Episode 264 - The Forgotten Battle of Khambula (1879): The Turning Point of the Anglo-Zulu War

About this episode

This episode discusses the strategic significance of the Battle of Khambula during the Anglo-Zulu War.

The twenty thousand strong Zulu army was camped near Nseka Mountain south of the British camp at Khambula hill — north west of modern day Vryheid. After defeating Lieutenant Colonel Evelyn Wood’s Number 4 column at Hlobane, Zulu commanders Ntshingwayo and Mnyamana stopped to rest their men on the banks of the White Mfolozi. about twenty kilometers from the British camp. Wood’s column had retreated to the base at Khambula Garrison — along with the cavalry led by Redverse Buller after the thrashing they’d received at the Battle of Hlobane. You heard about that in episode 262. Perhaps it made sense to wait, the British had already been reinforcing Kambula for weeks and the position that Evelyn held was strong. They had spent weeks digging elongated earthworks, a redoubt on a narrow ridge of tableland on the summit of Khambula. There were two guns here, and it was connected to the main wagon-laager which lay 20 meters below and 280 metres away by the four other guns placed at regular intervals. These were significant weapons. The wheels of the wagons were lashed together, and each wagon-pole or tied tightly to the wagon ahead, sods of earth had been thrown up under the wagons to form…

People in this episode

Host: Desmond Latham

Topics covered

• Anglo-Zulu War
• military history
• Zulu army
• British camp
• Khambula
• historical battles

Keywords

• Khambula
• Zulu army
• Anglo-Zulu War
• Evelyn Wood
• Redverse Buller
• Battle of Hlobane
• military strategy
• historical analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Khambula, Vryheid, Nseka Mountain, White Mfolozi

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