Battle of Ulundi written account by Alfred Dennis

A letter written in 1948 by my Great Grandfather Alfred Dennis former Mayor of Ryde, Isle of Wight, to my 8yr old father describing an event which took place on that day 69 years previously : July 4th 1879 - The Battle of Ulundi

The letter as written word for word -

4th July 1948 from Glencoe, High Park, Ryde, IW.

My dear Trevor,

I thought I would write a few lines to you as you are my grandson to tell you that 69 years ago today at this time of day I was fighting a big battle with the Zulus and we were only about five thousand and coming against us were twenty-five thousand, we were entirely surrounded on all sides by the Zulus, so we had to fight hard, if not we should all been killed.

The night before we were all lying with all our clothes on with 70 rounds of bullets in our pouch with our swords and rifles by our sides ready to march off early in the morning, and about five o'clock in the morning we were ordered to get ready to march through a wide river about 3 feet deep in the dark to get to the other sides where the army of Zulus were, so no bugles were sounded so we had to go as quiet as possible.  When we got out of the river we all formed up in a square like this (a drawing of a square)  and marched on to a hill.

On the way we came across little huts like this (a drawing of huts) but no one were in them, so we set them on fire and the smoke caused the alarm to the Zulus who were some distant away and thousand of them came rushing at us from all directions like a drove of mad bulls. We were four deep in the square, two ranks kneeling and two ranks standing and a battery of 7 pounders and two gatling guns all firing at once to meet the charge, but no matter how many were killed, on they came until they got quite near to us, bullets were coming from all around us but our firing stopped them before they could rush at us, then they began to waver and we gave a big cheer and the Cavalry Lancers Garrisons and other men were ordered to mount their horses and charge and they went charging among them culling and killing, and of course some of our men got killed also, but I escaped with just a bullet through my rolled coat which was on my shoulder and the battle was over about midday.

Then we marched back across the river again to the big laager where we left all the wagon and stores with a Guard. We calculated we killed about 5,000 of them and a Band played us back, a Flying Column was formed to follow this up under General Waraby who captured the King Cetshwayo and brought him to Cape Town where we were stationed.

I have only given you an outline of the Battle but as this was the day in 1879 when it was fought on the 4th July 1879 you might be able to remember your grandfather was in it 69 years ago, now you know I am sitting in an armchair and tomorrow, Monday, I shall be up the apple tree summer pruning, working hard, so I do hope when you get to 90 years old you will be able to do the same. Much love to you and mother and father.

Your loving Grandpa[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

More of the letter[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Thanks again Mk3
90th

Mk3
Many thanks for sharing this family letter. It is very generous of you. Keep it safe!
Do you know your great-grandfather's regiment at all?
Julian

I do hope when, not if, I get to 90 I can be as lucid as that. Well done Mk3 for sharing.
Frank

Julian Whybra wrote:

Mk3
Many thanks for sharing this family letter.  It is very generous of you.  Keep it safe!
Do you know your great-grandfather's regiment at all?
Julian

Thank you, 5th Field Company, Royal Engineers

Heres a photo of him in China during the Boxer Rebellion in 1899 seated next to the rifle match cup, and another at Christmas 1899 (Sergeant Major Royal Engineers) front row, third seat from left on Liu-Kung-Tao island in Wei-Hai-Wei, China during the Boxer Rebellion
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A great-grandfather to be proud of!

Mk3
Did you realize that 5th (Field) Coy was Chard's company?

Julian Whybra wrote:

Mk3
Did you realize that 5th (Field) Coy was Chard's company?

I didn't know that but have just looked!

My late father often told me that Great Grandfather knew Chard, I wish I asked more questions.

I'm unsure if this has ever been posted on here, but a manuscript diary from the 5th Field Company was at Bonhams auction, there's quite a lot of information in the description of it on the website, the author must have surely known my Great Grandfather.

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26772/lot/23/zulu-war-1878-1879-notes-on-the-zulu-war-south-africa-manuscript-diary-written-by-a-soldier-of-the-5th-field-company-royal-engineers-covering-the-period-from-the-companys-departure-from-chatham-2-december-1878-to-arrival-in-cape-town-at-the-end-of-the-month-and-following-events-in-durban-pietermaritzsburg-long-marches-greyston-burrups-inn-mooi-river-sandspruit-helpemakaar-ekowe-koppie-alleen-meeting-louis-napoleon-the-prince-imperial-rumours-and-reports-on-the-actions-at-isandlwana-and-rorkes-drift-to-the-finals-entries-concerning-the-fiasco-of-a-friendly-fire-incident-in-which-a-picquet-of-royal-engineers-under-the-command-of-john-chard-was-fired-upon-at-fort-newdigate-on-6-june-1879-c1879/

And I didn't know about the auction sale! What a pity it's gone into private hands. Still, perhaps the new owner will publish it. We can but hope.
did you know that 4 members of 5th coy RE were kia at Isandhlwana. Your Great-grandfather was lucky not to have drawn the short straw!

Julian Whybra wrote:

did you know that 4 members of 5th coy RE were kia at Isandhlwana.  Your Great-grandfather was lucky not to have drawn the short straw!

Again I wish I asked more questions, my late father told me that at some point during the Zulu war my Great Grandfather swapped places with another man who was then killed, but I can't remember where that was, it was two men that were killed at that time.

On the morning of the 22nd Jany Chard took 4 men to Isandhlwana and then found the orders applied only to them, not himself, so he went back to Rorke's Drift (and lived). The 4 men stayed and were killed a few hours later. They were an advance party from 5th Coy so any swapping of places must have taken place father back in Natal some time before.
Is there someone else you could ask questions of who might also have spoken with your great-grandfather - an uncle or cousin perhaps?

There is someone I can ask yes.
Just looking back through my emails, in 2011 this photo was sent to me, taken from the internet, apparently the soldier laying down in front of Chard is possibly my Great Grandfather. But we don't have any photos of him that young so there's no way of knowing.
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MK3,

I am afraid that is a commissioned officer in the Royal Engineers in the field in 1879.

Left to right seated James R.E., attached to the Intelligence Department; Captain Walter Parke Jones; Brevet Major John Chard V.C.; Reginald da Costa Porter and in the front I believe that is Lt. Commeline R.E.

I’m away from my notes at present so please forgive any inaccuracies.

JY

Nicely cleared up and a long term mystery solved thank you!

Mk3
Nevertheless your story about swapping places is interesting. I too am away from my notes but I believe that the men at Isandhlwana were the only members of 5th coy RE kia in the Zulu War. so your relative DID have a lucky escape.

MK3,

Possibly one of the blokes in the background by the tents!

JY

Funny you should mention that John. I was just looking at them trying to work out what they were seated around. It looks like a small table and one of them is turning the page of a book resting on it.

The fellow in front of the tent, second from the right is the Sergeant-Major, rank insignia was worn on both sleeves by the R.E. at the time, likewise the chevrons on the fellow with pipe on the right smoking his pipe he’s either a Sergeant or a Corporal.

JY

I have a copy of Commeline's letters I will have a look and see if there is any mention of your great grandfather
Kate

gardner1879 wrote:

I have a copy of Commeline's diary I will have a look and see if there is any mention of your great grandfather
Kate

Thank you, he joined up under the name of George Dennis

Hi Mk3
I've looked through all his letters but no trace of your great grandfather I'm afraid.
There is this little snippet in relation to the photograph you posted up.
It is written by Commeline to his father from St Pauls, Zululand 1st August 1879

" Chard left for Dundee this morning and will proceed to England shortly. We always tell him he should have gone home on sick leave as soon as he was well enough to do so and have taken his pick of the heiressess, He won't have half so good a chance now. A photographer having arrived in camp, we had a group of the company officers taken and I hope to send you some copies when they arrive. It will be an interesting memento of an eventful time"

I'm assuming this is the same photograph taken just before Chard left.
Commeline often mentions Jones and Porter in his letters home.
Kate

Thank you for looking!

Excellent posts, very interesting. There is no information better than that of an eye witness account of an action by a participant. Thanks for sharing Mk3 !!!
Nitro.