The Organization
of the Zulu Army

by Ian Knight

Although most modelers and wargamers tackling the Zulu War will by now know that the Zulu army was a highly efficient fighting machine organized on a strict regimental basis, they may harbor many misconceptions as to the nature of this organization and how it was officered. This may affect the building up of their wargame armies and the authenticity of its subsequent behavior on the table top, particularly when re-fighting a prolonged campaign.

Firstly, the Zulu army was not, as is generally supposed, a standing army. True, the autocratic, psychopathic Shaka had created a large Zulu standing army in the early nineteenth century which was permanently available for employment in the almost perpetual campaigning of the period. Only when warriors were on the threshold of middle age were they allowed to 'stand down', marry and take up 'reserve' status.

When, however, Shaka was assassinated by his half-brother Dingane, the latter's first act was to curry favor with the army by relaxing some of his predecessor's harsher edicts. One result of this was that by 1879 most of the warriors spent the majority of their time at home with their families.

The warriors were, however, always subject to instant call-up, and the king frequently mustered one regiment or another to perform state duties, whether it be building him another Royal kraal or wiping out some petty clan who had incurred his wrath. When he needed them, the king issued the command 'Mayihlome!' ('To Arms'), and a series of runners were dispatched to key points around the kingdom. Here they passed on the message to local men who spread it from kraal to kraal.

It was a surprisingly efficient system that could spread the news abroad in less than twenty-four hours, however unexpected it might have been. It must be said, however, that the late 1870s were troubled times in Zululand, and there can be little doubt that Cetshwayo had his army in readiness long before the ultimatum was delivered.

Regimental System

The regimental system was basically an extension of the peace-time youth guilds. At an early age Zulu youths were banded together with boys of their own age and district into inTangas. Under the leadership of an experienced local inDuna, the boys in the in Tanga would perform as a group all the social duties expected of them (chiefly concerned with herding and tending cattle) and progress through all the rituals and taboos that marked their introduction into manhood.

Every few years or so the king would order that a new regiment be formed, and the inTangas that had reached the appropriate age for enrollment were gathered together and formed into a new regiment or drafted into an older one that had become understrength through old age or casualties. If a new regiment, they would be given a regimental name and uniform, and quartered in a military kraal that would act as their barracks whenever they were on duty.

The inTangas would stay together in the regiment (and, indeed, throughout life) and form the basis of the regimental company system. Each inTanga would be commanded by a senior inDuna, probably the one who led it before enrollment, thus furthering the age and kinship bonds, and three NCOs, senior warriors about fifty warriors (though the younger regiments, particularly the inGobamakhosi, were much over strength in 1879, having as many as 70 men per company).

There were about ten companies in each wing, two wings, right and left, to a regiment. The wings were led by inDunas known as inDuna yesicamelo'sikulu and inDuna yesicamelo yohlangoti, over whom was a second in command the inDuna yohlangoti. Above him was the colonel, or inDuna yesibaya'sikulu. In action, the colonel commanded the right wing of his regiment, and the second in command the left.

Overall Command

Over-all command was appointed on the basis of seniority of regiment, which in turn was dependent on age and experience. When several regiments were barracked together in the same kraal forming an informal corps, the leadership of the corps fell to the senior inDuna of the senior regiment; thus the Undi corps was commanded by Dabulamanzi, the colonel of the senior regiment, the uThulwana. The army was commanded overall by a senior and trusted counselor appointed by the king.

So, getting back to the 'Mayihlome!' summons, when the order was received each warrior knew his place in the system by heart. He immediately reported to his regiment's military kraal, wearing his regimental uniform (which he had to provide himself) and carrying his own spears, club or gun. When the regiment was complete -- or as complete as the inDunas thought it was likely to be (in 1879 large numbers of warriors stayed at home to fight with their own clan armies), it was marched to a place appointed by the king as the rendezvous for the army.

Invulnerabiliity

Thus mustered, the army was drawn up in an umKumbi, a huge hollow circle with the king in the center surrounded by a ring of his officers, for several days of ceremonies to render the army invulnerable, achieved by sprinkling the warriors with magic potions, making them eat charmed meat, and the issuing of the shields.

It is worth noting that although individual warriors might own several personal shields; shields for courting, shields for dancing, shields for defense against the ordinary hazards of a rigorous life; the true, regular army war shields were the property of the state, not of the individual. They were cut according to precise pattern and issued to the regiments en masse, according to a strict color-code; white for senior regiments, black for junior ones, with all shades of mottling inbetween.

If time permitted, select regiments might be allowed to giya -- to boast their own praises and challenge other regiments to do better. According to one source, the inCobamakhosi and uKudampenvu regiments entered into such a rivalry, which may explain the ferocity of these two regiments at Isandhlwana. Usually such regiments were called upon to account for themselves before the king after the campaign, but there was little time for such luxuries in 1879.

When the ceremonies were complete the regiments were again formed into an umKumbi to receive the king's final commands. Cetshwayo's orders included the instruction that his warriors were not to cross into Natal, and were to leave unmolested the many civilians that were travelling with the British columns.

March

The ceremonies complete, the regiments marched off by companies, splitting into columns abreast later, with the uDibi on the flanks. The uDibi were youths of pre-military age, who were expected to herd cattle, carry maize, blankets, provisions and rolled-up shields for the warriors.

On a prolonged campaign, the warriors were expected to forage for themselves. Fighting on home ground was a novel experience for the Zulu army as it had not been called upon to fight an essentially defensive war since the early days of Shaka, and was more used to long-range raids. This presented problems that were not readily overcome as plundering local kraals was out of the question.

When the uDibi had gone home, the warriors simply starved. According to prisoners captured after Kambula, the warriors had not eaten for several days previously, a state of affairs evidenced by the fact that Zulu dead who had forced their way into the British lines were later found with their mouths stuffed with captured food.

When the regiments came within striking distance of the army -- and a super-efficient spy-system kept them fully informed of all the enemy movements -- the regiments took up the famed imPomdo Zankomo, or 'Beast Horns' attack formation. White shield regiments in the center, or 'chest', black shield regiments in the encircling 'horns'. A reserve, the 'loins', was placed to the rear with its back to the enemy to prevent the warriors' undue excitement.

Battle

In battle the Zulu warrior expected simply to conquer or die. The evidence of Isandhlwana and Kambula indicates that they were capable of sustaining enormous casualties before they finally broke; but once broken, they could seldom be rallied.

If victorious, the impi would dissipate much of its energies in looting the vanquished; they seldom had the staying power to engage in prolonged campaigning, unless led by a ferociously efficient general like Shaka. Needless to say, there was no general of that caliber in the army in 1879.

Once the impi had carried the camp at Isandhlwana, it simply faded away as the warriors returned to their home kraals to lick their wounds, perform the prescribed cleansing ceremonies and boast of their glory. Significantly, these regiments did not take to the field again as a cohesive unit until the Kambula campaign in March '79.

The Zulu army, then was a highly efficient unit within its African context; it was well organized and thoroughly officered, and aware of what was expected of it strategically and tactically. Provisioning, as a rule, was adequate, but fell down in 1879 due to the peculiarities of that campaign. Morale was good, excellent even, but once broken warriors could seldom be rallied, and even when victorious they lacked the staying power to follow through successful attacks.

All of which, I hope, you will take fully into account when wargaming the war!

PRINCIPAL SOURCES

The Zulu Army. Booklet compiled by F. B. Fynney, 1878. National Army Museum copy.
Long, Long Ago. R. C. Samuelson. Durban, 1926.
History of the Zulu Rebellion, 1906. J. Stuart. London, 1913.

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