Battle Battle of Blood River

an artist s impression of battle of blood river.

as site overnight wagon camp, pretorius chose defensible area next hippo pool in ncome river provided excellent rear protection. open area front provided no cover attacking force, , deep dry river bed protected 1 of wagon laager flanks. usual, ox wagons drawn protective enclosure or laager. movable wooden barriers opened fastened between each wagon prevent intruders, , 2 smoothbore artillery pieces positioned. andries pretorius brought 6lb naval carronade him cape, mounted on gun carriage improvised wagon axle, , named grietjie. other ordnance piece unknown in original, reproduction depicts 4-pound smoothbore cannon obsolete in european armies. both used fire grapeshot.

mist settled on wagon site evening. according afrikaner traditions, zulu afraid attack in night due superstitions lamps boers hung on sjamboks [whip-stocks] around laager. whether or not there truth in this, historian s.p. mackenzie has speculated zulu held until perceived necessary numbers had arrived.

during night of 15 december, 6 zulu regiments or 6,000 zulu soldiers led dambuza (nzobo) crossed ncome river , started massing around encampment, while elite forces of senior general ndlela did not cross river. ndlela thereby split dingane s army in two.

on 16 december, dawn broke on clear day, revealing of zululand sat there , according 1 trekker eyewitness. general ndlela , crack troops, black , white shields, remained on other side of river, observing dambuza s men @ laager safe position across hippo pool. according south african department of art , culture:

in ceremonies lasted 3 days, izinyanga zempi, specialist war doctors, prepared izinteleze medicines made warriors invincible in face of opponents.

this explain why dambuza s forces sitting on ground close wagon laager when trekkers opened fire during day.

only dambuza s regiments repeatedly stormed laager unsuccessfully. attackers hindered change introduced during shaka s rule replaced of longer throwing spears short stabbing spears. in close combat stabbing spear provided obvious advantages on longer cousin. zulu eyewitness said first charge mown down grass single-shot boer muskets.

in november 1838 460 men set out under boer general andries pretorius take on zulus. andries pretorius having selected jan gerritze bantjes secretary in keeping events of campaign , coming retaliation battle zulus determined events recorded. bantjes wrote in journal daily progress of commando when started out on 27 november 1838 until reached selected battle site on 2 weeks later on 15 december. avoided being led trap happened on previous attempt attack zulus in april ended in disaster. on journey, had small skirmishes various kraals main zulu army had not arrived yet attack. boer , zulu scouts monitoring each other s whereabouts. on sunday, 9 december bantjes wrote in journal, boers congregated under clear sky sing appropriate psalms , celebrate sabbath, taking vow became known day of vow or covenant if lord might give victory, hereby deem found house memorial of great name @ place shall please him, , implore , assistance of god in accomplishing vow , write down day of victory in book , disclose event our last posterities in order forever celebrated in honour of god.

on sunday 16 december 1838, while laagered near umslatos river or hippo pool, attacked more 30,000 zulus, being outnumbered more 60 1.

as bantjes wrote in journal:

sunday, december 16 being newly born - sky clear, weather fine , bright. hardly saw twilight of break of day or guards, still @ posts , make out distant zulus approaching. patrols called laager firing alarm signals cannons. enemy came forward @ full speed , had encircled area around laager. got lighter, see them approaching on predecessors had been shot back. rapid approach (though terrifying witness due great numbers) impressive sight. zulus came in regiments, each captain men behind (as patrols had seen them coming day before) until had surrounded us. not count them, told captive zulu gave number @ thirty-six regiments, each regiment calculated 9 hundred thousand men strong.

the battle began , cannons unleashed each gate, such battle fierce , noisy, discharging of small arms fire our marksmen on sides thunder. after more 2 hours of fierce battle, commander in chief gave orders gates opened , mounted men sent fight enemy in fast attacks, enemy near stormed laager time , again, , feared ammunition run out.

with power of firearms , ox wagons in laager formation , excellent tactics, boers fought off zulu. after 3 hours, boers had killed estimated 3,000 zulu soldiers , had 3 of men wounded, among them pretorius. jan gerritze bantjes kept journal of entire campaign , battle of blood river. zulu withdrew in defeat, many crossing river had turned red blood , thereafter known battle of blood river. boers celebrated day of covenant every year on 16 december , of them credit victory god. after battle, follow attacks on capital umgungundlovu set zulu king dingaan flight retainers chose follow him exile.

buckshot used maximise casualties. mackenzie claims 200 indigenous servants looked after horses , cattle , helped load muskets, no definite proof or witness of servants helping reload available. writing in popular afrikaans magazine, die huisgenoot, dr. d.j. kotze said group consisted of 59 non-white helpers , 3 english settlers black followers .

after 2 hours , 4 waves of attack, intermittent lulls providing crucial reloading , resting opportunities trekkers, pretorius ordered group of horsemen leave encampment , engage zulu in order disintegrate formations. zulu withstood charge time, rapid losses led them scatter. trekkers pursued fleeing enemies , hunted them down 3 hours. cilliers noted later left kafirs lying on ground thick pumpkins upon field has borne plentiful crop.

bantjes recorded 3,000 dead zulu had been counted, , 3 trekkers wounded. .however, claim wildly exaggerated. during chase, pretorius wounded in left hand assegaai (zulu spear).

of 3,000 dead zulu soldiers, 2 princes, leaving ndlela s favourite prince mpande frontrunner in subsequent battle zulu crown.

four days after battle of blood river, trekker commando arrived @ king dingane s great kraal umgungundlovu (near present-day eshowe), find deserted , ablaze. bones of retief , men found , buried memorial stands today.

afterwards clash commemorated having occurred @ blood river (bloedrivier). 16 december public holiday in south africa; before 1994 known day of vow , day of covenant , dingaan s day ; today day of reconciliation .