Zulu War - Skirmish at Chief Sihayo’s Homestead, January 1879

Skirmish at Chief Sihayo’s Homestead, January 1879

Sirhayo has about 8,000 men ready to oppose the crossing; I hope it may be true.  
Lord Chelmsford

Movements during the action at Sihayo's kraal overlaid on a contemporary British map.

  British advance

  Movement of 1/24th

  Movement of 1/3rd NNC

X Initial engagement

  Movement of mounted units

  Advance on kraal

 Sihayo's kraal

The Zulu defenders, held a horseshoe-shaped gorge on a steep hillside, part of Ngedla Hill. The open end of the gorge faced towards the Bashee River and the base of the cliffs were covered with boulders and scrub. Sihayo's kraal lay further to the north on a more gently sloping part of the hill.

Chelmsford determined to clear the Zulu from the gorge before proceeding to the kraal to burn it. Chelmsford ordered Russell's mounted infantry to move to the south where the slope was climbable and to sweep around behind the Zulus on the heights to threaten them and cut off any retreat. In the meantime, the entire 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the NNC (under Commandant George Hamilton-Browne) were to assault the Zulus on the lower ground and attempt to seize the cattle, supported by three companies of the 1st Battalion of the 24th Regiment (commanded by Captain William Degacher).  The 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the NNC (commanded by Commandant Edward Russell Cooper) and additional men from the 24th Regiment of Foot, including four companies of the 2nd Battalion, were held in reserve.

The First Game

The NNC attack

The NNC dice Patrol

The Zulu defend

The Natal Native Contingent win initiative

Prince Shaka Khan deploys along the ridge.  No surprises.

The NNC deploy with a main body and two flank groups under Captain Strangely-Brown, who goes central.

Shaka Khan of the Zulu high on a hill

I roll off to find initiative rather than bidding.  The NNC do much better than the Zulu.

And the NNC Nco gets his group into a firing line.  Three tens hits even against an enemy in cover.  A kill!

End of Turn one.

And the Hero shot as Strangely-Brown gets a bit close to the Zulu.

Blood and Steel
As a way to make the game solo I roll two different colour d10.  The rolls are compared and the higher wins initiative for that bound.  If a tie the side with the Initiative frame counter (diced for at the beginning of a new turn) wins.

A roll of 4 plus means the group has two actions.

A roll of 1-3 gives only one action.

Turn 2

The Zulu win the initiative edge.

The Zulu on the left charge home into the long grass.  Three NNC are killed

In the centre a mass melee breaks out.

And a Zulu shoot phase kills two.  Unheard of!

All along the line the Zulu are charging.

And Captain Strangely-Brown is driven back shaken.

End of turn and it's hand to hand.  The NNC are on the ropes, but pass their resolve tests for casualties.  Now is the time for Strangely-Brown to show what he's made of.

Turn 3

An NNC unit in combat in the centre sustains five casualties and is wiped out.

And the NNC dead pool is big enough for more resolve tests

The first fails

As does Strangely-Brown's group.  It's a rout!

But the 24th march on, with groups of 2NNC in support.  Strangely Brown must now rally his men, reorganise and join the new attack.

And the British gain the Initiative edge for game 2

All to play for!

The History bit

The NNC, under Hamilton-Browne, led the attack, beginning probably a little after 8.00 am. He had been ordered by Chelmsford not to open fire before the Zulu did and to avoid harming any Zulu women or children. Hamilton-Browne was worried about the prospect of friendly fire from his poorly trained men and ordered them not to use their firearms at all. The NNC had received little training in military drill and Hamilton-Browne's non-commissioned officers soon gave up attempts to keep the NNC in line during their advance.

As the British column approached, the Zulu herdsmen drove the livestock deeper into the gorge and raised the alarm. The NNC were in good spirits until they came within gunshot of the "several score" Zulu warriors who were hiding among boulders, shrubs and caves at the edges of the gorge.  At this point they were challenged by a Zulu shouting "By whose orders do you come to the land of the Zulus?".  A newspaper reporter with the British, Charles Norris-Newman, recorded that no reply was made but Hamilton-Browne noted that his interpreter, Lieutenant R. Duncombe, replied "By the orders of the Great White Queen".  The Zulus then opened fire on the British right flank, their first shot striking an NNC man and breaking his thigh bone. 

The NNC became pinned down but Hamilton-Browne led one company, to assault the Zulus in the rough ground. The assault was successful in clearing the base of the gorge, and capturing a number of women and children, who were sent to the rear. The Zulu warriors retreated up steep path leading to the top of the cliffs.

The path was barricaded and covered by concealed marksmen and, seeing the NNC falter, Black and a staff officer, Captain Henry Harford moved forward to support Hamilton-Browne. On the way Harford spotted a Zulu taking aim at Glyn, who was observing from open ground, and shouted a warning, preventing his injury or death. Black moved between parties of the NNC trying, largely in vain, to encourage them forwards.  Attempts by the NNC non-commissioned officers to force their men forwards by clubbing them with rifle butts also failed. Harford rallied a group of NNC men and made some forward progress. 

At this point the men of the 24th advanced into sight, their rifles with fixed-bayonets proving an encouragement to the NNC.

Game 2 will focus on the advance of the 24th.