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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 23rd MARCH 2026
THE ANGLO ZULU WAR
THE BATTLE OF GINGINDHLOVU, 2nd APRIL 1879
The Battle of Gingindhlovu was fought on 2nd April 1879 between a British relief column sent to break the siege at Eshowe, and a Zulu impi of king Cetshwayo.
The British soldier would refer to it as the Battle of “GIN GIN I LOVE YOU”.
The weapons used by the Zulu army were simple but effective and were tailor made for the type of close fighting the Zulu warrior excelled in. Bows and arrows were rarely if ever used in battle and the introduction of firearms during the 1850’s it can be argued did nothing to improve the efficiency of the Zulu army, for it is recorded that their marksmanship was notoriously poor.
By 1879 there were a few breech loading rifles in Zulu hands but the majority of the weapons were flintlock and percussion guns made specially for trading purposes and usually of a sub standard and inferior quality.
After the victory at Isandhlwana the Zulus obviously took the opportunity of looting as many Martini-Henry rifles as they could.
During the Battle of Gingindhlovu Zulu marksmen caused a few casualties within the laager, but the defenders kept the Zulus at bay.
THE ZULU IMPI
The Zulu impi was composed of 12,000 warriors, some of whom were Isandlwana veterans drawn from regiments in the main Zulu army, while the remainder were warriors who lived in the vicinity of Eshowe.
Many of the Zulu commanders wanted to attack the relief column that night, but Prince Dabulamanzi KaMpande, who was half brother to king Cetshwayo and commander of the impi’s right wing, convinced them to wait until morning.
At dawn on 2 April 1879, the morning sun revealed muddy ground and a heavy mist. Chelmsford had decided after hearing Dunn's report to not continue on toward Eshowe early the next morning. Instead, he would deploy units of the Natal Native Contingent to feel for the Zulus. As the NNC were preparing to advance shots were heard from the night pickets still on duty. The impi was advancing; the main force split into two columns before crossing the Ineyzane and assuming the "chest and horns" formation. The left horn sharply curved to the right to assault the laager's north-east corner, while the "chest" gently curved toward the north face of the laager.
The robust and vigorous Zulu clansman was the result of his upbringing, his entire boyhood being spent on the veldt tending cattle. This outdoor existence not only toughened his body and gave him great endurance but also gave him extensive knowledge of the terrain of his homeland.
By 1879 the Zulu army consisted of 33 regiments.
These regiments were more than just military units, they were an integral part of the Zulu social system and once formed could only be broken by death, for there was no retirement or buying out in the Zulu army and men in their 60’s and 70’s as long as they were physically able to take the field, answered the King’s call to arms.
The inGobamakhosi
The inGobamakhosi also known as “The bender of Kings” was formed in 1873 of men born between 1850-1853 and was stationed at Old Ondini with the even younger uVe impi.
Their strength at Isandlwana was about 6,000 men. In the attack on the camp they were positioned well apart from the uThulwana, with whom they had a standing feud over women which had began some years before.
They wore a leopard skin head band supporting cheek pieces and back pieces of green monkey skin. There were side plates of stiff white cow hide shaped like an “H” which were attached over the ears. From the centre of each “H” hung two white cow tails. Finally just above the side plates were bunches of widow-bird tail feathers pointing backwards.
If the warriors were in parade dress they would also attach upright ostrich plumes at the front of the headgear.
The shields were of several colour schemes, black, black and white, red and red and white. This variety was due to the regiment having been formed from several intangas (cohorts of men based on age) who had had to wait unusually long to be enrolled.
Since the inGobamakhosi were positioned away from the uThalwana, I decided to arm the inGobamakhosi with firearms and present them as a skirmish unit trying to pin down one side of the British defences whilst the other regiments attacked with force elsewhere.
The first of the inGobmakhosi sets will be available from this August.
Best wishes,
john jenkins
THE ANGLO ZULU WAR
THE BATTLE OF GINGINDHLOVU, 2nd APRIL 1879
The Battle of Gingindhlovu was fought on 2nd April 1879 between a British relief column sent to break the siege at Eshowe, and a Zulu impi of king Cetshwayo.
The British soldier would refer to it as the Battle of “GIN GIN I LOVE YOU”.
The weapons used by the Zulu army were simple but effective and were tailor made for the type of close fighting the Zulu warrior excelled in. Bows and arrows were rarely if ever used in battle and the introduction of firearms during the 1850’s it can be argued did nothing to improve the efficiency of the Zulu army, for it is recorded that their marksmanship was notoriously poor.
By 1879 there were a few breech loading rifles in Zulu hands but the majority of the weapons were flintlock and percussion guns made specially for trading purposes and usually of a sub standard and inferior quality.
After the victory at Isandhlwana the Zulus obviously took the opportunity of looting as many Martini-Henry rifles as they could.
During the Battle of Gingindhlovu Zulu marksmen caused a few casualties within the laager, but the defenders kept the Zulus at bay.
THE ZULU IMPI
The Zulu impi was composed of 12,000 warriors, some of whom were Isandlwana veterans drawn from regiments in the main Zulu army, while the remainder were warriors who lived in the vicinity of Eshowe.
Many of the Zulu commanders wanted to attack the relief column that night, but Prince Dabulamanzi KaMpande, who was half brother to king Cetshwayo and commander of the impi’s right wing, convinced them to wait until morning.
At dawn on 2 April 1879, the morning sun revealed muddy ground and a heavy mist. Chelmsford had decided after hearing Dunn's report to not continue on toward Eshowe early the next morning. Instead, he would deploy units of the Natal Native Contingent to feel for the Zulus. As the NNC were preparing to advance shots were heard from the night pickets still on duty. The impi was advancing; the main force split into two columns before crossing the Ineyzane and assuming the "chest and horns" formation. The left horn sharply curved to the right to assault the laager's north-east corner, while the "chest" gently curved toward the north face of the laager.
The robust and vigorous Zulu clansman was the result of his upbringing, his entire boyhood being spent on the veldt tending cattle. This outdoor existence not only toughened his body and gave him great endurance but also gave him extensive knowledge of the terrain of his homeland.
By 1879 the Zulu army consisted of 33 regiments.
These regiments were more than just military units, they were an integral part of the Zulu social system and once formed could only be broken by death, for there was no retirement or buying out in the Zulu army and men in their 60’s and 70’s as long as they were physically able to take the field, answered the King’s call to arms.
The inGobamakhosi
The inGobamakhosi also known as “The bender of Kings” was formed in 1873 of men born between 1850-1853 and was stationed at Old Ondini with the even younger uVe impi.
Their strength at Isandlwana was about 6,000 men. In the attack on the camp they were positioned well apart from the uThulwana, with whom they had a standing feud over women which had began some years before.
They wore a leopard skin head band supporting cheek pieces and back pieces of green monkey skin. There were side plates of stiff white cow hide shaped like an “H” which were attached over the ears. From the centre of each “H” hung two white cow tails. Finally just above the side plates were bunches of widow-bird tail feathers pointing backwards.
If the warriors were in parade dress they would also attach upright ostrich plumes at the front of the headgear.
The shields were of several colour schemes, black, black and white, red and red and white. This variety was due to the regiment having been formed from several intangas (cohorts of men based on age) who had had to wait unusually long to be enrolled.
Since the inGobamakhosi were positioned away from the uThalwana, I decided to arm the inGobamakhosi with firearms and present them as a skirmish unit trying to pin down one side of the British defences whilst the other regiments attacked with force elsewhere.
The first of the inGobmakhosi sets will be available from this August.
Best wishes,
john jenkins
