No Gatling guns at Isandlwana

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

Can anyone tell me why there was no Gatling guns at Isandlwana. Surly if they were available they would have played an important part in the defence of the camp.

Subject: gatling gun- isandlwana. Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:43 am

hi john, from what i can gather the army werent sold on the practible use of gatling guns. the following is from, A COMPANION TO THE ANGLO-ZULU WAR by IAN KNIGHT.

'it was with the navy that the gatling gun saw action in zululand, on the 19th nov 1878
H.M.S. ACTIVE landed a contingent of 230 sailors and marines at Durban to support chelmsford preparations for the invasion. the gatling was mounted on a light field carriage, Active"s party marched to join the troops assembling on the zulu border at lower thukela drift. here on the 12th dec, they provided a guard for the meeting with zulu representatives at which frere"s ultimatum was read out.with the beginning of hostilities a detatchment of ACTIVE"S men accompanied PEARSON"S advance to ESHOWE. this force was attacked early on the 22nd jan at the nyezane river, the same day as isandlwana and rorkes drift. he goes on to say," in the the aftermath of isandlwana large numbers of reinforcements were hurried to natal, including a detachment from H.M.S BOADICEA which landed in durban on the 15th march, with a gatling gun, this party was added to chemlsford"s column to take part in the relief of ESHOWE. cheers 90th.