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A Last Stand Of The NNH/Colonial Volunteers ?
Colin
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Apparently this print depicts a scene from the battle at Blood River, however, I think it helps convey the pressure the men were under at Isandhlwana, and the dramatic outcome if they had stayed in position at the donga to the very end.

https://bookpalace.com/acatalog/info%2dGreenZulusLL%2ehtml

Much has been made of their withdrawal dooming the already doomed British line, but had they remained, out of ammunition and outflanked on both sides, this would be the type of image we would have seen in print, as the horsemen were overwhelmed by the Zulus no longer held back by gunfire...

....showing how meaningless their deaths would have been at this point, only meaning Durnford�s Last Stand being here instead of back at the camp, with most if not all of the horsemen dead.

Therefore, there would have been no Colonial stand at the camp to delay the Left Horn and let others flee towards Fugitives� Trail, nor the NNH of whom some were still in a body, assisting fugitives both on the trail and at Fugitives� Drift.

Hope you don�t mind Alan, but this image was too good not to share, trying to depict a scene from the extreme right of the British line hardly touched upon visually.

I�ll delete if you wish, but I think it is relevant, as this small force was not �in the clear� at any stage of the engagement, and fought bravely, even being termed by some as amateurs not capable of professional conduct.

PS. I feel this image balances out the other topic showing a colour print of what could have been Shepstone with the NNC against the Right Horn, representing both native units


Last edited by Colin on Tue Oct 06, 2020 3:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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Colin, When was the action that this illustration is from? Judging by the rifles,
it looks more like the Blood River of 1838, although the illustrated action doesn't.

Sorry if I'm showing my ignorance.

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Colin
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Alan

Yes, it is from Blood River, which I mention in my OP and is also the caption below the illustration itself, hence the type of firearms they possess
Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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Colin,

I'm getting a little confused here. The illustration is Blood River of 1838 right? It doesn't actually look as I believed that battle was fought having been there and seen the layout of the wagons.

It is an excellent illustration but was it just to emphasise what fighting Zulus must have been like?

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Colin
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Alan

It is an intriguing illustration, and I must say, when I saw it a few years ago minus its description, I honestly thought it did indeed represent the donga at Isandhlwana, as the men in the lower ground looked to be NNH rather than Boers, but as it was another �Look And Learn� portrayal (I think) not exactly known for accuracy, I considered the lack of attention to detail of the firearms was an oversight or unfamiliarity with those used in 1879.

I�m not too educated up on Blood River, but I didn�t consider the Boers dug ditches, fighting mainly behind wagons, etc., as I only really think of trenches or pits dug by the British, though might have been a known design to both Boer and British, even at the time of Blood River.

I therefore considered the illustration reasonably accurate (up to a point) In its detail, to post as the donga scene from Isandhlwana rather than Blood River, being that there are several AZW prints/paintings available anyway, where accuracy may also be thought quite dubious in some aspects.

However, I prefer to leave it as your decision whether to keep on the forum, but as you say, it does capture what it must have been like to face the Zulus, especially by the British native units, outnumbered, in such a forward position, that could be overrun at any moment, proving in my view, it was not only down to the NNH bravery, but how they were commanded, that they held their ground for so long.
Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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Colin,

I have no problem it being here at all, as long as it's clearly marked.

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A Last Stand Of The NNH/Colonial Volunteers ?
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