Victorian attitudes towards the Zulu

[Pete Mellar]

Hi all

I am a student at the University of York who is currently doing a dissertation on the attitudes of the British army towards the Zulu surrounding and during the Anglo-Zulu war. I am trying to establish whether the Zulus were generally viewed to be "noble savages", just like the Maori's, and, being a relative newcomer to the issue, it would be greatly appreciated if you could advise me on how you would undertake such a research project, as well to present your own views concerning this clearly delicate issue, and where best to search for sources that could help me in my quest (I am currently looking at the archives of the 80th Regiment of Foot, and any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!)

Many thanks
Pete Mellar

[Waggoner]

Pete,

Welcome to the Forum! A very interesting question. Which University of York are you at? Toronto or York, UK? If in the UK, you should have good access to period biographies that may reveal the attitudes of the time. Based on televison series such as Shaka Zulu and movies like Zulu, I have the impression that the British respected the Zulu for having an effective fighting organization. However, these are the attitudes of 100+ years after the events. I would be interested to know what you find out.

All the best,

Gary

[Farmersboy]

Pete

We recently produced a photographic book on the Wiltshire Regiment (the old 99th) at the regimental museum which included some material about our men who fought the Zulus. Whilst ferreting around the archives I uncovered a regimentally produced postcard (Hopefully attached) which clearly shows the atitude at that time (before they went).
The caption reads....In 1878 the 99th Foot was stationed in Chatham, Kent and it was from there that it sailed for South Africa as part of the expedition against the Zulus and their Chief Cetewayo. For some years there had been trouble over the border between Zululand, and the Transvaal and Natal. Because Cetewayo failed to respond to a demand for better control and behaviour an expedition was mounted. Here we see a regimental postcard produced by the 99th Foot prior to this campaign in Natal. This image clearly shows the frame of mind that existed at the time when the 'redcoat' went to fight the 'savages' on the African continent. The reality proved to be somewhat different.

I also included a photo of a Sergeant Burnett of the 99th - the caption reads………. Col Sgt J.W. Burnett of the 99th Foot, pictured here after his return from the Zulu Wars. His view of the Zulus was altered after seeing them in action and this was reflected in a letter he wrote home after the battle at Inyezane, reminding a friend how they used to joke about fighting Africans. He now saw things differently. "I never thought [Africans] would make such a stand. They came on with utter disregard of danger....our 'school' at Chatham, over one hot whiskey, used to laugh about these [Africans], but I assure you that fighting with them was terribly earnest work and not child's play".

Hope that helps a little

Cheers
Farmersboy

PS Sorry Pete I tried to attach the postcard but it tells me its to big, havent got a clue how to make it smaller. If you want it I will send by normal E Mail

[Farmersboy]

Pete

I will try again re the home made postacard. The origional is in colour.

Cheers

Farmersboy

[Isandlwana]

Farmersboy,

Thanks for sharing that with us.

I've just been going through the collection on-line.

My original response to this appears to have dropped off!

Isandlwana

[mike snook]

Isandlwana

There has apparently been a recent technical glitch which wiped a number of posts over a given period, but it has been sorted now. If you can bear to comment again I'm sure we'd all be delighted to see your comments.

As ever

Mike

[Isandlwana]

Mike,

In a nutshell. Authors suchas G.A. Henty & Henry Rider Haggard promoted the view of "The Noble Savage" in both the fiction & non-fiction works.

To my mind they are still a noble people.

Here are just a few examples of the British view of the Zulu:

Colour-Sergeant Frank Bourne, D.C.M., of the immortal 'B' Company, 2nd/24th, would recount;

To show their fearlessness and their contempt for the red coats and small numbers, they tried to leap the parapet, and at times seized our bayonets, only to be shot down. Looking back, one cannot but admire their fanatical bravery.

Private Alfred Henry Hook, V.C., would later said;

...the Zulus will make fine fighting material to swell the ranks of our colonial force in Africa later on.

A British war correspondent who had witnessed the Zulu attack at Khambula, 29th March 1879.

But still on they came with the ferocity of tigers, never halting, never wavering, never flinching or hesitating for a moment... Say what people may about its being animal ferocity rather than manly bravery, no soldiers in the world could have been more daring than were the Zulus that day.

Isandlwana

[Mark]

Isandlwana

Thank you for reposting, I know how annoying it is when posts go astray - especially when you spend so much time writing them.

Much appreciated

Mark

[Pete Mellar]

Many thanks for your insightfulness. I was just wondering where exactly the Wiltshire Regimental museum is situated, and if it would be possible to visit the archives held here at some point in the near future, this photographic book in particular sounds very interesting! I was also wondering, if it is not with you, where the majority of the 99th's surviving records are held, their full title of course was the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot so I can only presume that they could be somewhere in Scotland?

We recently produced a photographic book on the Wiltshire Regiment (the old 99th) at the regimental museum which included some material about our men who fought the Zulus. Whilst ferreting around the archives I uncovered a regimentally produced postcard (Hopefully attached) which clearly shows the atitude at that time (before they went).
The caption reads....In 1878 the 99th Foot was stationed in Chatham, Kent and it was from there that it sailed for South Africa as part of the expedition against the Zulus and their Chief Cetewayo. For some years there had been trouble over the border between Zululand, and the Transvaal and Natal. Because Cetewayo failed to respond to a demand for better control and behaviour an expedition was mounted. Here we see a regimental postcard produced by the 99th Foot prior to this campaign in Natal. This image clearly shows the frame of mind that existed at the time when the 'redcoat' went to fight the 'savages' on the African continent. The reality proved to be somewhat different.

I also included a photo of a Sergeant Burnett of the 99th - the caption reads………. Col Sgt J.W. Burnett of the 99th Foot, pictured here after his return from the Zulu Wars. His view of the Zulus was altered after seeing them in action and this was reflected in a letter he wrote home after the battle at Inyezane, reminding a friend how they used to joke about fighting Africans. He now saw things differently. "I never thought [Africans] would make such a stand. They came on with utter disregard of danger....our 'school' at Chatham, over one hot whiskey, used to laugh about these [Africans], but I assure you that fighting with them was terribly earnest work and not child's play".

Hope that helps a little

Cheers
Farmersboy

PS Sorry Pete I tried to attach the postcard but it tells me its to big, havent got a clue how to make it smaller. If you want it I will send by normal E Mail

[Pete Mellar]

Many thanks, you have been a great help to me. Just wondering if you could cite where you acquired the sources kindly mentioned below; I presume, for instance, that Frank Bourne's correspondence is contained at the South Wales Borderers Museum in Brecon?

Mike,

In a nutshell. Authors suchas G.A. Henty & Henry Rider Haggard promoted the view of "The Noble Savage" in both the fiction & non-fiction works.

To my mind they are still a noble people.

Here are just a few examples of the British view of the Zulu:

Colour-Sergeant Frank Bourne, D.C.M., of the immortal 'B' Company, 2nd/24th, would recount;

To show their fearlessness and their contempt for the red coats and small numbers, they tried to leap the parapet, and at times seized our bayonets, only to be shot down. Looking back, one cannot but admire their fanatical bravery.

Private Alfred Henry Hook, V.C., would later said;

...the Zulus will make fine fighting material to swell the ranks of our colonial force in Africa later on.

A British war correspondent who had witnessed the Zulu attack at Khambula, 29th March 1879.

But still on they came with the ferocity of tigers, never halting, never wavering, never flinching or hesitating for a moment... Say what people may about its being animal ferocity rather than manly bravery, no soldiers in the world could have been more daring than were the Zulus that day.

Isandlwana

[Isandlwana]

Pete,

All from my own collection.

Frank Bourne's statement appeared in The Listener, 30th December 1936, following his B.B.C. broadcast in the I Was There... series.

Harry Hook's statement from an interview he did with Edward Vizetelly for The Sketch, 20th April 1898.

The war correspondent was in The Times Weekly Edition, I'll try and dig out the exact date in 1879 for you if you wish.

Isandlwana

[Farmersboy]

Pete

As a starter for ten I advise you to go to our Regimental Museum Website at www.thewardrobe.org.uk (so called because is once belonged to the Bishop of Salisbury). Once you are in go to THE COLLECTION on the left and once there click into UNIT (drop down box) and pick up the 99th. Thereafter its a bit of a nightmare in as much as you will see 4 images at any one time. (Its being upgraded as I speak). It starts of with images of medals issued to soldiers of the 99th but also shows many images. We have been working on this for ages. Have a look and see what you think. It includes Zulu War material. Our Museum is located in the Close Salisbury next to Salisbury Cathederal. The 99th became (god knows why) the 2nd Wiltshire Regiment after the Cardwell reforms hence the collection being in Salisbury. Just for the record I am a volunteer at the Museum. In the same Website if you are intersted in the book containing some of this material go to THE SHOP/REGIMENTALBOOKS/ and look for THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT 1756 - 1914 (A photographic history).

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Cheers

Farmersboy

[mike snook]

Isandlwana

I didn't know the Hook interview was with a Vizetelly; he would be the brother of the Vizetelly killed at Sheikan whilst covering Hicks Pasha and the Kordofan expedition by the sound of it.

Regards

Mike

[Isandlwana]

Mike,

Frank Vizetelly was Edward's uncle. Edward was present at the bombardment of Alexandria and he met up with his uncle afterwards.

Isandlwana

[Jamez]

Pete

For what its worth here is a scan of an illustrated envelope which I acquired recently. It was hand drawn in pen and ink and posted in London on 4 March 1879- just a few weeks after the action at Rorkes Drift. The illustration depicts a British Soldier operating a patent Magneto electric shock machine . The illustration clearly shows the attitude at that time towards the Zulus.

James