Hlobane Mountain

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 58 Location : UK

How many men took part in the Battle of Hlobane. Both British & Colonial.

Posts : 2583 Join date : 2009-04-24

Should it be called a "Battle" it was more of a retreat....

Subject: Re: Hlobane Mountain Sun Jul 29, 2012 9:16 pm

John, here is a very good eyewitness account. There are two segments. The link to the second segment is at the bottom of the page.

Click Here

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 40

I suppose Kambula is a good example of what a fortified position can do.
They had roughly the same amount of Zulu's attacking than as they did at Isandlwana. Yet there was 7000 dead and wounded Zulus after the battle.

Was it not the case that some of the Zulu at Kambula had MH rifles that were taken from Isandlwana.

Posts : 748 Join date : 2009-10-18

Here's another example of using extended line formation. A bit like Isandlwana.

"Hackett’s fire proved devastatingly effective, and the British commander, Evelyn Wood, considered the incident a turning point in the battle. Nevertheless, the price paid by Hackett’s men was a high one, for they were extended in line across open ground, and enfiladed, moreover, by Zulu marksmen already positioned on their flanks."

Subject: Hlobane Mountain Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:40 am

Hi impi.
7,000 zulu casualties is way overstated , I think 1,500 - 1,800 would see it out . In ' They Fell Like Stones ' the zulu killed and wounded is put at 1, 500 .
Cheers 90th. Salute

Subject: Re: Hlobane Mountain Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:16 pm

2,000 British troops and native levies against some 20,000 Zulus?

Wood’s force suffered 83 casualties.

It is believed that 3,000 Zulus were either killed in the battle or died of wounds.

So not to different in numbers, but fortification was the saviour.

Subject: Re: Hlobane Mountain Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:33 pm

This is well worth a read.....

Click here:

Subject: Hlobane Mountain. Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:09 am

Hi Littlehand .
There is a big gap between 7 ,000 and then 3,000 you listed as either Killed or died of wounds at Khambula , that figure of 3,000 is also overstated , it could be thereabouts if you include the wounded as well . Fairly certain the figures for the zulu dead are on here somewhere in another thread .
Cheers 90th. Salute

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 40

Would it not have been possible to hold a defensive position, among the boulders down the devils pass. We have read how tuff it was getting down, so it would have been the same for the Zulus difference being they would have had a lot of lead pouring in to them. And those Zulus at the bottom would have had an up hill struggle. Just a thought. Question

Posts : 1096 Join date : 2009-01-14 Location : East London

I don't think there would have been enough time, as the Zulus were among them most of the way down. LH posted an account, which showed some guy would still had 70 rounds when he managed to escape.

This from Ian Knight.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Posts : 708 Join date : 2012-05-05

A discussion between a group from friends.

I'm saying the Zulu's defeated the Brtitsh at Hlobane. And this thread proves I'm right.

However, it appears that "Wood’s attack was completely successful the Zulus were surprised, defeated, and some thousands of cattle captured by the dashing Colonel of the 90th Wood."

Now my friend had only showed me this part of the document, can anyone confirm where this came from. Or was the report based on what people of the day thought had happen....Or other?

Posts : 2583 Join date : 2009-04-24

Ray. I know where this came from will post a link later, although it may already be on the forum.
There was some misprints published in newspapers.

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 40

It's already on the forum. Somewhere.. scratch

Posts : 1605 Join date : 2009-09-21

This is it.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Posts : 558 Join date : 2012-05-05

Dave thanks for the link Salute