Recovery of the Queens Colours of the 1-24th Regiment and who killed Melvill Coghill

Posts : 3090 Join date : 2021-01-04

Natal Witness 13th February 1879
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There is another account about the finding of the colours in the Red book page 87 from the Times of Natal.
What is realy interesting is them finding dead Zulus on the way down to the river on the Natal side.

That's not something I've particularly noticed before either. 'Strewn' is quite a powerful word. It is used earlier in the article when describing the number of NNC bodies found on the Natal bank. It might be inferred that a considerable number of Zulus were close on their heels when they crossed or were awaiting their crossing. I remember reading somewhere about some of the inDluyengwe who'd crossed the river higher up (i.e. between Rorke's and Fugitives' Drifts) for the purpose of cutting off any fugitives who might try to cross at the latter.

Posts : 3090 Join date : 2021-01-04

Yes there is this conception that the Zulus weren't very good swimmers and that M+C were killed by frightened Natal natives who were being threatened by the Zulus on the opposite bank.
This report would seem to contradict that.
The question is, and we will probably never know the answer, who killed these dead Zulus?
There is no mention of British, Colonial or Native bodies amongst the Zulus. So did M+C fight them off as they retreated up the hillside before being overwhelmed?
To me it indicates a struggle on the Natal side with men still having some dry ammunition.
As you say Julian strewn is a powerful word. It suggests lots of bodies, too many to be killed by edged weapons.

It was a place where many had crossed - black and white - on the British side and they were within sight of survival. It must have inspired them to make the extra supreme effort to fight off their last remaining attackers. That's what might be inferred in my opinion.

Hi All
Catching up on the posts from since I've been away , is it not surprising that Harford doesn't mention the bodies that are said to be strewn in the area ??
90th

90th
Of course! We've not seen the wood for the trees!

» 24th foot 2nd Warwickshire regiment's Colours from Isandlwana
» Lt. N. Coghill VC 1st Btn 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment, killed in action at Isandlwana Memorial
» Cetshwayos view on Fripps Dying to Save the Queens Colours
» Presentation of the Colours to ‘A Company, 24th Regiment’
» PRESENTATION OF COLOURS TO THE 2nd BATTALION 24th REGIMENT.