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DateOriginal Topic
25th July 2001Isandlwana escapee's.
By Michael George

Please could someone tell me how many troops (British and African), escaped the battle at Isandlwana.
DateReplies
25th July 2001Alan Critchley
Michael

there were thought to be about 55 British troops who escaped Isandlwana. The Native contingent is uncertain although the mounted element was in some numbers. The majority, if not all the fugitives who escaped were mounted.
Alan
25th July 2001John Young
Michael,

I hate to contradict Alan, but the figure he quotes is somewhat inaccurate. It is the figure Donald Morris quoted in "The Washing of the Spears", others have latched onto this figure and it is often the figure given by battlefield tour guides.

At least seventy-five Europeans survived the action at Isandlwana, possibly more. I gave names of seventy-nine survivors, (this figure includes 'possibles') in my book.

The Natal Natal Horse & Natal Native Contingent casualties; were twenty-nine men from the Natal Native Horse killed from a total of some two hundred & fifty engaged. Of the Natal Native Contingent and Natal Native Pioneers, who were not mounted of the approx. six hundred & fifty were engaged there were four hundred and forty-two casualties. Add to this the wagon drivers and voorloopers, who are not obvious in any contemporary work and the figure increases further. The figure of African survivors may therefore I contend MAY, have been as high as five hundred.

John Young
10th August 2001Stephen McDonald
John &/or Alan
What became of Capt(?) Stevenson, he was the officer in charge of the Natal Native Horse who stopped at Rorke's Drift, but refused to stay (against I believe were orders from Chard)?

Was he courtmarshalled or called to count for it in some way?

Thanks
Stephen, Ottawa CANADA