The news of the disaster that had befallen the Central Column soon filtered back to Natal, brought back by the few survivors from the camp. Wild stories soon spread across the whole country that the entire British army had been wiped out and that the Zulu army had invaded Natal bent on it's total destruction. Local volunteer forces were raised and the towns hastily prepared themselves for defence. The British public soon woke up to the war, the newspapers quickly sent out reporters to S.A. and the Zulu name was to become a household word.

With the Central Columns advance now halted, the flanking columns 1/4 were in a predicament as to what to do. Col. Pearson's No.1 column was holed up at Eshowe with his entire force in the squalid fortified mission station, in a virtual state of siege, the Zulu forces each day growing larger.

He received on the 28th January this report:

'Consider all my instructions as cancelled, and act in whatever manor you think most desirable in the interests of the column under your command. Should you consider the garrison of Eshowe as to far advanced to be fed with safety, you can withdraw it. Hold, however, if possible, the post on the Zulu side of the Lower Tugela. You must be prepared to have the whole Zulu force down upon you. Do away with tents, and let the men take shelter under the wagons which will be in the position for defence and hold so many more supplies.
LORD CHELMSFORD.

He further received on the 11th February another report from Chelmsford stating that he was unable to send any further supplies or reinforcements for at least 6 weeks, this was to be the last report received due to Zulu's stopping any further communications.

Col. Wood's No.4 Column received a report on the 24th Jan regarding the Central Column's fate. He initially moved his force back to his old camp near the White Umfolozi River to rethink his position. He moved again to a new camp at Kambula Hill where he received his first official word from Chelmsford on the 31st January, the report a copy of the one Pearson had received on the 28th January. Wood replied that he was in a good position and would be able to hold it.

RE-INVASION FORCES TOTALS

FIRST DIV1SION (GENERAL CREALOCK'S) LOWER TUGELA COMMAND (Officers & Men)

Naval Brigade 800
M Battery 6th Brigade Royal Artillery 90
Detachment 11-7th Royal Artillery 25
2-3rd Regiment 836
57th Regiment 830
3-60th Regiment 880
88th Regiment 640
91st Regiment 850
99th Regiment 870
Mounted Infantry, 2nd Squadron 70v Army Service Corps 50
Army Hospital Corps 20
Royal Engineers 150
8-7th Royal Artillery 80
6th Royal Artillery 50
Lonsdale's Horse 84
Cooke's Horse 78
Colonial Volunteers 105
Native Contingent: Foot 2,556
Native Contingent: Mounted 151

Total Strength, Effective and Non effective 9,215

SECOND DIVSION (GENERAL NEWDIGATE'S)

1st Dragoon Guards (attached to 2nd Div) 650
17th Lancers (attached to 2nd Div) 626
N-5 Royal Artillery 76
N-6 Royal Artillery 80
10-7 Royal Artillery 70
10-G Royal Artillery 30
Royal Engineers 60
2-4 Regiment 790
Detachment 1 - 13 Regiment 63
2-21 (2 Companies at Maritzburg) 820
1-24 Regiment 530
2-24 Regiment 586
58th (1 Company at Durban) 906
80th (several Companies in Transvaal) 300
94th (1 Company at Grey Town) 870
Army Service Corps 60
Army Hospital Corps 30
Grey Town District Colonial Volunteers 139
Natal Mounted Police 75
Natal Carbineers 27
Newcastle Mounted Rifles 18
Buffalo Mounted Guard 20
Native Contingent: Europeans 41
Native Contingent: Natives (foot) 3,128
Native Contingent: Natives (mounted) 243

Total Strength, Effective and Non effective 10,238

GENERAL WOOD'S FLYING COLUMN

11-7th Royal Artillery 87
Royal Engineers 13
1-13th Regiment 721
90th Regiment 823
1st Squadron Mounted Infantry 103
Army Service Corps 9
Army Hospital Corps 13
Frontier Light Horse 173
Baker's Horse 179
Transvaal Rangers 141
1st Battalion Wood's Irregulars: Europeans 14
1st Battalion Wood's Irregulars: Natives 377
2nd Battalion ditto: Europeans 5
2nd Battalion ditto: Natives 355
Natal Native Horse: Europeans 4
Natal Native Horse: Natives 75

Total Strength, Effective and Non effective 3,092

GRAND TOTAL

1st Division 9,215
2nd Division 10,238
General Wood's Flying Column 3,092
Total Effective and Non-effective, namely, Europeans 15,660 and Natives 6,885: 22,545

Out of this grand total there were above 400 sick and non-effective with the 1st Division, 300 with the 2nd Division, and 600 (including some of Wood's Irregulars absent and not accounted for since 28th March) with Wood's Flying Column. So that altogether, deducting say 1,500, Lord Chelmsford had at his disposal from the middle of April, a total of 21,000 troops, of which over 15,000 were Europeans.

SECOND INVASION

1. Pearson's Column under siege at Etshowe mission station, low on supplies and the troops suffering badly from sickness.

2. Wood's Column camped at Khambula in a secure position.

3 February and March spent by Chelmsford in reorganising his transport and forces including the newly-arrived British regiments.

4. March and April saw the actions at Gingindhlovu, Hlobane and Khambula. The new invasion plan was to consist of 2 Divisions, with the number 1 Division supporting the larger 2nd on its advance towards Ulundi. Wood's Column became known as the 'Flying Column' and joined the 2nd Division, acting as an advanced guard.

Major Crealock's 1st Division assembled at Fort Pearson, moving up to Fort Chelmsford by the 17th June. The 2nd Division assembled at Durban, advancing across the Blood Kiver on the 1st June, linking up with the Flying Column at Fort Newdigate on the 18th June. The advance was on for Ulundi.

ZULU TACTICS

The King's Impis were dispersed across Zululand, having fought the recent actions in March and April mentioned above, no firm orders had been received as to what the regiments should now do. Chetchwayo again now responded to the British advance and fortunately for him, Crealock's 1st Division was advancing slowly, so this enabled him to concentrate his efforts on the larger 2nd Division. He ordered his regiments to reassemble at Ulundi by the 25th June.

Volunteer and other Corps called out during the Zulu War of 1879
NAMES	RAISED	DISBANDED	MEN	HORSES	REMARKS
Alexandra Mounted Rifles	Nov. 1878	Aug. 1879	20	27	At first with No.1 Column, afterwards with the 2nd Division
Buffalo Border Guard	Nov. 1878	July 1879	38	38	At first with No.3 Column, afterwards in Natal
Durban Mounted Rifles	Nov. 1878	July 1879	64	72	At first with No.1 Column, afterwards with the 1st Division
Natal Carabineers	Nov. 1878	Aug. 1879	25	35	At first with No.3 Column, afterwards in Natal
Natal Hussars	Nov. 1878	July 1879	38	46	At first with No.1 Column, afterwards with the 1st Division
Natal Mounted Police	Nov. 1878	Sept. 1879	80	83	At first with No.3 Column; afterwards in Natal; a portion pined Col. Baker Russell's Column
Newcastle Mounted Rifles	Nov. 1878	July 1879	16	16	At first with No.3 Column
Stanger Mounted Rifles	Nov. 1878	July 1879	40	40	No.1 Column and 1st Division
Victoria Mounted Rifles	Nov. 1878	July 1879	51	51	No.1 Column and 1st Division
Amangwani Scouts	April 1879	Aug. 1879	37	-	Attached to Cavalry
Amatonga (or Amaboma)	Feb./Mar. 1879	Aug. 1879	71	71	Attached to 17th Lancers
Baker's horse	Feb./Mar. 1879	Aug. 1879	236	224	Served with Wood's Flying Column
Border Horse (Weatherley's)	-	-	61	108	Served with Wood's Flying Column
Burgher Force (Piet Uys')	-	-	45	-	With General Wood. Not regularly engaged
Dunn's Scouts	Jan. 1879	Sept. 1879	244	-	Served with 1st Division
Fereira's Horse	-	-	115	114	Raised by Colonial Government, served with Wood's Column
Frontier Light Horse	1877	-	216	278	With General Wood's Column; afterwards to Baker Russell's Column; name changed to Natal Light Horse
Jantzi's Native Horse	Feb./Mar. 1879	Sept. 1879	68	83	At first with No.2 Column; then with the 1st Division, afterwards with Clarke's Column
Kaffrarian Rifles (Schermbrucker)	Feb. 1879	June 1879	42	42	With General Wood
Lonsdale's Mounted Rifles	Feb./Mar. 1879	Aug./Sept. 1879	236	234	Raised principally at Cape Town; served with1st Division, afterwards with Clarke's Column (two troops)' and with Baker Russell's Column one troop)
Mafunzi's Mounted Natives	Feb./Mar 1879	Sept. 1879	73	80	With 1st Division and Clarke's Column
Natal Horse, No.1 Troop (de Burgh)	Feb. 1879	Sept. 1879	48	55	Composed of NCOs of 3rd NNC; with 1st Division
No.2 Troop (Cooke)	Feb. 1879	July 1879	50	18	Composed of NCOs of 3rd NNC; with 1st Division
No.3 Troop (Bettington)	Feb. 1879	Oct. 1879	60	67	Composed of NCOs of 3rd NNC; with 2nd Division
Natal Light Horse	Mar., 1879	Oct. 1879	138	161	Originally a troop of Frontier Light Horse; served with Baker Russell's Column
Natal Native Horse (Cochrane)	Feb./Mar. 1879	July 1879	129	159	At first with No.2 Column; afterwards with Wood's Column
Natal Native Pioneers No.1 Company (Nolan)	Nov./Dec.1878	Oct. 1879	80	-	Served with No.3 Column, afterwards with Wood's Column
No.2 Company (Beddoes)	Nov./Dec.1878	Oct. 1879	104	-	Served with No.1 Column
No.3 Company (Allen)	Nov./Dec.1878	Oct. 1879	89	-	Served with No.2 Column
Native Zulu Carriers	July 1879	Sept. 1879	2,000	-	Carried stores between Port Dumford and St. Paul's
Shepstone's Native Horse	Feb./Mar. 1879	Sept. 1879	180	212	Served with 2nd Division and Baker Russell's Column
Transvaal Rangers (Raaf's)	April 1879	-	138	108	Served with Wood's Flying Column, afterwards with Baker Russell's Column
Wood's Irregulars	Dec., 1878	July 1879	400	10	With Wood's Column

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