SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN, 1878-9. 
259 
advance into Zululand being now determined on, the column retraced 
its steps, and worked its way up into the north of Zululand. 
On the 24th January the column under Colonel Wood, V€, C.B., Action of 
marched from its camp on the Choba at 4 a.m.; two companies 90th 
L.I., the Frontier Light Horse, and the division under my command 
forming the advance guard. At 7.30 a.m., while skirting a small hill 
near the Inhlobane Mountain, the cavalry scouts reported a large body 
of the enemy in the low ground to the right of our line of advance. The 
guns were immediately sent off at a rapid pace under escort of the 
Frontier Light Horse, and came into action on a commanding position 
against a dense mass of Zulus, estimated at 3000. 
The enemy were completely taken by surprise, and did not break 
their close formation until several shells had fallen in their midst. 
They advanced towards us, and worked round to our right on to the 
rocky terraces of the Lower Inhlobane. When first coming into 
action, at about 2000 yds. (we could not advance nearer on account of 
a precipice in our immediate front), I fired shrapnel shell with 9-secs, 
fuze, and I regret to say that the shells invariably burst short. I 
attribute this either to the fuze composition having become too dry, 
or to the wood of the fuze shrinking away from the composition. The ‘ 
small effect caused by the shrapnel at this long range convinced me 
that the 7-pr. shrapnel should not be used at ranges over 1000 yds., on 
account of the very low initial velocity (968 ft.) This was the only 
time during the war on which I used the 9-secs. fuze. At closer ranges 
on the same day, the 5-secs, burnt admirably. After having been in 
action for half-an-hour, the enemy were beaten off, the infantry and 
Lieut. Bigge's guns having in the meantime become engaged, and 
Colonel Wood having heard of the defeat sustained at Isandhlana by 
No. 3 Column, he ordered the retire. 
This was the first occasion on which the natives of Northern Zulu¬ 
land had felt the effect of artillery fire, and from reports received from 
the natives afterwards, the moral effect seems to have been very great. 
The artillery of the flying column was not again engaged until Battle of 
the 29th March, on which day Colonel Wood's camp at Kambula was Kambuia. 
attacked by 25,000 Zulus, under the command of Mnyamane, the King's 
Prime Minister. 
The account of this battle has already been so often written, that I 
will refrain from dwelling too much upon it, referring only to the part 
taken by the artillery. 
The two mule guns were in position on low carriages en barbette in 
the redoubt throughout the day, under the command of Lieut. 
Nicolson, R.A., who fell mortally wounded in the early part of the 
battle while directing the fire of one of his guns. 
The two mounted divisions under Lieut. Bigge and myself, came into 
action, at the commencement of the engagement, in line at full intervals, 
under Major (now Lieut.-Col.) Tremlett. The two divisions were after¬ 
wards separated, that under Lieut. Bigge taking up its position on the 
front and right front of the laager, and that under my command holding 
the right of the laager. 
These guns remained outside the entrenchment throughout the day, 
