number of red-coats seemed so few that at first we had grave doubts that the force approaching was the enemy. We improvised a flag, and our signals were soon replied to from the Column. The mounted men crossed the Drift and galloped up to us, headed byMajor Cecil Russell and Lieut. Walsh, and were received by us with a hearty cheer. Lord Chelmsford, with his Staff, shortly after rode up and thanked us all with much emotion for the defence we had made. The Column arrived, crossing by the Ponts, and we then had a busy time in making a strong position for the night.

I was glad to seize an opportunity to wash my face in a muddy puddle, in company with Private Bush 24th, whose face was covered with blood from a wound in the nose caused by the bullet which had passed through and killed Private Cole 24th. With the politeness of a soldier, he lent me his towel, or, rather, a very dirty half of one, before using it himself, and I was very glad to accept it.

In wrecking the stores in my wagon, the Zulus had brought to light a forgotten bottle of beer, and Bromhead and I drank it with mutual congratulations on having come safely out of so much danger.

My wagon driver, a Cape (coloured) man, lost his courage on hearing the first firing around the hill. He let loose his mules and retreated, concealing himself in one of the caves of the Oscarberg. He saw the Zulus run by him and, to his horror, some of them entered the cave he was in, and Iying down commenced firing at us. The poor wretch was crouching in the darkness, in the far depths of the cave, afraid to speak or move, and our bullets came into the cave, actually killing one of the Zulus. He did not know from whom he was in the most danger, friends or foes, and came down in the morning looking more dead than alive. The mules we recovered; they were quietly grazing by the riverside.

On my journey homewards, on arriving at the railway station, Durban, I asked a porter to get me some Kaffirs to carry my bags to the hotel. He sent several, and the first to come running up was my vorlooper boy who had taken me up to Rorke's Drift. He stopped short and looked very frightened, and I believe at first thought he saw my ghost. I seized him to prevent his running away, and when he saw that I was flesh and blood he became reassured.

He said he thought I had been killed, and upon my asking him how he thought I got away, he said (the solution of the mystery just striking him), 'I know you rode away on the other horse.' As far as I could leam and according to his own story, the boy had taken the horse I rode up from the river to the Commissariat Store, and, wild with terror, had ridden it to Pietermaritzburg without stopping, where he gave it over to the Transport people, but having no certificate to say who he was, they took the horse from him but would not give him any employment.

During the fight there were some very narrow escapes from the burning Hospital. Private Waters, 24th Regiment, told me that he secreted himself in a cupboard in the room he was defending, and from it shot several Zulus inside the Hospital. He was wounded in the arm, and he remained in the cupboard until the heat and smoke were so great that they threatened to suffocate him. Wrapping himself in a cloak or skirt of a dress he found in the cupboard, he rushed out into the darkness and made his way into the cook-house. The Zulus were occupying this, and firing at us from the wall nearest us. It was too late to retreat, so he crept softly to the fireplace and, standing up in the chimney, blacked his face and hands with the soot.

He remained there until the Zulus left. He was very nearly shot in coming out, one of our men at the wall raising his rifle to do so at the sight of his black face and strange costume, but Waters cried out just in time to save himself. He produced the bullet that wounded him, with pardonable pride, and was very amusing in his admiring description of Dr. Reynolds's skill in extracting it.

Gunner Howard, R.A., ran out of the burning Hospital, through the enemy, and lay down on the upper side of the wall in front of our N. Parapet. The bodies of several horses that were killed early in the evening were Iying here, and concealed by these and by Zulu bodies and the low grass and bushes, he remained unseen with the Zulus all around him until they left in the morning.

Private Beckett, 24th Regiment, escaped from the Hospital in the same direction, he was badly wounded with assegais in running through the enemy. He managed to get away and conceal himself in the ditch of the Garden, where we found him next morning. The poor fellow was so weak from loss of blood that he could not walk, and he died shortly afterwards.

Our mealie-bag walls were afterwards replaced by loopholed walls of stone, the work making rapid progress upon the arrival of half the 5th Company R.E. with Lieut. Porter. As soon as the Sappers arrived we put a fence around, and a rough wood cross over, the graves of our poor men who were killed. This was afterwards replaced by a neat stone monument and inscription by the 24th, who remained to garrison the place.

I have already, in my report, said how gallantly all behaved, from Lieutenant Bromhead downwards, and I also mentioned those whom I had particularly noticed to have distinguished themselves.

On the day following, we buried 351 bodies of the enemy in graves not far from the Commissariat Buildings - many bodies were since discovered and buried, and when I was sick at Ladysmith one of our Sergeants, who came down there invalided from Rorke's Drift, where he had been employed in the construction of Fort Melvill, told me that many Zulu bodies were found in the caves and among the rocks, a long distance from the Mission house, when getting stone for that fort. As, in my report, I underestimated the number we killed, so I believe I also underestimated the number of the enemy that attacked us, and from what I have since learnt I believe the Zulus must have numbered at least 4,000.

As the Reverend George Smith said in a short account he wrote to a Natal paper, 'Whatever signs of approval may be conferred upon the defenders of Rorke's Drift, from high quarters, they will never cease to remember the kind and heartfelt expressions of gratitude which have fallen both from the columns of the Colonial Press and from so many of the Natal Colonists themselves.'

And to this may I add that they will ever remember with heartfelt gratitude the signs of approval that have been conferred upon them by their Sovereign and by the People and the Press of England.

JOHN R.M. CHARD,
Captain and Bt. Major, R.E.
January 1880

1373 Private A.H. HOOK, V.C., 2/24th Regiment.

(Account from the Royal Magazine, February 1905)

Everything was perfectly quiet at Rorke's Drift after the column (Durnford's force) had left, and every officer and man was going about his business as usual. Not a soul suspected that only a dozen miles away the very men that we had said 'Goodbye' and 'Good Luck' to were either dead or standing back-to-back in a last fierce fight with the Zulus. Our garrison consisted of 'B' Company of the 2/24th under Lieutenant Bromhead, and details which brought the total number of us up to 139. Besides these, we had about 300 men of the Natal Native Contingent; but they didn't count, as they bolted in a body when the fight began. We were all knocking about, and I was making tea for the sick, as I was hospital cook at the time.

Suddenly there was a commotion in the camp, and we saw two men galloping towards us from the other side of the river, which was Zululand. Lieutenant Chard of the Engineers was protecting the ponts over the river and, as senior officer, was in command at the drift. The ponts were very simple affairs, one of them being supported on big barrels, and the other on boats. Lieutenant Bromhead was in the camp itself. The horsemen shouted and were brought across the river, and then we knew what had happened to our comrades. They had been butchered to a man.

That was awful enough news, but worse was to follow, for we were told that the Zulus were coming straight on from Isandhlwana to attack us. At the same time, a note was received by Lieutenant Bromhead from the Column to say that the enemy was coming on and that the post was to be held at all costs.

For some little time we were all stunned, then everything changed from perfect quietness to intense excitement and energy. There was a general feeling that the only safe thing was to retire and try to pin the troops at Helpmakaar. The horsemen had said that the Zulus would be up in two or three minutes; but luckily for us they did not show themselves for more than an hour.

Lieutenant Chard rushed up from the river, about a quarter of a mile away, and saw Lieutenant Bromhead. Orders were given to strike the camp and make ready to go, and we actually loaded up two wagons. Then Mr. Dalton, of the Commissariat Department, came up and said that if we left the drift every man was certain to be killed. He had formerly been a sergeant-major in a line regiment and was one of the bravest men that ever lived. Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead held a consultation, short and earnest, and orders were given that we were to get the hospital and storehouse ready for defences and that we were never to say die or surrender.

Not a minute was lost. Lieutenant Bromhead superintended the loopholing and barricading of the hospital and storehouse, and the making of a connection of the defences between the two buildings with walls of mealiebags and wagons. The mealie-bags were good, big, heavy things, weighing about 200 pounds each, and during the fight many of them were burst open by assegais and bullets, and the mealies (lndian corn) were thickly spread about the ground.

The biscuit boxes contained ordinary biscuit. They were big, square wooden boxes, weighing about a hundredweight each. The meat boxes, too, were very heavy, as they contained tinned meat. They were smaller than the biscuit boxes. While these precautions were being made, Lt. Chard went down to the river and brought in the pont guard of a sergeant and half-a-dozen men, with the wagons and gear. The two officers saw that every soldier was at his post, then we were ready for the Zulus When they cared to come.

They were not long. Just before half past four we heard firing behind the conical hill at the back of the drift, called Oskarsberg Hill, and suddenly about five or six hundred Zulus swept around, coming for us at a run. Instantly the natives - Kaffirs who had been very useful in making the barricade of wagons, mealie-bags and biscuit boxes around the camp - bolted towards Helpmakaar, and what was worse, their officer and a European sergeant went with them.

To see them deserting like that was too much for some of us, and we fired after them. The sergeant was struck and killed. Half-a-dozen of us were stationed in the hospital, with orders to hold it and guard the sick. The ends of the building were of stone, the side walls of ordinary bricks, and the inside walls or partitions of sundried bricks of mud. These shoddy inside bricks proved our salvation, as you will see. It was a queer little one-storeyed building, which it is almost impossible to describe; but we were pinned like rats in a hole; because all the doorways except one had been barricaded with mealie-bags, and we had done the same with the windows.

The interior was divided by means of partition walls into which were fitted some very slight doors. The patients' beds were simple, rough affairs of boards, raised only about half a foot above the floor. To talk of hospital and beds gives the idea of a big building, but as a matter of fact this hospital was a mere little shed or bungalow, divided up into rooms so small that you could hardly swing a bayonet in them. There were about nine men who could not move, but altogether there were about thirty. Most of these, however, could help to defend themselves

As soon as our Kaffirs bolted, it was seen that the fort as we had first made it was too big to be held, so Lieutenant Chard instantly reduced the space by having a row of biscuit-boxes drawn across the middle, about four feet high. This was our inner entrenchment, and proved very valuable. The Zulus came on at a wild rush, and although many of them were shot down, they got to within about fifty yards of our south wall of mealie-bags and biscuit boxes and wagons.

They were caught between two fires, that from the hospital and that from the storehouse, and were checked; but they gained the shelter of the cookhouse and ovens, and gave us many heavy volleys. During the fight they took advantage of every bit of cover there was, anthills, a tract of bush that we had not had time to clear away, a garden or sort of orchard which was near us, and a ledge of rock and some caves (on the Oscarsberg) which were only about a hundred yards away. They neglected nothing, and while they went on firing large bodies kept hurling themselves against our slender breastworks.

But it was the hospital they assaulted most fiercely. I had charge with a man that we called Old King Cole of a small room with only one patient in it. Cole kept with me for some time after the fight began, then he said he was not going to stay. He went outside and was instantly killed by the Zulus, so that I was left alone with the patient, a native whose leg was broken and who kept crying out, 'Take my bandage off, so that I can come.' But it was impossible to do anything except fight, and I blazed away as hard as I could.

By this time I was the only defender of my room. Poor Old King Cole was lying dead outside and the helpless patient was crying and groaning near me. The Zulus were swarming around us, and there was an extraordinary rattle as the bullets struck the biscuit boxes, and queer thuds as they plumped into the bags of mealiest Then there was the whizz and rip of the assegais, of which I had experience during the Kaffir Campaign of 1877-8.

We had plenty of ammunition, but we were told to save it and so we took careful aim at every shot, and hardly a cartridge was wasted. One of my comrades, Private Dunbar, shot no fewer than nine Zulus, one of them being a chief.

From the very first the enemy tried to rush the hospital, and at last they managed to set fire to the thick grass which formed the roof. This put us in a terrible plight, because it meant that we were either to be massacred or burned alive, or get out of the building. To get out seemed impossible; for if we left the hospital by the only door which had been left open, we should instantly fall into the midst of the Zulus.

Besides, there were the helpless sick and wounded, and we could not leave them. My own little room communicated with another by means of a frail door like a bedroom door. Fire and dense choking smoke forced me to get out and go into the other room. It was impossible to take the native patient with me, and I had to leave him to an awful fate. But his death was, at any rate, a merciful one. I heard the Zulus asking him questions, and he tried to tear off his bandages and escape.

In the room where I now was there were nine sick men, and I alone to look after them for some time, stil firing away, with the hospital burning. Suddenly in the thick smoke I saw John Williams, and above the din of battle and the cries of the wounded, I heard him shout, 'The Zulus are swarming all over the place. They've dragged Joseph Williams out and killed him.' John Williams had held the other room with Private William Horrigan for more than an hour, until they had not a cartrider left.

The Zulus then burst in and dragged out Joseph Williams and two of the patients, and assegaied them. It was only because they were so busy with this slaughtering that John Williams and two of the patients were able to knock a hole in the partition and get into the room where I was posted. Horrigan was killed.

What were we to do? We were pinned like rats in a hole. Already the Zulus were fiercely trying to burst in through the doorway. The only way of escape was the wall itself, by making a hole big enough for a man to crawl through into an adjoining room, and so on until we got to our inmost entrenchment outside. Williams worked desperately at the wall with the navy's pick, which I had been using to make some of the loopholes with.

All this time the Zulus were trying to get into the room. Their assegais kept whizzing towards us, and one struck me in front of the helmet. We were wearing the white tropical helmets then. But the helmet tilted back under the blow and made the spear lose its power so that I escaped with a scalp wound which did not trouble me much then, although it has often caused me illness since.

Only one man at a time could get in at the door. A big Zulu sprang forward and seized my rifle, but I tore it free and, slipping a cartridge in, I shot him point-blank. Time after time the Zulus gripped the muzzle and tried to tear the rifle from my grasp, and time after time I wrenched it back, because I had a better grip than they had. All this time Williams was getting the sick through the hole into the next room, all except one, a soldier named Conley, who could not move because of a broken ieg. Watching for my chance, I dashed from the doorway and, grabbing Conley, I pulled him after me through the hole. His leg got broken again, but there was no help for it. As soon as we left the room the Zulus burst in with furious cries of disappointment and rage.

Now there was a repetition of the work of holding the doorway, except that I had to stand by a hole instead of a door, while Williams picked away at the far wall to make an opening for escape into the next room. There was more desperate and almost hopeless fighting, as it seemed, but most of the poor fellow were got through the hole.

Again I had to drag Conley through, a terrific task because he was a very heavy man. We were now all in a little room that gave upon the inner line of defence which had been made. We (Williams and Robert Jones and William Jones and myself) were the last men to leave the hospital, after most of the poor fellows were got through the hole. Again the small window and away from the burning building; but it was impossible to save a few of them, and they were butchered.

Privates Wiiliam Jones and Robert Jones during all this time were doing magnificent work in another ward which faced the hill. They kept at it with bullet and bayonet until six of the seven patients had been removed. They would have got the seventh, Sergeant Maxfield, out safely, but he was delirious with fever and, although they managed to dress him, he refused to move. Robert Jones made a last rush to try and get him away like the rest, but when he got back into the room he saw that Maxfield was being stabbed by the Zulus as he lay on his bed. Corporal Allen and Private Hitch helped greatly in keeping up communications with the hospital. They were both badly wounded, but when they could not fight any longer they served out ammunition to their comrades throughout the night.

As we got the sick and wounded out they were taken to a verandah in front of the storehouse, and Dr. Reynolds under a heavy fire and clouds of assegais, did everything he could for them. All this time, of course, the storehouse was being valiantly defended by the rest of the garrison. When we got into the inner fort, I took my post at a place where two men had been shot.

While I was there another man was shot in the neck, I think by a bullet which came through the space between two biscuit boxes that were not quite close together. This was at about six o'clock in the evening, nearly two hours after the opening shot of the baffle had been fired. Every now and then the Zulus would make a rush for it and get in. We had to charge them out. By this time it was dark, and the hospital was all in flames, but this gave us a splendid light to fight by. I believe it was this light that saved us. We could see them coming, and they could not rush us and take us by surprise from any point. They could not get at us, and so they went away and had ten or fifteen minutes of a wardance. This roused them up again, and their excitement was so intense that the ground fairly seemed to shake. Then, when they were goaded to the highest pitch, they would hurl themselves at us again.

I need hardly say that we were using Martinis, and fine rifles they were, too. But we did so much firing that they became hot, and the brass of the cartridges softened, the result being that the barrels were very foul and the cartridge chamber jammed. My own rifle was jammed several times, and I had to work away with the ramrod 'till I cleared it.

We used the old three-sided bayonet, and the long, thin blade we called the 'lung' bayonet. They were very fine weapons, too, but some were very poor in quality, and either twisted or bent badly. Several were like that after the fight; but some terrible thrusts were given, and I saw dead Zulus who had been pinned to the ground by the bayonets going through them.

All this time the sick and wounded were crying for water. We had the water-cart full of water, but it was just by the deserted hospital and we could not hope to get it until the day broke, when the Zulus might begin to lose heart and to stop in their mad rushes. But we could not bear the cries any longer, and three or four of us jumped over the boxes and ran and fetched some water in.

The long night passed and the day broke. Then we looked around us to see what had happened, and there was not a living soul who was not thankful to find that the Zulus had had enough of it and were disappearing over the hill to the south-west. Orders were given to patrol the ground, collect the arms of the dead blacks, and make our position as strong as possible in case of fresh attacks.

One of the first things I did was to go up to the man who was still looking over our breastworks with his rifle presented to the spot where so many of the Zulus had been. I went up to him, and saw that he did not move, and that he looked very quiet.

I went nearer and said 'Hello, what are you doing here?' He made no answer, and did not sffr. I went still closer, and something in his appearance made me tilt his helmet back, as you sometimes tilt back a hat when you want to look closely into a face. As I did so I saw a bullet- mark in his forehead, and knew that he was dead.

I went away, and was walking up the dry bed of a little stream near the drift with my own rifle in my right hand and a bunch of assegais over my ieft shoulder. Suddenly I came across an unarmed Zulu lying on the ground, apparently dead but bleeding from the leg. Thinking it strange that a dead man should bleed, I hesitated, and wondered whether I should go on, as other Zulus might be lurking about. But I resumed my task. Just as I was passing, the supposed dead man seized the butt of my rifle and tried to drag it away. The bunch of assegais rattled to earth.

The Zulu suddenly released his grasp of the rifle with one hand, and with the other fiercely endeavoured to drag me down. The fight was short and sharp; but it ended with the Zulu being struck in the chest with the butt and knocked to the ground. The rest was quickly over. After that we were not allowed to go on with our task except in twos and threes. When we had done this work we went back to the inner line of defence, sad enough, even the most cheerful of us. But we had no time to dwell on the awful scenes about us. We did not know how soon another assault might be made, but we did know that if the Zulus kept on attacking us it was only a question of time before we were cut to pieces, as our comrades a dozen miles away had been destroyed.

The roof of the hospital had fallen in by this time, and only the storehouse was standing. We were ordered' to put ropes through the loopholes of the wall of the hospital and puii them down. This we did, and the walls, which had already been weakened by our picks, parffally collapsed. Then we tore away the thatch from the storehouse so that the Zulus could not, even if they wished, set fire to it, as they had fired the hospital. With the ruins of the walls we strengthened our little fort, and again waited for the Zulus - if they cared to come. But they had finished their attack.

We looked about us everywhere for signs of relief, but saw nothing, and our hearts sank. Then came an awful time of suspense. Two of our men had been on the roof of the storehouse signalling with flags when the Zulus meant to attack us. This gave us time to make ready for them. The sJgnallers were still able to stand above the ground, so that they could be seen at a good distance. We saw their flags going wildly.

What was it? Everybody was mad with anxiety to know whether it could be friends to relieve us, or more Zulus to destroy us. We watched the flags flapping, and then learnt that signals were being made in reply. We knew we were safe and that friends were marching up to us.

We broke into roar after roar of cheering, waving red coats and white helmets, and we cheered again and again when, at about six o'clock in the morning, Colonel Russell rode up with some mounted infantry. We saw them come in, and at the same time we saw that the Zulus had once more got ready to sweep around the mountain to attack us. But it was too late, and on seeing that we were reinforced they turned silently away, and only their dead and a few wounded were left with us.

Lord Chelmsford and what was left of the 3rd Column came up to Rorke's Drift soon after. There was no time to sit down and mope . . .'

1362 Private F. HITCH, V.C., 2/24th Regiment. (Account)

As I have been asked many times to give my illustration of Rorke's Drift, I cannot say it was a pleasure for me to do so and to think back to that terrible night of the 22nd January 1879. It was about 3.30 o'clock that we heard of that fatal disaster of Isandhlwana. I was cooking the tea for the Company. I tried to get it done before the Zulus attacked the little post at Rorke's Drift, which I managed; taking the tea and my rifle and ammunition and four kettles of tea. I just got into the fort when Bromhead asked me to try and get on top of the house.

I at once mounted it. As soon as I got on the top I could see the Zulus had got as near to us as they could, without us seeing them. I told Bromhead that they were at the other side of the rise and was extending for attack. Mr. Bromhead asked me how many there were? I told him that I thought (they) numbered up to four to six thousand. A voice from below - ' Is that all; we can manage that lot very well for a few seconds.' There were different opinions. I stayed on the house watching the black mass extending into their fighting line.

The same time a number of them creeping along under the rocks and took up cover in the caves, and keep trying to dismount me from the top of the house. Their direction was good but their elevation bad. A few minutes later one appeared on the top of the mountain; from the other side he could see us in the laager plain enough to count us.

I put myself in a lying position, but my shot fell short of him. He then moved steadily to the right and signalled with his arm - the main body at once began to advance. I told Mr. Bromhead that they would be all round us in a very short time. He at once told the Company to take up their post, the enemy making a right wheel, they attacked us in a shape of a bullock's horns, and in a few minutes was all round us.

I found as they got close to the laager I was out of the fighting, so I slid down the thatch roof, dropping into the laager, fixing my bayonet as I ran across the laager taking up my position on a open space which we had not time to complete as the deadly work now commenced.

The Zulus pushing right up to the porch, it was not until the bayonet was freely used that they flinched the least bit. Had the Zulus taken the bayonet as freely as they took the bullets, we could not have stood more than fifteen minutes. They pushed right up to us and not only got up to the laager but got in with us, but they seemed to have a great dread of the bayonet, which stood to us from beginning to end.

During that struggle there was a fine big Zulu see me shoot his mate down- he sprang forward, dropping his rifle and assegais, seizing hold of the muzzle of my rifle with his left hand and the right hand hold of the bayonet. Thinking to disarm me, he pulled and tried hard to get the rifle from me, but I had a firm hold of the small of the butt of my rifle with my left hand. My cartridges on the top of the mealie bags which enabled me to load my rifle and I shot the poor wretch whilst holding on to his grasp for some few moments.

They dropped back into the garden, which served a great protection for them - had it not been for the garden, dead and wall, they could not have prolonged the engagement for thirteen hours as they did. Their next object was to get possession of the hospital, which they did by setting fire to it. The greatest task was in getting the sick and wounded out of the hospital, which the Zulus had busted open the doors and killed them in their beds. Whilst doing this, I noticed it was with great difficulty they were kept back. They keeping up a heavy fire from front and rear from which we suffered very much.

It was then about when Mr. Dalton was shot and Mr. Dunn. Mr. Dalton was very active up till he was wounded. We had to fail back to the second line of defence, and when the Zulus took possession of the hospital, Bromhead and myself and five others took up the position on the right of the second line of defence which we were exposed to the cross fire. Bromhead took the centre and was the only one that did not get wounded.

There was four killed and two wounded, myself was the last of the shot. Bromhead and myself had it to ourselves about an hour and a half, Bromhead using his rifle and revolver with deadly aim. Bromhead kept telling the men not to waste one round. About this time all was pressed very much, Bromhead was using his revolver with deadly aim. They seemed determined to move Bromhead and myself. We were so busy that one had (got) inside and was in the act of assegaing Bromhead. Bromhead, not knowing he was there, I put my rifle on him knowing at the same time it was empty, instead of him delivering the assegai, which no doubt would have been fatal, he dodged down and hopped out of the laager.

Again this was just before they tried to fire the other building, they seemed to me as if they made up their minds to take Rorke's Drift with this rush. They rushed up madly not withstanding the heavy loss they had already suffered. It was in this struggle that I was shot. They pressed us very hard, several of them mounting the barricade.

I knew this one had got his rifle presented at me, but at the same time I had got my hands full in front and I was at the present when he shot me through my right shoulder blade and passed through my, shoulder which splintered the shoulder bone very much, as I have had in all 39 pieces of broken bone taken from my shoulder. I tried to keep my feet, but could not, he could have assegaied me had not Bromhead shot him with his revolver. Bromhead seemed sorry when he saw me down bleeding so freely, saying, 'Mate, I am very sorry to see you down.'

I was not down more than a few minutes, stripping (to) my shirt sleeves with my waistbelt on and valise straps I put my wounded arm under my waist belt.

I was able to make another stand, getting Bromhead's revolver, and with his assistance in loading it I managed very well with it. At this time we were fighting by the aid from the burning hospital, which was much to our advantage. Bromhead at this time was keeping a strict eye on the ammunition and telling the men not to waste one round as we were getting short. I was serving out ammunition myself when I became thirsty and faint. I got worse, a chum tore out the lining out of Mr. Dunn's coat and tied it round my shoulder. I got so thirsty that I could not do much, in fact we were all exhausted and the ammunition was being counted.

Deakin (Deacon), a comrade, said to me as I was leaning back against the biscuit boxes, 'Fred, when it comes to the last shall I shoot you? I declined. 'No, they have very nearly done for me and they can finish me right out when it comes to the last.'

I don't remember much after that. When I came to myself again, Lord Chelmsford had relieved us of our tasks. Bromhead brought his Lordship to see me, and his Lordship spoke very kindly to me and the doctor dressed my wound.

Bromhead was my principal visitor and nurse while I was at the Drift.

HARRY LUGG, Natal Mounted Police

(From the North Devon Herald, 24th April 1879)

I know you were surprised to hear from Fred that I had been at Rorke's Drift. I should have written you the same morning I wrote to Fred, but I could only find an old envelope and a small piece of paper, and then only a piece of pencil to write with.

I shall not profess to give you an exact account of the fight, but will give just the heads. It must have been about two forty p.m. when a carbineer rode into the little yard, without boots, tunic, or arms, and leading a spare horse. All we could glean from his excited remarks was, "Everyone killed in camp, and 4,000 Kaffirs on their way to take the mission station' (or rather, hospital) - not pelasant tidings for a hundred men, you may be sure. When he came to himself a bit he said, 'You will all be murdered and cut to pieces,' and the only answer he received was, 'We will fight for it, and if we have to die we will die like Britishers.'

All those who were able began to throw upsacks and knock loop-holes out with pickaxes, and otherwise make preparations to receive them. We had some 2,000 Native Contingent there on a mountain, and occupying the krantzes and caves. Noble savages! As soon as they heard the Zulus were to attack us they made a great noise, had a big dance, clashing their assegais against their shields, and otherwise showed their war-like spirit.

Now I must describe the fort. It consisted of two small houses, one used as a store and the other as a hospital and mission station. These houses were about 40 yards apart, and our ramparts were composed of mealies three sacks high, and running from the comers of the house to the comers of the other, but the one great danger being thatched roofs to both.

There were two missionaries (Swedish) living in the hospital. They were absent for some twenty minutes, out for a ride, and no one could help laughing at theimgesticulations when they came back on seeing the best parlour paper being pulled down and loop-holes being knocked out, while splendid fumiture was scattered about the room. His first question was, in broken English, 'dot is dish?' Someone replied that the Zulus were almost on us, upon which he bolted, saying, 'Mein Gott, mein wife and mein children at Umsinga! Oh, mein Gott!'

In the meantime a mounted infantryman and two of our men, Shannon and Doig, came in excited and breathless. Upon my asking, 'What is it, is it true?' Doig replied, 'You will all be murdered,' and rode off with his comrade. Consoiatory, certainly, but nothing remains but to fight, and that we will do to the bitter end. A man named Hali, of the Natal Mounted Police, rode out to see if he could see anything of them, and on going about 1,000 yards out he could see them just a mile off, as he describe dit, 'as black as hell and as thick as grass'. 'Stay operations and fall in!'

My carbine was broken, or rather the stock bent. I found a piece of rein, tied it up, and fell in with the soldiers. I thought, if I can get somewhere to sit down and pop away I shall be all right, because my knees were much swollen. I was told off in my turn to take a loophole, and defend the roof from fire. At about three thirty they cam on, first in sections of fours, then opened out in skirmishing order. Up came their reserve, and then they were on us. The place seemed alive with them.

No orders were given, every man to act as he thoguht proper. I had the satisfaction of seeing the first I fired at roll over 350, and then my nerves were as steady as a rock. I made sure almost before I pulled the trigger. There was some of the best shooting at 450 yards that I have ever seen.

Just before dark we had beaten them off with great losses, and only a few casualties on our side, two killed, and one wounded. One of our fellows named Hunter, also ill with rheumatism, was assegaied in the kidneys and five wounds in the chest. Before it got really dark the fiends lit the hospital thatch, which being very closely packed did not burn well.

At about ten they came on in tremendous force, sweeping the fellows before them and casuing them to retreat to the store. But Providence favoured us. The thatch roof burst out in flames, and made it as light as day, and before they had time to retreat we were pouring bullets into them like hail. We could see them falling in scores. Then you could hear suppressed British cheers. They kept up the attack all night with no better luck. We knocked them down as fast as they came.

At five a.m. 23 January, the last shot was fired, and the last nigger killed; he had a torch tied on his assegai and was in the act of throwing it into the storehouse thatch, but he was 'sold'. The column came to our relief about five thirty and real British cheers went up, I can tell you. When the major [Damell] saw me he said, 'I never thought of seeing you alive again, my boy' The tears were standing in his eyes.

He said, 'We saw the fire last night, and thought you were all murdered.' Thank God it is not so. I have sustained no damage beyond the loss of everything (except letters) and a little weakness of the eyes, I suppose from peering out of the loop-hole all night, and the constant straining of the eyesight.

More Rorke's Drift

Introduction
Eyewitness Accounts
Battle Profile
Rorke's Drift Map, Large (slow: 98K)
Rorke's Drift Map, Jumbo (very slow: 240K)
Colour Diorama Photo, Large (slow: 153K)

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