The British Force

A Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 24th Regiment.
A Few men of other units.
Total: 111 Regulars; 14 sick; 10 Incapacitated; 5 men of Ancillary Units
Grand Total: 140 men

Under the command of Lieut. John Chard (Royal Engineers)
Lieut. Gonville Bromhead (2nd Battalion, 24th Regt.)

This does not include a Company of the Natal Native Contingent and a Company of Durnford’s Horse, who departed before the action began.

The Zulu Force

Elements of the uThulwana, inDluyengwe and inDlondie amabutho, under Dabulamanzi; and the uDloko led by Zibhebhu – a total force of between three and four thousand warriors.

The Action

On being told of the Isandlhwana disaster at about 3.15 pm on the 22nd January, Lieutenant Chard (senior officer) set about establishing his small force within a defensive perimeter of mealie-bags, biscuit-boxes and wagons, anchored on the loopholes buildings. Soon after 4pm firing from the south indicated the approach under the cover of the Oskarberg hill of the Zulu force, causing the detachment of he N.N.C. to flee, leaving Chard with only about 140 men, including the sick. Realizing he had to reduce the perimeter, he had his men begin building a barricade of biscuit-boxes across the enclosure, but it was not completed when, at about 4.30 pm some 5/600 Zulus attacked from the south.

Those charging straight at the perimeter faltered under the heavy fire when about 45m away and took shelter near the cookhouse, some with rifles opening fire. But the majority veered round to storm the northwest side, but was driven back. Occupying the high ground on the Oskarberg and the Flats, the main Zulu force maintained a harassing fire from concealed positions, and from the Flats made repeated piecemeal attacks. Eventually they drove the British from the hospital and forced them to withdraw behind the unfinished barricade of biscuit-boxes. Meanwhile the hospital and the storehouse were fired and eventually gutted.

The Zuluz now concentrated on the kraal, dislodging the defenders, forcing them into ‘redoubt’ of mealie-bags (with an all-round field of fire) which Chard had had built after the loss of the hospital. The Zulus continued to attack until after midnight; between 4am and daybreak they broke off the attack and abandoned the field, leaving behind about 400 dead. British losses were 15 killed and 10 wounded.

Rorke’s Drift – The War Game

Discussion on reproducing this epic battle is carried-on between the wargamers who will be playing it, in the guise of Lieutenant’s Chard and Bromhead; Privates Henry Hook, John Williams; and the Zulu commanders Dabulamanzi and Zibhebhu, the former’s mind possibly concentrated by the awareness that he had precipitated the unsuccessful action at Rorke’s Drift against his brother Cetewayo’s express orders.