THE ACTION AT ULUNDI.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1710, 13 August 1879, Page 2

THE ACTION AT ULUNDI.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. [Br Teleqeaph.] (Via Bluff.) Sir Archibald Forbes, who rode in from Lord Chelmsford’s camp to Landsmark Drift in fifteen hours, gives the following telegraphic account of the battle : —The troops had a brilliant success yesterday. Whilo both columns (Q-enerals Nowdegato’s and Wood’s) were marching on Ulundi, they were attacked in hollow square at 9 a.m., on all four sides, by 12,000 Zulus. The affair lasted half-an-hour, and all tho troops behaved admirably. The Zulus came within sixty yards of the square, when they began to break. The cavalry then swooped out upon them, and the Lancers out the fugitives into mincemeat. A shell fire was opened upon the Zulus, and kept up till the last man disappeared. Our loss was tea area tilled

and sixty wounded. I calculate the dead Zulus at 800. After a short rest the columns moTcd on Ulundi, the cavalry proceeding before. They fired Ulundi aud tho other military kraals before night. Lord Chelmsford to-day falls back on tho standing army, ■ and’meana to retire on Kwomagowasa. He has fifteen days’ rations to the good, but ..grass has failed utterly, and is mostly burnt. Everywhere it is bare. There is no_ further news of Cetewayo, who left Ulundi on the 3rd inst. The “ Natal Witness ” publishes the following description of the battle by tho correspondent of tho London “ Daily Telegraph ” : —“The British marched in hollow s square, the Bth regiment and Gatling battery forming with tho 90th regiment and part of the 94th regiment the left flank, the 13th and - 58th regiments tho right flank, the 24th and remainder of the 94th regiments forming tho rear, and a battery of artillery forming each corner. The Zulus were seen approaching in force both from the direction of Ulundi and from the bush on tho right. At half-past eight the mounted column, under Butler, wore thrown cut on the near left and front, meeting the enemy and keeping them in check. Owing, however, to some mistake, the right was left uncovered by the cavalry, and tho -mounted Basutos, under Colonel Chrode, were accordingly sent out on that side to ■ draw tho Zulus under fire. As the Basutos retired before the advancing enemy, the right face of the square came into action, commencing its fire fully five minutes before the remainder of tho force was engaged. About ten minutes to nine tho firing became general, all four sides of the square being simultaneously engaged, the Zulus after their manner throwing forward the horns of their army to surround the British force. They came on stfadily and in complete silence, advancing with the intrepidity they showed at Ginghilovo and Kambula. They continued their advance until they reached a spot not ■more than seventy yards from the faces of the square. The British infantry were formed in four ranks, the front rank kneeling and the rear rank reversed, facing inwards, while inside the square were all the necessary arrangements for keeping up the supply of ammunition. It was impossible for any force long to face such a deadly storm - of lead poured amongst them at such a short distance. A few now and then made the attempt to advance further, but it was of no •use. The main body wavered, and paused a moment —a decisive moment. There was artillery continually at work, sending shell after shell through the dark masses, breaking up every even partial attempt of the Zulus to concentrate their strength for a rush. Then it became time for the Lancers to bo lot loose. Biding down with their lances levelled they came like a whirlwind upon the enemy, aud in an instant their linos were broken through. The sabre was at work as well as the lance, and the Zulus were soon torn asunder, their coherency as an army was destroyed, and they were flying before the advancing cavalry.”