Hi all
1 - The official guess was between 200 and 300.
( sources:Narrative ,pp.47 and 157.The figures include the europeans in the Native Contingent.)
2 - The colonial authorities were at pains to ascertain the correct number,and arrived at 471 killed and missing and 16 wounded.These included non-combattants as well as combattants.
( sources:Narrative ,p. 157. The breakdown according to chief and to magisterial division is given in NNG ,XXXI,no.1764:GN 155 )
The amaChunu :
3 - At the centre of the line the two companies of amaChunu ( companies n° ? and ? ) had been exposed to the full fury of the zulu attack and flight could not save them.
Not only had Gabangaye,son and heir to the chief Phakade,perished ,but ,according to the magistrate's count afterwards, 243 amaChunu had fallen or were missing in action.
Since the two companies could not have exceded 290 men and probably were much smaller,it would indeed indeed appear that the amaChunu had experienced a massacre - at least in excess of eighty per cent of the companies' strenght.
(Sources : That is 240 from the Weenen Division and 4 from the Umsinga Division ,according to NGG,XXXI,n°1764:GN155;however ,the 4 was latter reduced to 3 ( SSA 1/1/35,n°.165.)
Lonsdale wrote to the Colonial Secretary ,December 23,1878,that the Mchunu companies varied in size from 20 to 145 , because the existing groups objected to being broken up (CSO 674 :4945/1878 )
The isiGqoza :
4 - The company of the isiGqoza ( company n° ?) on the right had come into action later. Sikhota and many of the men had been able to escape in good time. None the less the company lost 54 killed and missing in action out of 112 - almost half of his strengt .
(Sources : NNG , XXX , N°. 1764 :GN155. CSO 674:4945/1878 . )
The amaBhele :
5 - The company which ad been in reserve and had decamped in panic ,propably consisting of amaBhele ( company n° 6) ,lost 23 out of 110.
(Sources : That is 20 from the Weenen Division and 5 from the Usimga Division,according to NGG , XXXI,n° . 1764: GN155; however ,the 5 was latter reduced to 3 ( SNA 1/1/35 , n°. 165 )
The initial strenght is given by Lonsdale ( CSO 674 : 4945/1878 ). It should be noted that the presumption here is tha the n° 6 Company of the 1 st Battalion consisted of amaBhele .
For the 4 company :
6 - Only three of the european NCO's ,all on foot , seem to have escaped. All four of the company commanders and five of the seven lieutenants were killed.
( Sources : NM ,May 16 , 1879 : letter of Walter Hingginson . Narrative, p . 157. )
Other companies..
The amaNgwane :
7 - It was reported early at the Upper Tugela magistraty that the amaNgwane had lost some of their best men and most of their 'native officers'.
( Sources : 1/BGV , IV , 286 - 187 , 306 . )
8 - The two companies of amaNgwane ( companies n° ? and n° ? ) of the 1 st Battalion lost 76 killed and 7 wounded out of 233 engaged .
( Sources : CSO 1926 : 1333/1879 . SNA 1/1/35 , n°. 144. )
9 - Since the company with the Rocket Battery ( company n° ? ) dissolved immediately it came into action and its members had ample time to flee the battle field,most of the loss probably occured in the company of which part fought with the mounted men on the left flank and part with Phakade 's men at the centre.
This company with the Rocket Battery mustered perhaps 150 men and thus lost half his strenght . The two captains and two of the four lieutenants escaped the field ,but most ,if not all the NCO's ,were killed.
( Sources : Narrative ,p. 157 . Stafford , ' Stirring Days of Old Times .' TN ,February 14,1879 :
' Isandhlwana.Further list of men killed in action 'names five sergeants and four corporals . )
The mounted force :
10 - Zikhali's Horse had 27 killed and 6 wounded out of 157 engaged - a loss of one-fifth of his strenght ;however ,many horses were lost.
( Sources : CSO 1926 : 1333/1879 . SNA .1/1/35 , n° .144 . 1/BGV ,IV , 326 - 338 . )
Only a officer was killed.The Edentale Troop lost two killed and one wounded out of 54 engaged .
( Sources : TN ,February 7 ,1879 : ' The Edentale Horses . Cf . SNA 1/1/35 ,n° . 139 ,which gives 3 killed . )
11 - The Hlubi's troop apparently lost four killed...
( Sources : NNG , XXXI , n°. 1764 : GN 155; Cf . SNA 1/1/35 ,n° . 148 . )
12 - The Native Pioneer Corps :
Minimun loss is 1 man on 11 engaged...
( Sources : ES by JW )
Cheers
Pascal
Pascal
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