148 
MARCH TO ULUNDI. 
12.30 the first brigade paraded and marched to the site of General Wood's 
camp of last night, about 3 miles off, across the Ityotyosi; but as 
there were two bad drifts to cross, the 2nd Brigade had not moved 
off before the 1st Brigade was beginning to laager. Just then 
Lord Chelmsford's Naval A.D.C., Lieut. Milne, rode up to say a Zulu 
Impi was reported quite close; it was quite dark, however, before the 
laager—a very large one—was completed. Lord Chelmsford always 
settled the laager for the 2nd Division himself. No attack took place. 
June 5th .—The 2nd Brigade marched off at 7.30, crossed a donga at 
once, and then with a broad front, as before, advanced 2 miles, till we 
crossed the Nondwini and laagered 4 miles from the last camp. N/6, the 
24th, and 94th took up a position on a ridge some distance in front, 
while the laager was forming, as the Zulus were reported to be in 
the neighbourhood. The laager was, as before, rectangular, with a 
division down the middle and shelter-trench outside, three guns at 
each angle, and to the right rear a stone redoubt was commenced in 
which two companies 21st Regt. were to be left. Some messengers 
from Ceteweyo came in to-day. 
June 6th. —Halt. The messengers sent back to Ceteweyo, and the 
redoubt (Fort Newdigate) continued. About 9.30 p.m. two shots were 
heard to the left rear, and the “ assembly" was sounded by order in the 
camp, and almost immediately two vollies were fired from the same 
point as before; and at once a heavy fire of musketry spread all 
round the laager, and many of the N.N.C. inside the laager sat down 
and fired up in the air. After a time, a gun was fired from the 
right front by order of Major Le Grice. The moon was near the full, 
and there was a fresh breeze blowing many clouds about, which cast 
moving black shadows on the bare hill sides. After a time the firing 
was stopped, but not before one round of case and about 4000 rounds 
M.H. ammunition had been expended. It turned out that a sentry of 
the 58th and two N.N.C. men thought they saw a man, and fired, 
running hastily in on their picquet, the 58th man shouting out, “ They 
are coming in swarms V 3 The officer of the picquet, although he 
could not see any one, was persuaded by his men to fire two vollies, 
and thus every one in the camp thought a real attack had taken place. 
The picquet tried to get back to the laager, but had to run for shelter 
to the fort building outside. 
The 17th Lancers unfortunately lost their Adjutant yesterday, 
having got near some wood from which the Zulus opened fire upon 
them. 
June 7th ,—We marched off at 7.30 a.m., leaving two companies 
21st Regt. in the fort. On our road we met General Wood's column 
returning with empty wagons for supplies. They left many of their 
mounted men with us, and took five companies 24th also back with 
them, and 600 or 700 empty wagons from the two columns. We 
advanced about 9 miles, crossing two dongas and finding the ground 
much more rocky. About noon we laagered on ground sloping 
towards the Upoko River, with wooded and broken hills the other 
