Day Seventeen – The Siege of Rorkes Drift

The ultimatum to the Zulus expired at the end of December 1878. So in January 1879 Lord Chelmsford led his men through Natal to Zululand to force compliance. On the way he commandeered a mission on the banks of the Buffalo River near a well used crossing (a drift) for use as a hospital and stores. It was 12miles from Isandlwana and was called Rorks Drift.

The annihilation of the British troops at Isandlwana on the 22nd January was over in several hours finishing some time after midday. The Zulus used their traditional formation with a main force and 2 horns. The right horn, consisting of 4000 Zulus, did not engage in the main battle but harried the few hundred soldiers that tried to retreat from Isandlwana back to the Buffalo River. Most of the retreating British were killed on the way but 55 survived and crossed back onto the Natal side. Having not engaged in the battle proper, these Zulus had not ‘wetted’ their assegai stabbing spears. It was for this reason that they crossed the river and attacked Rorks Drift.

There was one regiment of fighting men at Rorks Drift, 100 in total. There were 39 invalides. There were also an additional 300 NNC troops, these being local people trained in basic fighting techniques. There were only 2 buildings at the mission, a small hospital and a stores building 60 metres away.

The small contingent at Rorks Drift only got wind of the approaching Zulus 1 hour before they arrived. The 55 survivors from Isandlwana sent them a note but bypassed the mission knowing the Zulus were approaching. A small surviving company of 80 mounted Basutos (locals again) who had held off the left horn of the Zulus at Isandlwana for several hours and escaped stopped by the mission too. They also warned of the approaching Zulus and told all to run. But this was not possible with the many invalides. So the regiment decided to batten down the hatches and fight. The 55 survivors had gone, the 80 Basutos left and the 300 NNCs deserted leaving just the 139 men.

They quickly erected 4 foot high barricades using bags of maize and tins of biscuits. They then barricaded the rooms in the hospital. Each room was a cell with only one external door. Each door was barricaded with invalides and one soldier in each. There were no interconnecting doors. This is where the Zulus attacked first and were met with these soldiers firing through small holes inbetween the bags of maize. Eventually the Zulus set fire to the thatched roof and the retreat began where many VCs were awarded. The soldiers and invalides knocked holes in the interconnecting walls and eventually managed to get most to the safety of the other building across the open ground.

The Zulus had attacked at 4pm on the 22nd, some 2 hours after the battle of Isandlwana finished. But this battle lasted all through the night until 6am the following morning. Rorks Drift repelled wave after wave of Zulu attacks through the night. They used 20,000 rounds of ammunition.

The Zulus finally retired with the loss of between 6 and 800 men. The British lost 17.

There were 11 Victoria Crosses awarded, the most in any one battle. All were British except for one Swiss.

There were no VCs awarded at Isandlwana. There were 3 awarded at Fugitives Drift, 2 of which went to Melville and Coghill attempting to save the Queens colours. And 11 at Rorks Drift.

Quite an emotional story. J