454 
DEFENCE OF EKOWE. 
wagons (50 in number) to the Tugela, to bring up supplies, under 
escort of two companies of infantry ! Easily then can an idea be 
formed of the sensation in camp caused by the arrival of the following 
despatch :— ff From Lord Chelmsford to Colonel Pearson—Consider all 
my orders cancelled, you may expect the whole Zulu army down on 
yon; do, therefore, what yon may think best for the safety of your 
column.” As may be supposed, the news came like a thunder-bolt 
among us; it was, however, no time for arguing or conjecturing ; a 
meeting of commanding officers was at once summoned. The momentous 
question now put to us was, whether to retire at once to the Tugela or to 
hold our position against overwhelming odds for an indefinite period ? 
This question was certainly a difficult one to decide. On the one hand 
by retiring we should lose the ground already gained; we should, 
moreover, have not a single column left in Zulu territory, since the 
others must, as we knew, be forced to retire; in addition, the mere 
fact of our beating such a hasty retreat on all sides would have a 
most disastrous effect on the minds of the Natal Kaffirs. These 
Kaffirs would otherwise say (Lord Chelmsford afterwards informed us 
they did say) “ Oh ! no, the English are not yet beaten ; why, there is 
still a column in the heart of Zululand.” On the other hand, by 
holding our position we overcame these difficulties and, moreover, held 
a check on the Zulus should they contemplate an invasion of British 
territory, for they could scarcely attempt such an enterprise with such 
a large force in their rear. An argument more forcible than these 
was, that a convoy of two months' provisions was within seven miles 
of our camp at that very moment. It was decided, then, to hold the 
fort at all hazards. 
The mounted men, together with the two battalions of native 
contingent, were ordered to retire at once, as we had not sufficient 
corn for the horses of the former, and no room for the latter in the 
fort. We kept merely a sufficient number of mounted men and 
natives for vedette duty. 
Our cavalry ought, no doubt, to have been kept at any risk; even if 
corn failed, there was an abundance of grass in the vicinity of the 
fort. We felt their loss greatly—we were able to gain literally no 
information of the movements of the enemy without them. Major 
Barrow, who was in command of them, was ordered to tell Colonel Ely, 
the officer in charge of the convoy, to hasten on with all speed, and to 
leave any wagon behind which could not keep pace with him. On that 
evening, to our delight, the convoy made its appearance, but it had 
been found necessary to abandon eight wagons, containing flour, 
biscuit, lime juice, coffee, and sugar—how we grudged their loss 
afterwards ! 
On the following day all the troops came inside the entrenchments, 
for as yet it had not assumed the dimensions of a fort. Tents were 
discarded, and the officers and men slept under wagons, which had 
been placed inside, round the parapet. 
Now the defence of Ekowe commenced in reality. The garrison 
was as follows ;—■ 
