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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:03 pm

Hi Everyone
Not sure if this topic has been raised before,if it has my
applogies.I often read that the Zulu were not particularly good shots
when using fire-arms be it old muskets or captured Martini Henry rifles,
I`ve read before certain accounts of a skirmish or small "scrap" where
a soldier etc has been shot dead by a Zulu "marksman or "sniper",the
death of Lt. Frith 17th Lancers comes to mind being described as "shot
through the heart by a Zulu marksman",is this the author just putting
together a picture of the action by using the word marksman when
describing a Zulu with a fire-arm or were there as in most cases some
Zulu warriors who were just naturally good shots?
Wondering if any one else has any views on the subject?
Kind Regards.
Jeremy Reynolds.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:32 pm

Jeremy

Apparently, Prince Dabulamanzi was a good shot.

I seem to recall, later in the war, he exchanged shots with John Dunn, but I don't know if this is a confirmed fact.

Coll

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:33 pm

I suppose that the real answer is that we just don't know whether Zulus had any more or less aptitude to master the skill required to use sighted rifles or muskets.

However, we do need to be careful with our suppositions. Mishandled it would be a bit like the British asuming that the Japanese could neither see well in the dark nor fight well in the jungle.

G

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:47 pm

I guess, any of the Zulus, even with limited knowledge of their firearms, might hit the target, but how many shots they would need to have made until then, or if it was the very first, is unknown.

I don't know how many shots the Zulus fired at Rorke's Drift, but it is well-known, some did hit the defenders, but whether they were the targets specifically aimed at, well...

However, there is the incident with Hitch, but he was struggling with one Zulu, whilst the other with a firearm, much too close for comfort, close enough for Hitch to see, managed to shoot him.

Coll

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:24 pm

Sihayo, as well as Dabulamanzi, was reckoned a good shot, owned at least one Purdy shotgun (huge money-- to buy one today one can expect to spend well over 15,000 sterling), and often went hunting with James Rorke.

My guess is that although many Zulu probably had the aptitude to be good marksmen (no more or fewer than Europeans), they favored the assegai by choice, thinking firearms were unsporting for warfare and probably didn't have access to the sort of quality and quantity of ammunition with which to practice and become proficient . Also, a good rifle requires maintenance, cleaning, occasional repair and protection from the elements-- any or all of which I imagine they were unable and/or unwilling to provide.

I recall that there was at least one village in the North of Zululand that manufactured gunpowder and possibly rudimentary ammunition, but I question the quality or consistency. Surprised me to learn that, but I can't remember where I read it. Witness the sort of horrendous wounds the British received at the hands of Zulus who were firing badly cast slugs-- Hitch comes to mind. A hand shaped bullet may not be particularly accurate, but can tumble enough in flight to inflict a wicked, bone shattering wound.

According to Mitford, there were many empty cartridges to be found at Isandlwana with no evidence of having been discharged (primers unstruck). His thought was that the Zulu collected the live ammunition after the battle, pulled out the bullets (with their teeth?!) and saved the lead and powder for future use in rifles or muskets other than MH's.

Among other things learned, the Boer War taught the British that they were, all in all, miserable marksmen themselves. Hence the creation of The Boy Scouts and the increase in membership in the NRA (which is actually twelve years older in the UK than in the US) following 1902. Farwell's "Mir. Kipling's Army" states that during the period of the AZW some of the British regiments were issued fewer than a score of cartridges per man EACH YEAR with which to practice and Knight states that many of the recruits involved in the Second Invasion had never fired any live ammunition before their arrival in Africa-- some had never even practiced with blanks! Just for perspective.