Colonel Crealocks letter

In 1886 Crealcok was asked by Major Jeky about the last order he sent.
This is what he has sent as a reply



Dear Major Jekyl’l’
I imagine you refer to the copy of the orders which I made at 2am 22 January & which was found on the field 7 months later by Colonel Black & forwarded me & which, stained with the mud of the field, lies before me-

A [???] thus & is I believe almost verbatim with what I officially stated to be my memory of it –

“You are to march to this Camp at once with all the force you have with you of No 2 column – Major Bengough battalion is to move to Rorke’s Drift – as ordered yesterday.

2/24: artillery & mounted men with the General I Colonel Glyn move off at once to attack a Zulu force about 10 miles distant

if Bengoughs battalion has crossed the River at Hands Kraal it is to move up here (Naugwane valley)”

I fear I have no longer any of the old maps in which these names appear – but my memory of the time is was meant to present is corroborated by a sketch to which I have first referred

As is as shown by any coloured sketch a most rugged broken country as I have never been called upon officially to enter into the controversy you refer to I have not been mixed up in it.

I however showed Colonel Durnford in my house in 1882[?] the note book with the copy of the orders in it -. So as to put at test (as I hoped) any doubt on the matter

In supplying the Inspector General with this information I imagine I am doing so for official purposes & sanction.

I am faithfully

Crealock

Colonel[/i]





Please see the bold writing

Cheers
DB14

Deleted Off Topic

Admin

Hi DB14

Nice one young man

There is no mention of taking command in that is there.

Well done, and keep up the good work.

Regards

Martin.

Hi runner2

DB14 is only 14 years old, surely he can be forgiven for a few spelling mistakes.

These could be put down to his young age and his enthusiasm when writing his messages, he may do the odd typo and get some words wrong, but we all understand what he means, and let's face it, we all make spelling mistakes and do the odd typo, and some of us are a lot older than him.

For his age he is a credit to his generation, and also a credit to this forum, and is also a keen student of the Zulu war.

Please show a little understanding.

Regards

Martin.

Hi Mr Cooper

Thank you for your kind words and you have got it right, i do
rush some posts and my spelling is not good all the time.

This letter proves behond all dout that there is no mention of Take Command,
Crealock himslef wrote it.



Cheers
DB14

Hello DB14

You are very welcome, and thank you for your reply.

Correct, there is no mention at all to take command, and from the way that the letter is written, it would appear that Crealock was a little apprehensive about how he worded it.

No need to call me Mr Cooper, Martin is just fine.

Regards

Martin.

A bit odd he couldn't remember at the time, but many years later he could.

Hi DB14,

Excellent work, keep it up. I really like your enquiring mind.
Take no notice what-so-ever of destructive criticism.
As Martin said , the Crealock letter is really not germane to any "take command" instruction to Col Durnford .
Keep posting.

regards

barry

Hi John

You hit the nail on the head, and did you notice the way Crealock seemed to be apprehensive about the way he worded his letter, the word 'creep' comes to mind.

Regards

Martin.

Crealock got the following reply


"Dear Colonel Crealock
General Nicholson is extremely obliged to you for your letter which gives him all the information he required.
He desires me to say that he asks the question simply for his private information and in no way for official use.
If any application for such a purpose were made to you it would be in official form, But General Nicholson has no desire or intention to reopen this matter officially.




Cheers
DB14