Why attacking in the third column in priority ?

Guest

Hi all

But do, Why attacking in the third column in priority?

Victory of the kind of Isandhlwana on the first or fourth column would have the same effect, right?

Cheers

Pascal the Rascal

Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25

Possibly because the commander of the British forces was with the third column.

From memory 24th is correct , Ceteswayo had an idea or was informed that Chelmesford and his staff were in the 3rd Column
and he thought it was also the most dangerous of the 5 Columns .
Cheers 90th.

Guest

All columns were dangerous.

And given the speed or they moved, none of these columns were priority ...

Personally, I would have launched the army on the lowest of these columns ...

Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25

Quote :: All columns were dangerous

Correct!!

We were answering the original question.?

Guest

And in your opinion what column would have been easier to destroy ? For me it is the first, because if LC had not detached some of his troops of the camp of Isandhlwana,the Zulu would have been more miseries at Isandhlwana ...

Rascal your question initialy was why did they attack the third column , we told you why ! . He had to attack the biggest column in an attempt to make the british think twice about invading his land , by knocking over the strongest column and the staff with it , he thought
he may not have had a war to deal with . He didnt understand the mentality of Victorian England , he was alaways going to be done one way or another .
La Marsupial :p;:

Guest

Marsupial, I meant that attacking first column losses would have been less severe and the psychological effect identical , right ?

Pascal the Rascal :p;:

Rascal .
No , it wouldnt be identical , because number 1 column wasnt the largest or strongest , I told you why he attacked the number
3 column . He did so because he wanted to attack the column he thought posed the biggest problems , and number 3 was certainly
his way or so he thought of making a statement to the British .
Cheers 90th Very Happy

Guest

marsupial

Why the third column would have asked more problems?

The Rascal :p;:

Hi Rascal.
Because it was the largest and strongest and had Chelmesford with it , also because it was the Column I think that was actually taking the direct route toward Ulundi. Salute

Cheers 90th

Guest

Hi Marsupial

Well, well very interesting if we knew exactly how many kms was Ulundi of each column, the first day of the offensive ...

LC was necessarily expected to arrive about a particular day in Ulundi, he had a plan of invasion necessarily well established for the first invasion...

Eg: The columns 1 and 4 should they join the 3rd column somewhere before Ulundi?

Cheers

Pascal the Rascal

Hi Rascal .
Yes , I think that was the plan that number 1 and Number 4 would meet with number 3 at a certain destination or day before the battle of Ulundi .
Cheers 90th

Guest

Hi Marsupial

It's weird, that there is nothing of writed on the original plan of LC for the first invasion ...I think LC had no invasion plan :p;:

Cheers

Pascal

:p;: :p;: :p;: :p;:
Marsupial . Salute

» They let the chance slip.
» A marching column.
» Officers with Chelmsford’s column.
» No.1 Column under Colonel Charles Pearson
» Woods flying Column.