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DateOriginal Topic
26th November 2002Captain Geoffry BARTON 7th Foot
By Martin Everett
Does anyone know where this officer was on 22 January 1879?
DateReplies
26th November 2002John S Radburn
Martin

According to the biographical notes on page 272 of 'Lord Chelmsford's Zulu Campaign 1878-1879' it states that he was at the battle of Isandlwana, but I take this to be meant as 'being out with Lord Chelmsford'.

Regards John R
26th November 2002Martin Everett
Dear John,
The 1882 Army List shows him as being present at Isandhlwana, but later ones make no reference to the fact. He is could have been confused with Capt W Barton Natal Horse
27th November 2002Peter Quantrill
Martin,
The Barton who fought at Isandlwana was William.We have a copy of WO32/7387 55603 dated 11February 1879 signed "Wm Barton Captain, Sikali Squadron Natal Native Horse, No. 2 Column"
Peter
27th November 2002John Young
John & Martin,

I've actually done this one to death outside of the forum with Peter Quantrill. Which might account why he has offered up a positive answer to your query.

This is why I made the comment on the Laband article, about everytime the learned Professor gets it wrong over Captain Barton!

I conject that Captain Geoffry Barton, 7th (Royal Fusiliers) Regiment, was with the remainder of Durnford's No.2 Column - the majority of N.N.C. infantry, at, or in the vicinity of, the Middle Drift, on 22nd January, 1879.

Captain William Barton, was an Irish soldier of fortune, it appears somewhat in the same vein as George Hamilton Browne. I know from correspondence that I have he had "...spent some time fighting Indians in South America." It was he that survived Isandlwana - The Journal of the Anglo-Zulu Research Society actually made this positive identification some nine years ago, but as ever no-one seems to want to listen to us! (Martin, you should have that on file, as the Museum was then in receipt of the Journal.)

In the strength of columns list issued by Bellairs - further confusion is caused as he has Barton in the "77th Regt." One 7 too many!

Perhaps, as I said before, Professor Laband might grace us with a visit and explain why he keeps putting Geoffry Barton at Isandlwana? An error perpuated by many of his acolytes - keep repeating it and it becomes accepted as fact!

As to the reference in the 1882 List - I assume this to be the Hart's Army List. I think we can put that down to A.F. Hart having his own hands full on 22nd January, 1879, having possibly been the first officer under fire at Nyezane at about 8a.m.

It may well have been he had assumed the Barton at Isandlwana was indeed Geoffry. Others obviously made mistakes in reporting facts with regard to the campaign; placing Nathaniel Newnham Davies at Isandlwana, rather than Harry Davis. Or, Charles Bromhead, rather than Gonville at Rorke's Drift. It may be that Hart was also in error. That the comment does not appear in subsequent copies should give us an inkling that Geoffry Barton had conatcted Hart and informed him.

To my knowledge, and I'll stand to be corrected the first time Geoffry Barton came under fire in the Anglo-Zulu War was on 2nd April, 1879 at Gingindlovu.

John Young,
A.-Z.W.R.S.
28th November 2002Julian Whybra
With the greatest respect, John, the honour of correctly identifying and naming William Barton goes to that modest man, dear old David Jackson, who did this way back in 1965 - the same year as Donald Morris got it wrong (and in his more 'popular' and well-selling book helped perpetuate the confusion as others have since). Almost all scholars of the AZW owe their interpretation and understanding of Isandhlwana to David's detailed original work (you and me included, as you know). It is a great pity that more AZW devotees don't take the trouble to get it from libraries and read it (but on the other hand perhaps it would make this website redundant at least as far as Isandhlwana is concerned!). I hope David's new book will help to establish his sadly-neglected reputation in this field.
28th November 2002John Young
Julian,

Yes I've got to agree that in the 'Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research', Vol. XLIII, No. 176, December, 1965. David Jackson does state in his footnote with regard to Captain W. Barton - 'Not to be confused with his regular army namesake, the staff officer of the 1st Regt. N.N.C., who was not present. ...'

When we published the article in our Journal, we merely reinforced the facts presented by David, with the use of contemporary sources, which I believe had upto then been neglected.

Indeed we did the same with R.J. Hall's presence at both Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift.

I agree David's work is sadly neglected by the general readership of those interested in the Battle of Isandlwana. I would go as far to say that some who purport to be experts in this field have never even taken the trouble to study his ground-breaking research.

Hopefully the 1,000 copies have already been sold! Let us hope too it manages to shatter certain preconceived and entrenched ideas of those who learnt from the pages of Donald Morris.

John Young,
A.-Z.W.R.S.