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Date	Original Topic
12th June 2001	Isandlawana and the Battle of Little Big Horn By Judy Martin I read the message about the Rorke's Drift and the Alamo and how closely they resemble each other but i wanted to point out that the massacre at Isandlawana was really just like the Americans massacre at Little Big Horn. The Americans were fighting a primitive tribe of indians like the British were fighting Zulus with primitive weapons. The Americans were overwhelmed by the number of indians attacking Little Big Horn just like the British were overwhelmed by Zulus. American General Custer had his last stand which reminded me of the 2 heros Melville and Coghill. In conclusion i just wanted to point out how those massacres were very closely related just like Rorke's Drift and the Alamo. I also wanted to know if anyone wanted to agree with me or disagree. Thank you all!
Date	Replies
13th June 2001	John Young Judy, I actually mentioned The Little Big Horn in the reply I made on the Alamo. I could go further with regard to the planned three-pronged attack which was due to take place at The Little Big Horn, is much the same as Chelmsford's plan to attack Ulundi, from three directions. Both Custer & Chelmsford were equally guilty of misjudging the quality of their enemy. There is actually a book written by an American author, James O. Gump's "The Dust Rose Like Smoke" which makes parallel judgements on the both campaigns. Interestingly Lieutenant W.W. Cooke, the Adjutant of the U.S. 7th Cavalry, a Canadian, had previously served in the 17th Lancers "The Death or Glory Boys", who dealt the final blow at the Battle of Ulundi, 4th July, 1879. John
10th December 2001	John White Noticed the messages comparing Rorke's Drift and Little Big Horn. It is important also to see the contrasts. At Little Big Horn the US 7th Cavalry under Lieutentant Colonel Custer ( he held the title of general only from his role as a commander of militia during the civil war and had graduated last in his class at West Point ) attacked the Indian villages at the Little Big Horn while the British at Rorke's Drift had a purely defensive position. Secondly, at Little Big Horn many of the Indians had repeating rifles and as such were better armed and equipped than their adversaries in the cavalry. While the defenders of Rorke's Drift received a record number of VCs it is likely that had Custer survived Little Big Horn he would have been court martialled for disobeying orders and his reckless behaviour.No doubt there are other contrasts. These are those they came immediately to mind.