Why did Lord Chelmsford Relinquish his command, after the Battle of Isandlwana

Posts : 706 Join date : 2012-05-05

Was the lost of the camp at Isandlwana the real reason Lord Chelmsford wanted to relinquish his command, Surly it would have been the worst thing he could have done in view of what happened and his implication into the disaster. Did someone change his mind., better to carry on and do your best to rectify the problem before returning to England!!

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 26

Chelmsford relinquished command after the battle of Ulundi, not Isandlwana, he also had no choice in the matter, as
he was sacked and replaced with Worsely.

Cheers

Hi Ray63.
I dont know where you found that statement but Chelmesford certainly didnt want to relinquish his command after Isandlwana
as far as I'm aware , he actually fought tooth and nail to finish the war as quickly as possible , as he was recalled and Wolseley was sent to take command , C'ford gave no thought to handing over until he'd beaten the zulu to make up in some way his ealier defeat at Isandlwana . Happy to be corrected .
Cheers 90th.

Posts : 706 Join date : 2012-05-05

I'm sure I read somewhere that Lord Chelmsford asked for a replacement to be sent out, to replace him. I will have another look for the source...

Hi Ray63.
I'm certain he asked for more Lt - Colonels either before the invasion and he certainly did after Isandlwana from memory , happy to be corrected . Salute

Cheers 90th.

Posts : 2594 Join date : 2009-04-24

Ray. You are correct. The Good Lord did request to be replaced. Due to Exhaustion, I will dig out the source later.

Hi CTSG.
I hope you can find it because I've just spent an hour going over the Good Lord's own correspondance in ' Lord Chelmesford's Zululand Campaign of 1878 - 1879 ' by J. Laband . The closest thing that I found that Chelmesford wrote about relinquishing his command was written by him to Colonel F.A. Stanley , on the 10th June, from a camp on the upoko River in Zululand . Page 190
and I quote ......'' I can only look upon the paragraph of your letter which touches upon the possibility of an officer of superior rank being sent out to command the forces under my orders should three more regiments still be demanded in the light of a threat . If I am fit to command 17,000 men in the field I cannot understand by what powers of reasoning I am not equal to command 20,000. Rest assured however that should her majesty's Govt and the Duke Of Cambridge come to the conclusion that they no longer have confidence in me as Commander of the forces , I shall be quite ready to serve in a more subordinate capacity under whomsoever may be selected to succeed me '' . End of quote . If the Chelmesford had said he intented to resign earlier I'm sure Laband would have included the said article in his book . scratch

Cheers 90th.

90th have you got " Lord Chelmsford's Zululand Campaign 1878-1879" if you have take alook at page 102. Let me know your thoughts.

Hi Littlehand .
I got an email from Springbok so I checked the book you mentioned again this morning , I must have missed it yesterday !.
Chelmesford does say that in June 78 the strain was telling on him , and in this letter , dated 9th Feb 1879 he's feeling the same way but even more so !. But , did he officially say he wanted out to the Duke Of Cambridge ? . I cant find any official correspondance to say so , he may have hinted at it , but I'm not to sure he followed it through with a letter of proposed resignation ??.
Cheers 90th.

I do beleive he did. Annoying thing is the letter is here on the forum somewhere. scratch

Hi Littlehand .
Here is that part of the letter written by Chelmesford to Colonel F.A.Stanley from Durban 9 / 2 / 79 .
I quote .............'' In June last I mentioned privately to His Royal Highness the F.M. Comd in chief (71) that the strain of prolonged anxiety & exertion , physical & Mental was even then telling on me - What I felt then , I feel still more now . '' . Unquote .

71 - Duke of Cambrige .

That's the one I have, but there is another, an MP makes reference to his request in the house of commons. I did read on the other forum, a reference to this from "John Young" but nw I can't find that.

» Lord Chelmsford question in the house of commons 02 September 1880 regarding the Battle of Isandlwana.
» Who was most culpable for the defeat at the Battle Of Isandlwana: Was Lord Chelmsford , Col Glyn, Col Pulleine, or Col Durnford.
» If you were Lord Chelmsford!
» Lord Chelmsford in tears
» Public Houses named after those wood took part in the Zulu War