Isandlwana Battlefield

The Battle of Isandlwana took place at the Isandlwana Battlefield in South Africa during the Anglo-Zulu Wars. The Anglo-Zulu Wars were part of the British attempt to subdue the Zulu army in order to prepare the way for the formation of a Confederation of South Africa, which combined all colonial states into one body.

On the same day as their victory at Rorke's Drift, the British Army suffered a severe setback at Isandlwana Battlefield on 22 January 1879. When they were besieged by about 20,000 Zulu warriors, around 1,750 British were camped at Isandlwana or had arrived as reinforcements. The Zulus stormed the camp and slaughtered nearly all of the men, handing the British a crushing and humiliating loss.

Lord Chelmsford, who led the British in the area, is considered to have gone to tremendous pains to conceal the defeat. The success in the Battle of Rorke's Drift overshadowed it as well.

Location: Isandlwana