THE ZULU WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 103, 1 May 1879, Page 4

THE ZULU WAR.

THS ZULU KING AND HIS PEOPLE.

A correspondent of one of the Cape papers B«ya :— Few of the dipjointed items which have foond Ibeir way into (be public priota have much in com" moo with the story told by the two eons ofMaopcoorio, a Zulu induna, who was captured a few days ago in the neighbourhood of Krnnz Kop, and are now under detention as spies. They state that after the Xio ff had received thealtimatamoftbeHigh Commissioner, * ■ nertlnc : of ibe nation was held at the InhlatHuinye, and the several conditions we're suubmitted for popular cop•idersuioD. Touching the payment of «h» cattle demanded by the High Commissioner, and the surrender of Umbelioe and the men engaged in the outrage, the people thought those were matters for the exclusive consideration of the king, but they acquiesced in the appointment of a resident —as did Cetowayd also — and pressed upon bia acceptance the new law relating to marriage, with which the young men were especially pleased. But the king here put down his foot, asking whether any country could continue independent without an army, and whether the soldiers of any army—the Englieb, for instance— were allowed to have wives ? 11 1 let you marry when you are past terviee,'* said Cetewayo " and I won't let you marry while you are children." The young men did not agree with the king's view of it, when he maintained that married men were rendered cowards in battle, and always averse to war through the influence of their wives and children. But argument was brought to an end by the king's declaration that the English were firmly bent upon war, and stood at that moment in threatening array upon his borders. The cry was then taken up, •• The English sball not come here," and it was with thia reeolye, really leaving the decision in Cetewayo'a own hands, that the assemblage broke up. The people had expected trouble of some sort from Usiravo's outrage, but tbey^seem never to hava really apprehended an invasion until it had actually commenced, and then the army was sum* mooed to the king's great palace. When the forcee left again for the purpose of driving out the invaders of the soil, Ihere were left with the king none but the Uodabakaombi regiment, consisting of old men, a thousand strong, and the Uve, a corps of young men, aged about 23, numbering 3500, both of which regiments hava their head-quarters within a dozen miles of the king's kraal. The flower of the army, coosisting of the Nkobamakosi, 6000 men, led by Ucwelecwele; the Umcityu, 9000 men, led by Vumaridaba; tha Tolwana, 1500 meo.led by Mavumengwane; the lnkulutayne, 2500 men; and the Udblokb, 2500 men, — forming a total of 21,500, was sent against the column crossing at Boerk's Drift, Dabfclamansi (the king's brother) an J Tyingwayo, being in chief command Usirayo, to whom the leadership has been assigned; having been ; a prisoner at the king's kraal, where, also, w&s Matohana Mondisi, another tnduaa, who is a aid by some to have taken a leading part' in the battle at Isaodhlwaoa. The Zulus claim to have won there a gre»t victory, but they admit that the lots inflicted opou their beet. regiments, the Nkoktmakosi and the Umcityu, was terribly, severe. When asked whether the English fought well, it is replied that "They stood up until they died, the Zulu doing the same, and what more could men do ?" It is stated that the colony was invaded against the positive order of the king* and Dubulamaojsi', who led the attack on Koerk's Drift, is now in disgrace at the king's kraal, having aggravated his principal offence by attacking a fortified pest. After its victory, the army returned to Ondini, were some days were spent io taking, mourning for the dead, &nd distributing the spoil, which being done, tbe men were dismissed to gather in the crops and reoruit after their labours. Tbe prisoners not only state that tbe kin? and ihe people are anxious to obtain pesce, but they declare, with a vigour which' might; convince anyone but a diplomatist, that there was never any desire for war with tbe English, whom they profess to like immensely, and whose Institutions they are not on willing >to copy, provided we are content with the pbtsition of neighbours;

DESCRIPTION OF A ZULU EHGAGBMBNT. We ("Age")' have obtained from a gentleman recently arrived from the Cape,' (be following 'stirring account of desparate flighting with Cotynel Pearioo'B column fa Zaluland, which it will, be, remembered, entered that country close to the sea ; while that which sustained the disaster at laaodblwana, entered muoh higher ap. The engagement we now allude to took place at Ingangane, dose «o Ekowe, and commenced off (he 22nd January, end JPi I" two Zulu regiments being completely routed, and 400 ieft dead upon the field, while numbers were seen to be carried away. Never in the wmala.bf Zulu, history baa a more ognil defeat (under the circumatancea) been' administered to the Zulu army. On Wednesday morning, the 22nd, Colonel Pearaon reached the rpugb'and woody Ingangaoe, and the. bead of the column had juat got on a little rising ground, and were in the act of piling arms to Pf op 1 are for breakfast, when the mdtiiftjd ! >sraf* 'ft In tfont were heard to. fire rapidly. Colonels Pearaon and Parnell «t o&oe toofc in the situation, about as unfavorable, a one aa could be. To the toft lav a abort bill, while in the from, lien targe bills covered with

dense bush. And among the low land to the right, where the men and wagons were slowly coming up, the bnshos also thickly dotted the landscape. Tbe enemy were seen on the hills in considerable force> and it was at once perceived that a heavy battle must ensue. There were but t*o companies of the 11 Buffe " at the front, the remainder of the regiment being further baok with the waggon?, as were also the Engineers, and the men of the 99th Regiment ; but with admirable coolness and true military tact, the leading two companies were at once doubled op the short hill on the left, one company being sent round the right brow <o encounter the large body of the enemy which was coming down the opposite hill, and whose forois could only be distinguished when they, with lightning rapidity, darted from one clump of bushes to the other A moment's look at the position seemed to Convince the Colonel (said a combatant and consequently an eye-witness) that the Zulu tactics were to surround the column, for In addition to pouring in a rapid fire on the right, the vast horde of savages were to be observed pushing into the low land at the base of the hill on which the position had been taken up, and from thence pouring in a heavy and continuous fire, showing that they had plenty of rifles. To counteract this movement the other company of Baffs had to face down hill in reply to tbe challenge of the enemy. Lieut. Lloyd, R.A, had his men well in hand, for at a moment's notice bis two guns were also facing the valley, along which it could be seen Zulu soldiers were densely crowding, no doubt with tbe intention of pressing still further on, and attacking the waggons. Tbe mounted men, including all the Volunteer forces, were at once placed on tbe side of a hill to the left to guard off what was evidently intended as a flank movement. This was about the position of affairs when the fighting commenced at 7 a.m. The company to the right fired volley after volley into the bush on the opposite hill, but with a most dogged resistance were answered back, while missiles of every description came fast and heavy rattling and whirring through the air. Colonels Pearson and Parnell actively superintended all arrangements, exposing themselves frequently to the fire of the enemy in giving directions in the combat. Both their horees were shot dead under them during the fight. Being afterwards annoyed by a heavy fire, which, however, waa noticed frequently to fall short, and the rifles being unable to silence the enemy, the guns were brought to bear on the bush, and poured shot and shell among the black occupants hot and heavy, and caused great destruction. This they were evidently unprepared for. The Martini rifles'they could stand, even if they did make them grin; bufc shot and shell bursting crashing among them, and making them, or Buch of them aB escaped from its effects, leap, dance, and tumble from their hiding quarters, they seemed not quite able to understand. Still, with a brave determination for victory at all hazards, when hunted from one quarter they only opened with renewed vigor from another. On they atill pressed through the bush, shouting and roaring out their stentorian war cries, frequent drafts no doubt supplying the gaps in the ranks of their comrades in the low. lands; but this place again getting rather too warm for them, their picked companies seemed suddenly to centre with, a rash on the Colonel's right flank, and tbe fire went on hotter than ever. In tbe meantime the rockets from a neighbouring hillock were making it very hot for the bronzed Zulus, while the game was considerably heightened in danger for tbe blacks and in general interest by the blue jackets getting their Gatlings into position from the opposite Bide. Then the fun became fast and furious, and the whizzing missiles wrecking and tearing all before them, literally mowed down the branches and the brushwood around, and the Zulus fairly fell like locusts'; but afteVscampering out of the bush in question they i still retreated in an orderly manner and kept np a rapid fire, though volley after volley from the Buffs must have caused many a Zulu to bite the du3t,

Whilst matters were thus progressing a daring attempt; was made by a body of the enemy to the rear of the hill on which, the guns were playing to torn the left flank, but here they, were met by the Volunteers, who gave them such a reception as shall long be remembered by Cetewayo's tribe. But though bullets went in hundreds after ■* them into the bush still *ouW they repfo hoping that the British would give way, and confident in their large numbers. The hoide which had come down the bush on the right now tried to force their way by dint of rushing on to the place where the waggons had been drawn, but little did they calculate on the reception which awaited them. The men of the Buffa, Naval Brigade, Koyal Engineers, and men of the 90th Regiment, poured such death-dealing volleys on them that they fairly reeled, staggered, and ultimately broke, totally defeated, and in their retreat exposing themselves to grape-shot and bullets, while one of the Gatling guns, which had again attained a good position, played havoc wherever a group of darkskins were to be seen, and so nothing more was heard of the gentlemen who bo injudiciously endeavored to turn a British flank. At 10 o'clock the enemy were chased through the wood by some companies of the Bu% the °9&n. Cavalry, and Native Contingent, and Wus completely routed g .out, r great

numbers being seen scrambling over the hills, carrying their wounded and numbers of their dead with them. The fight lasted two hours and a quarter, the English fighting all through under greafc disadvantage, bufc with much coolness, and upon ground selected by the Zulus themselves ; a spot round which martial tradition hangs as being the scene of one of the proofs of their invulnerability, when they conquered, with? much slaughter, their old enemies the Dutch. They left upwards of 400 counted dead upon the field. How many died uncounted is not known, as the Zulus, according to their custom, do all they can to conceal their dead in the thick bush, throwing them into holes, between rocks, or anywhere where they can be effectually hidden ; so that reckoning these and others earned over the hills, some seven or eight hundred fell. Some high chiefs of Cetewayo, wh o were taken prisoners, said that their orders were to retire before Colonel Pearson, whom they watched crossing the Tugela, but on no account to allow tbe troops to advance beyond tbe old battle-grouud just described. There were 4000 in the attacking force, and Cetewayo told them that if they did not " eat up " the white man never to show their faces before him again.