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| Wagons at Isandlwana | |
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+16John impi Ray63 barry John Young littlehand eaton ADMIN 90th Ulundi xhosa2000 Julian Whybra rusteze waterloo50 ymob Frank Allewell 20 posters | |
Author | Message |
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90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: G Co Positions at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:31 am | |
| Chard are you a Copper ??? 90th |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:47 am | |
| Ray63/Dave The ambulance information you quoted - do you have a specific reference for that para. other than 'AMD Reports 1879'? I found it interesting and would like to see where the makeshift ambulances were allocated - Pearson, Wood, Glyn, the communications lines???
Xhosa You posted 2 pages from a secondary work, a typescript, which contains much opinion posited as (unfootnoted) fact. I'd be interested to know whose typescript it is and the author. |
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: G Co Positions at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:54 am | |
| JY I have the same report , unfortunately it doesn't tell you where which Anbulances were . I assume you know it's from Surg - Gen Woolfryes' report , titled ' Medical History Of The War In Zululand 1879 ' , does that answer your question ? . 90th |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:35 am | |
| 90th Thank you, yes partly. Do you have a page number and a date for this entry? It's sort of important in tying it down to pre-Isandhlwana rather than post. |
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: G Co Positions at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:54 am | |
| Hi JW It's a facsimile copy , the front page reads... Army Medical Department ; REPORT For The Year 1878 Volume XX , Presented to both houses of Parliament by the Command of Her Majesty , turning that page the new page says '' Appendix To Report For 1879 this page number is listed as 277 , Appendix No IV , Medical History Of The War In Zululand In 1879 , By Surgeon - General J.A.WOOLFRYES, M.D. , C.B. , C.M.G. The Ambulance summary starts at the bottom of page 280 continues half way down 281 , no date is given . 90th |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:59 am | |
| "Medical History of the War in Zululand in 1879"
by Surgeon-General J.A. Woolfryes, M.D., C.B., C.M.G., which appeared as 'Appendix IV' in the Army Medical Department Annual Report for 1879. (source lee Stevenson) Cheers
|
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: G Co Positions at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:59 am | |
| JW in reading the report I seem to think this is written pre isandlwana . 90th |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 1:45 pm | |
| Many thanks for that 90th, i have read that, the piece i'm looking for ties in with the collapse and disintegration as the right horn swept into the rear and every body started to look to themselves, the NNC mounted as we know withdrew in an orderly manner when all looked lost, but i'm thinking at what point were the wounded abandoned. i am particularly thinking of the NNC reserve, where were they, and at what point did they attempt to flee the field, it was only a couple of months ago that i read something but i can't recall what or where right now! very irritating. xhosa |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 1:51 pm | |
| From Julian. Xhosa You posted 2 pages from a secondary work, a typescript, which contains much opinion posited as (unfootnoted) fact. I'd be interested to know whose typescript it is and the author. Really Julian its again just another man's opinions, no doubt you will have your own take on his work, which will be very interesting to hear. xhosa [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 3:00 pm | |
| ymob/90th Many thanks. My guess to was that it would be pre-Isandhlwana but if possible I always like to have confirmation.
Xhosa Yes, of course, it's just that I wanted to know who that 'other man' was and where he wrote it. |
| | | Chard1879
Posts : 1261 Join date : 2010-04-12
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:29 pm | |
| - 90th wrote:
- Chard are you a Copper ???
90th No! I have a proper job! |
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: Wagons at Isandlwana Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:16 pm | |
| |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:39 pm | |
| Bonsoir,
From Ian Knight "A scene of utter confusion seems to have occured" (essay).
(...) "It's interesting to note, incidentally, that the famous photographs of a burial party were taken during the June expedition, and not on 21st May, as is sometimes supposed. The photographs were taken by James LLyod, a civilian photographer based in Durban, and there are several reasons for reaching this conclusion. For one thing there is no mention of a photographer being present in May, when the short duration of the visit, and the possibility of Zulu attack, would have made it difficult for a civilian photographer to operate effectively. Secondly, the large number of wagons and conspicuous débris, mentionned by members of the May expedition and depicted in the sketches of the war-artist Melton Prior, are not evident in the photographs, while the burial party featured there is clearly a much smaller one. Lastly the British troops visible in the photos are Dragoons, who formed the basis on the June expedition. One question which continues to intrigue historians and enthusiasts alike is whether LLyod took more photographs than those which are generally known. Despite the fact that no collection, either in the U.K. or South Africa, features more than three (perhaps four; one photo, of the mountain with a small amount of débris in the foreground, might have been taken on that occasion or sometime thereafter) photographs of the expedition, the possibility exists that more were taken but have never come to light. Llyod of course, made a living by selling copies of photographs, particularly to visiting officers; he may have suppressed any particularly graphic photos out of consideration of taste".
Cheers
Frédéric |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:36 pm | |
| This Ambulance circa 1881..i show it to call attention to a cracking book..Wait for the Wagon.The Story of the Royal Corps of Transport and its Predecessors 1794-1993 Edited by John Sutton [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] |
| | | Dave
Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:33 pm | |
| 1 & 3 Had the most wagons [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Source: Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu War. |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:52 am | |
| Remember that not ALL the waggons would have been at Isandhlwana at that moment on the 22nd. some would have been on convoy up and down the communications line. |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:20 pm | |
| The missing wagons from Isandlwana. By Adrian Greaves ________________________________________________________________________ I recently came across an account written by a journalist from the Natal Mercury who had been with Lord Chelmsford’s column for the first invasion. At the time of the disaster at Isandlwana he had been with Chelmsford’s detached column near Mangeni and on passing back through Isandlwana had been obliged to leave his belongs where he had left them. Later, as an ‘accredited’ journalist with the invasion force, he was able to accompany the teams responsible for burying the Isandlwana dead. He wrote; ‘I had the melancholy satisfaction of seeing my own tent, or rather the remains of it, with all my papers, letters and books lying torn up, but nothing of value was left, and I only suceeded in bringing away with me a few letters from my wife, a book containing some tales written by me, and a photo that had just reached me two days before the massacre. The skeletons of my servants and horses lay just behind my tent, as I was in the habit of having them picketed in that place. One officer in the Dragoon Guards, while out with his squadron burning kraals, found in one signs of very recent occupation, and the staff of the Colour of the 1.24th. He also later on came across a kraal full of skeletons of Zulus, and this fact, taken in conjunction with the findings of large graves on the left of our camp containing bodies of the enemy, goes far to prove and substantiate my statement made in a former letter that the Zulus did move their bodies, and as the kraal was two miles off where skeletons were found, they probably also moved them in our wagons. The 40 wagons we brought away included two water carts in good preservation, one gun limber, a rocket battery cart, and three Scotch carts. All that we left behind, in number not more than 20, were in a partially or entirely disabled condition. Counting all there, therefore, there are still sixty or seventy wagons missing, which may have been taken away at different times’. This account comes from original 1879 papers recently acquired by the Society from the family of the late Sonia Clarke, which had earlier been given to her by the Oppenheimer Library for whom she was a researcher. Ian Knight comments; Yes, I think that is right - although the numbers could be exaggerated. Certainly there are reports of a number of wagons being recovered en route to Ulundi as the war progressed - I think a couple were found at one of Sihayo's homesteads, and Harness mentions one of N/5’s turning up somewhere (he says he was pleased he’d gone to the trouble of having them marked with the battery number, so he could claim it back again!) Possibly the Zulus did use some to carry bodies - although a lot went into those dongas below St. Vincents, and of course those buried further off were probably killed further off, by artillery fire etc. And I imagine they also dragged them quite a way anyway, to the nearest dongas. In short, yes the Zulus took away wagons - and they may well have used them to carry the dead, although of course that might have spoilt the appeal of the wagons as loot, if they were covered in blood-stains! |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sat Apr 09, 2016 9:51 pm | |
| - ymob wrote:
- Quoted in "Twilight of a warrior nation" by Ian Knight.
Central column: 220 wagons, 82 carts, 1 507 oxen, 49 horses, 67 mules (as Chadwick) The source seems to be French (Lord Chelmsford and the zulu war") for the 2 authors...
Cheers
Frédéric Bonsoir à tous, About the number of mules with the central column: Quoted in the "Daily News" 26 March 1879: 'The Disaster at Isandula.- A Correspondant, writing from Natal on February 16th says:"It appears that including non -combattants (....). The booty taken consisted of 123 wagons, with 70,000l. worth of commissariat stores, 300.000 rounds of ammunition, 1.200 Martini-Henry breechloaders, two Armstrong guns, rocket battery, all the baggage of the General, and all the officers and men of the headquarers camp, and volunteers and mounted police attached to it, about 2.000 oxen, 300 horses, and 60 mules, with three mule wagons of the General and his carriage and eight horses -valued in all at not less than a quarter of a million of money'". Cheers. Frédéric |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sat Apr 09, 2016 11:22 pm | |
| - Julian Whybra wrote:
- Frederic
Remember that the figure of 220 waggons relates to the whole of Column no. 3. Some would have been convoying supplies up and down the communications line. I've been looking at the reports of the number of waggons lost at Isandhlwana and they vary from 100 to 106 to 120 (and I presume they include the 24th's coy waggons, the AHC ambulances, etc.), not to mention Erskine's 6 wagons from Column No. 2. About the number of wagons at Isandhlwana the 22 january: 123 wagons according to " a correspondent" of the "Daily News" (see my previous post); 10 wagons with Dunrford according to the correspondent of the "Cape Argus", quoted in "South Wales Daily news", 1st March 1879; 102 waggons containing commissarait stores, alone amounted to £60.000 from the special correspondent of the "Cape Argus", quoted in "The Cambrian", 7 March 1879 107 waggons according to Lt Smith-Dorrien in a letter to his father, quoted in the "Western Mail", 8 March 1879. Cheers Frédéric |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:39 am | |
| - Julian Whybra wrote:
- ymob
Frederic, the location of each battalion's ammunition waggons WAS unquestionably between the rear of each camp and the mountain. You wrote: "Why are not men of NNC who brought the ammunition boxes but two men of the 24th escorted by a Sergeant of the NNC?" Answer: 1. It was the duty of 1/24th bandsmen to act as ammunition carriers (and stretcher bearers) during a battle. 2. The 24th soldiers were not escorted by a sergeant of the NNC. He was helping them. It would have taken 3 men to carry 2 boxes. They had rope handles at either end. Bonjour; I wrote in another threat:the 2nd column under Durnford were only natives troops ( except Russell's rocket battery). It was necessary for him to have his own arrangement for the supply and distribution of ammuntion. Imagine a fight without the help of Imperial troops ( in the absence of regulars)? Ian Knight wrote:" It must be said that there is no doubt that the shortage of ammunition was a contributory factor in Dunrford’s retreat from the Donga; Dunford was responsible for the the supply of ammunition of his own men. (Ian Knight: “A scene of Utter Confusion seems to have occureed”). Mr Whybra wrote: it's was the duty of 1/24th bandsmen to act as ammunition carriers (and stretcher bearers) during a battle (for ALL the units, not only the 24th Regiment). This assumption implies that someone was responsible for organizing the distribution of ammunition to all the British troops on the battlefield (Imperial troops, NNC, volunteers...) from the ammunition wagons of each unit. By the same logic, this man was responsible for the allocation of musicians (and gunners) teams nearby the ammunitions wagons of each unit. This essential essential task was not easy .... Who should be responsible for this mission? Pulleine? Cheers Frédéric |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:33 am | |
| Frederic My intention was to indicate that they would have acted as stretcher bearers for everyone nd as ammo carriers for those units of Column No. 3. Arrangements for this would have been pre-organized. The arrival of a portion of Column No. 2 was outside the remit. Column No. 2 would have been governed by its own internal pre-organization. (post amended to correct typo which JY points out in next post)
Last edited by Julian Whybra on Sun Apr 10, 2016 2:56 pm; edited 2 times in total |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 10:00 am | |
| Frederic,
The two cannon of N/5 were not 'Armstrong guns' as described in the Daily News account.
I don't know how much of No. 2 Column's transport accompanied Durnford's division of that column, but we know that a troop of the Native Horse were told off to act as a baggage-guard.
Julian,
I think you are confusing No. 1 Column with No. 2 Column, No. 1 Column was otherwise preoccupied on the 22nd January 1879.
John Y. |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 2:54 pm | |
| Hi John Yes, absolutely, slip of the finger (and brain). Now suitably amended. It was 6 waggons with No. 2 Column according to Erskine. Julian |
| | | ymob
Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 6:48 pm | |
| Bonsoir Mr Whybra, Mr Young, Thank you very much for the answers. Best regard Frēdéric |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: Artillery no 5 battery, Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 7:13 pm | |
| Hi JY, I am curious about your previous post to Frederic and the type/make of artillery that you believe were with N/5 Battery at Isandlwana. According to the SA Military History Soc these were 7pdr RML's, ( rifled muzzle loaders) on Kaffrarian carriages and made by Armstrong. What do you believe they were?
regards
barry |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:23 pm | |
| Barry,
Take a look at Major D. D. Hall's article in Volume 4, No. 4, the Zulu War Centenary Issue.
Armstrong's system was a Rifled Breech Loading system, abbreviated to R.B.L., the Durban Volunteer Artillery were equipped with 6lb'er RBL's and the landing brigade of H.M.S. Active landed with two 12lb'er Armstrong Guns. Apparently those cannon were not used during the campaign.
To my knowledge the only RBL assigned to any column the 4lb'er Krupp's cannon that No. 5 Column acquired from the Transvaal Republic's Battery Dingaan. Krupp's breech was obvious of their own design and not that of Armstrong's.
As we know the guns of N/5 were Rifled Muzzle Loading, so would not have been referred to as an Armstrong gun, except by a journalist of The Daily News, who could tell his breech from his muzzle.
To my knowledge the land version of the Armstrong gun only saw action in the British Army in China during the 2nd Opium War, 1857-1860 and in New Zealand against the Maori 1863-1864.
I hope that makes sense?
John Y.
|
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:55 pm | |
| 6 pr 3 cwt RBL In 1859, Mr William Armstrong introduced his rifled breech loaders. The 6 pr 3 cwt RBL was originally intended for mountain service, but it was found to be too heavy. 7 prs were accordingly introduced for this purpose, and the 6 pr was restricted to normal colonial service, as opposed to mountain. In the Armstrong system, guns were loaded through a hollow breech screw. The breech was closed by means of a vent piece, which was dropped into a slot or opening in the top of the breech. The vent piece was then pressed home against the chamber by means of a breech screw. The shell was lead coated. On being fired, this soft coating was compressed into the 38 rifling grooves of the bore, and these gave it the required spin. The Durban Volunteer Artillery (later Natal Field Artillery) took two of these guns to Cetewayo's coronation in 1873.6 pr RBLs were used in the campaigns of 1877 and 1878. Although two were with Col Rowlands' column at the beginning of the Zulu War, they do not appear to have been used in the war.
Vol 4 num 4 SAM. |
| | | rusteze
Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:26 pm | |
| I claim no expertise in artillery, so I quote the following from Wikipedia with no confidence as to its accuracy.
"To allow rifling to be used with muzzle-loaders, Armstrong proposed in 1866 a new system whereby the shells had studs on the outside, which aligned with grooves in the barrel of the cannon. This was adopted by the Government for the first generation of rifled muzzle-loaders, termed "RML", together with Armstrong's built-up wrought-iron construction method, which was considered sound."
So, perhaps we are talking about guns made by Armstrong as opposed to what we usually mean by "Armstrong Guns"?
Steve |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:40 pm | |
| Steve,
RML's might have adopted some William Armstrong's technologies but they were not built by his Elswick Works, as they were manufactured at The Arsenal, Woolwich. As I state above I believe this to be an error by a journalist who hasn't got a clue.
I'll see if I can provide an illustration of an Armstrong Gun tomorrow.
John Y.
Last edited by John Young on Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:41 pm | |
| We have / used to have Armstrong Guns on the waterfront where I used to live , as a kid I was climbing them every chance I got , big brown things they were / are , they were along the waterfront , in the old fort , and in the botanical Gardens , there were several from memory but I'm not sure how many are around nowadays , I know of one . [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]hope the link works ! 90th |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:46 pm | |
| Gary,
I take it that they were from a coastal defence battery, rather than field guns?
JY |
| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: Wagons at Isandlwana Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:47 pm | |
| Yes JY that is correct . 90th |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: Arnstrongs RML's Mon Apr 11, 2016 7:14 am | |
| Hi John, Ok, so to summarise. Do you believe the Isandlwana 7 pdr guns featured Armstrongs design but was produced by other makers ?. Or is the question around the two concepts , rifled breach loader (RBL) vs rifled muzzle loader(RML) I do not think that those Krupps (RBL) field pieces annexed from the Transvaalse Staats Artillerie came into play here. They were used elsewhere during the AZW.
regards,
barry |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:54 am | |
| Barry,
The two cannon used at Isandlwana featured facets of Armstrong's rifling and used his studded shell design. They were produced at The Woolwich Arsenal, in south-east London.
If the term Armstrong Gun is applied in the parlance of Victorian artillery, it generally applies a Rifled Breech Loading field gun. Although as 90th has made clear Armstrong also designed coastal defence artillery. He also designed Royal Navy shipboard cannon, examples of which can be seen onboard H.M.S. Warrior.
Sorry but I don't understand your comment regarding the Krupp's cannon, which I stated were in the possession of Rowland's No. 5 Column.
Could you please explain?
This is going somewhat off topic, and might be better discussed elsewhere.
Regards,
John Y. |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: Isandlwana's 7pdr RML's Mon Apr 11, 2016 11:17 am | |
| Hi JY, Thanks for clarifying. It appears that Armstrongs design were manufactured by other manufactures, so a generic term was used to describe them, ie "Armstong guns" if they had those features. Trying to fathom the nature of the query I went back to Maj Halls article in the SA Mil History Soc and he seems to be sure of the designation's of the canon used at Isandlwana , ie "Armstong 7pdr RML" Now what I thought the query could have been partly about was the RBL configuration, into which class the Boer Krupps guns fall. Of course they were elsewhere, ie with 5 Col.
regards
barry |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:24 pm | |
| Barry,
Please confirm that you are looking at Major Hall's 'Artillery in the Zulu War - 1879' as in Volume 4 No. 4 SA ISSN 0026-4016?
If so please explain where in his text you are seeing SA Mil History Soc and he seems to be sure of the designation's of the canon used at Isandlwana , ie "Armstong 7pdr RML"?
Because frankly I cannot see the name Armstrong mentioned once in Major Hall's description of 7 pr 200 lb RML. The gun that was used by N/5 at Isandlwana.
He mentions in his description of the 9 pr 8 cwt RML that The main characteristics of Armstrong construction had been maintained. The gun was made of wrought iron; it was 'built up' but, in appearance, not at all like the Armstrong RBLs and experimental RMLs. It fired an elongated shell, but it was muzzle loading; and it was rifled with three grooves. But we are not concerned with the 9lb'er RML as it was not in theatre at the time of Isandlwana.
Again, I think the term Armstrongs has been incorrectly used by a journalist with no knowledge of British field-pieces.
John Y. |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:08 pm | |
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| | | 90th
Posts : 10909 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 68 Location : Melbourne, Australia
| Subject: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:03 am | |
| Hi Xhosa It's quite amazing how much vegetation is there now compared to that pic. I do remember IK saying the vegetation had only began growing at a faster rate in the 1980's from memory 90th |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:08 pm | |
| Hiya 90th, iv'e often wondered about that, we know about the practice of ' burning the ground ' to clear vegetation, i wonder how much of the surrounding area was cleared in this fashion post battle when the area was settled with the arrival of the missionary's..anyhoo, you will be there soon enough, i bet you cant wait..i will e mail you later, i have a request of you. |
| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:46 pm | |
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| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:53 pm | |
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| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:57 pm | |
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| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:00 pm | |
| The Acacia started early 1970s, in the first shot its just taking hold on the side of the mountain. As Ian says by the 1980s it was spreading very fast. In fact it was only the big drought in 2005 that killed a lot of growth of the back and made Shepstones grave 'findable again. |
| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:03 pm | |
| Fortunatly the local villages forage for firewood and its keeping it in check to a certain degree. Cheers |
| | | xhosa2000
Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:53 pm | |
| Great images Frank, makes you wonder what happened to the ' waist high ' grass that we have all heard of, i thought apart from the immediate camp site the grass was rampant affording lots of cover for the attacking Zulu, you know that place as well as anyone, any thoughts on that.. xhosa |
| | | Julian Whybra
Posts : 4150 Join date : 2011-09-12 Location : Billericay, Essex
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:11 pm | |
| Xhosa I've never heard any report describing it that high, nor of it affording cover to the Zulus. Where have you seen that? |
| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:08 pm | |
| Hi Les I have seen the grass at waist level, but its not dense in fact its fairly sparce. The Fugitives drift area is some thing else though because its on a flood plain its pretty thick and high. A lot of the troops would be prone when firing so being that low to the ground its highly possible that the grass could appear fuller.
Cheers |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:59 pm | |
| Julian,
The oral history of the descendants of Prince Shingane has it that he commanded a force of riflemen who crept forward using the grass as cover, thus permitting them to open fire on the British line from a place of concealment. John Laband in Rope of Sand mentions Shingane's riflemen, but doesn't mention the additional information gleaned from the oral history.
John Y. |
| | | Frank Allewell
Posts : 8572 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 77 Location : Cape Town South Africa
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:44 am | |
| John Y Exploring the oral history, does it give a position for the force of riflemen? Or possibly the regiment they were from/with that would allow us to position them. Cheers |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3312 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Wagons at Isandlwana Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:00 am | |
| Frank,
The oral history was quite good as the two descendants I met with at Isandlwana explained how they slid through the grass using their shields. Shingane was approximately 40 years of age in 1879, and according The Zulu Army and Zulu Headmen was a member of the uDloko ibutho. That said the family offered no oral history that he fought at Rorke's Drift, only at Isandlwana.
I have been waiting from a written transcript to appear from Ulundi, as they want to do something with it to counter what they saw as propaganda being using for self-promotion by another descendant. I can drop you an e-mail or pm as to that.
John Y. |
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