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Narrative of Field Operations
Chris


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 180
Location: S.A.
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Does anyone have a copy of the original first edition that contains a full complement of maps ?

What are the maps like ( how accurate , how much detail )

Narrative of the Field Operations Connected with The Zulu War of 1879.
[ROTHWELL, (J[ohn], S[utton], Major]

http://www.maggs.com/title/MI26177.asp


Does anyone have a copy of the reprint ?

http://www.naval-military-press.com/official-history-of-the-zulu-war.-narrative-of-the-field-operations-connected-with-the-zulu-war-of-1879.html

Are the original maps included in this version ?
Are they the same size / quality of the originals ?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help me a lot
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Chris

I only have the 1989 reprint but, as this is a facsimile reprint, the maps are the same as in the original 1881 edition. Inyezane, RD, Eshowe, Intombe (2), Ginghindlovu, Hlobane, Khambula, P/Imp (Ityotyosi), Ngome Forest (Cetshwayo's capture) & a larger folded one of Isandlwana (the Penrose & Anstey version - are you familar with the discussion/debate on this/these?) Plans/drawings of 2nd Div & Flying Column's camps, Etshowe Fort (plus drawings of sections in detail). Most lithographed by the Intelligence Dept at Horse Guards in 1881, of sketches and maps dated between Feb 1879 & March 1881.

Some of these have been reproduced in later works & one or two will be very familiar to you. Quality and method vary. I'm not an expert but some include contours in a standard OS way, others don't. Others here might be able to describe them more scientifically. I cannot see any note of the publisher which indicates any of the maps in the original are missing from the reprint.

If you are interested in maps of the AZW you'll certainly want copies of these, as also presumably of those in Huw M Jones: The Boiling Cauldron, (2006) which are reproduced in beautiful, glossy colour (Durnford's maps etc). For terrific maps of the "rebellion" of the 1880s & the Zulu Civil War, see Laband's superb Atlas of the Later Zulu Wars, 1883-88 (UNP, PMB 2001)

Peter
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AZW Maps
Chris


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 180
Location: S.A.
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Peter Ewart wrote:

a larger folded one of Isandlwana (the Penrose & Anstey version - are you familar with the discussion/debate on this/these?)
Peter


Yes -- and it now looks like something might be able to be done with them.

http://mapanalyst.cartography.ch/index.html

The Internet is a wonderful place.


I do know about the Atlas of the Later Zulu Wars ( Civil War )

Still looking for Boiling Cauldron
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Chris

Huw M. Jones: The Boiling Cauldron - Utrecht District and the Anglo-Zulu War, 1879. (Shermershill Press, Bisley, Glos. 2006). Huw wrote the foreword to Harold's recent AZW bibliography.

There is a colour copy of Alleyne's Sep 1879 contoured map indicating the boundary between Seketwayo and Oham showing the beacons numbered III & IV. The original is in the UK's National Archives.

Three of Durnford's maps of May 1878, also reproduced in colour, which he produced while serving on the Boundary Commission. They show the disputed territory with different details in each. You'll find these in the KZN Archives.

Also reproduced, in b & w, is Durnford's "Sketch of Zululand" dated Sept 1878, compiled "from original sources and from personal observation & information." (UK National Archives).

Four topographical sketches by Major Fraser (Zungwini's Nek from the south; northern aspect of Hlobane mountain; view of Makati's Kop & Dumbe Mountain; and view of Ntseka Hill at Thinta's Drift) made in Sep 1881 also appear (in b&w). See the KZN Archives for these also).

I don't think any of the above have been published elsewhere. You are probbaly familiar already with Jeppe's "Map of the Transvaal & Surrounding Territories" (1877).

I know the list of works gets ever longer, Chris, but this one really is essential reading!

Peter
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RE Survey
Chris


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 180
Location: S.A.
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What would be really helpful is the official survey report by Anstey / Penrose with all the technical detail of how they did the survey and the control points they used.
Were they using some form of triangulation ?
No geodetic framework in those days.

You cannot use an old map if it does not have proper scale and control points i.e. if it has not been surveyed in some regular manner.

http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/Isandhlwana/Isandlwana-the-missing-five-hours.htm

Maps One Two and Three -- are there perhaps more ?
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Chris,

The Central Library at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has at least one copy of the 1st edn of this work.

AMB
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Robin


Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 135
Location: Nottingham Road KZN RSA
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Chris
You may be interested in a SAMHS lecture Thursday 13-Oct at UKZN Engineering Dept, Durban 19h30

The Disputed Territory - an overlooked but important cause of the AZW

Presenter - Anthony Coleman
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Paul Bryant-Quinn


Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 551
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Robin - if you're going to that talk, I'd be interested to find out what the lecturer has to say on the subject.
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Rusteze


Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Posts: 56
Location: Hampshire UK
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Chris

I have seen an original copy of the "Narrative" complete with maps. The Anstey/Penrose map entitled "Military Survey of the Battle-Field of Isandhlwana" dated 11 November 1879 is at a scale of 1/15840 or 4 inches to the mile. Contours are at 100 feet vertical intervals and, it says, are numbered with reference to a datum level of 2000 feet. It also says "Rorke's Drift has been arbitrarily fixed at this level and all contours are referable to it. The main points on this plan are taken from the triangulation made by Capt. Anstey RE and Lieut. Porter RE."

The map, as published in 1879, measures 49cm by 38cm within borders.

Hope this helps

Steve

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Rusteze
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Paul Bryant-Quinn wrote:
Robin - if you're going to that talk, I'd be interested to find out what the lecturer has to say on the subject.


So would I! The account in The Boiling Cauldron is very detailed & surprised me when I read it. It would be interesting to learn whether this talk is as comprehensive (difficult when comparing with a written account, of course) and whether the speaker's findings concur with or differ from HMJ's.

Peter
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Paul Bryant-Quinn


Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 551
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Peter

Huw Jones' account of the work of the boundary commission was an eye-opener for me, and certainly sheds new light on the earlier historiography - perhaps in particular Durnford's role in those events.
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Anthony Coleman
Chris


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 180
Location: S.A.
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I do know Anthony -- head of the Battlefields Guides Association lives in Dundee.

This is a very special topic for him as it is something that he has been working on for a long time ( he lived in the "Disputed Territory" and knows the area well.)

I beleive it is possible he will be giving the presentation in the UK some time ?

If you would like to contact Anthony directly look here

http://www.battlefieldsregionguides.co.za/

for contact details

Yes -- that will be a very interesting talk
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Coupland
Chris


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 180
Location: S.A.
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Rusteze wrote:

The map, as published in 1879, measures 49cm by 38cm within borders.
Hope this helps
Steve

Thanks

I see Coupland "Zulu Battle Piece" has similar maps much reduced -- they are not attributed , but seem to look to me to be the very own Narrative Maps Question

Anyone know where the Coupland maps come from ?
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Chris

In my 1st edition of Coupland, the Isandlwana map (Fig 2, opposite p80) is captioned: Contours after Intelligence Dept Map, where heights are calculated from an assumed base height of 2000ft at Rorke's Drift ponts. Add approximately 1200ft for actual heights above sea-level. Is the reproduction in the modern reprint (I'm assuming you're referring to the reprint) not so captioned? So Coupland had this map based on the Anstey/Penrose version, although the delineations are obviously clearly different, and many features or wordings have been altered or added. Most of the contour lines and heights are, however, the same and clearly based on the Nov 1879 maps. In adding the shaded or dotted black mass - representing the Zulu attack - Coupland's map looks similar to the one Rupert Furneaux would later use in his 1963 work. RF omitted the contours and added pictorial sketches, but seems to have followed Coupland loosely, being probably the first author on Isandlwana after Coupland.

Elsewhere in Coupland (1st edition, at least) Fig 1 (opp. p64) shows the area in which all movements or actions took place between the 11th & 23rd Jan. I don't know any origin of this contoured map. It's not in the Narrative. Fig 3 (lower) opposite p104 is clearly based on the Intelligence Dept map of R/Drift in the Narrative but Fig 3 (Upper) looks as if it is simply inserted to clarify the whole R/D area. Fig 4 is a folded map opp. p128 in my version, showing a contoured map of Zululand in 1879. Let me know if the explanatory caption describing the contours is omitted from your version.

You'll see Coupland acknowledges the Narrative generally and a Mr GE Metcalfe for his help in drawing the maps. Are all the above deductions not possible from a glance at the reprint?

Peter
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Keith Smith


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 540
Location: Northern NSW, Australia
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I seem to recall that when I first purchased my reprint copy of the Narrative, I found that one map was missing from those in the original. I can't for the life of me remember which one it was.

KIS
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Narrative of Field Operations
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