Battle of Hlobane

Trooper George Mossop with his horse Warrior leaps off the mountain at Battle of Hlobane

Date	28 March 1879
Location	Hlobane, South Africa 27°41′56″S 30°57′0″E / 27.69889°S 30.95000°E / -27.69889; 30.95000 (Hlobane)Coordinates: 27°41′56″S 30°57′0″E / 27.69889°S 30.95000°E / -27.69889; 30.95000 (Hlobane)
Result	Zulu victory

Belligerents

British Empire

Zulu Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Evelyn Wood

Mnyamana Buthelezi

Strength

675

25,000
2,000 engaged

Casualties and losses

225 killed
8 wounded
12 officers 80 regular

Minimal

The Battle of Hlobane was a battle of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 that took place at Hlobane, near the current town of Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

No. 4 Column of the British invasion force, under Colonel Evelyn Wood, was to occupy the attention of those Zulus dwelling on the flat-topped mountains rising out of the plains of north-west Zululand. The distance of these Zulus from the capital of Ulundi gave them a degree of independence from Cetshwayo rule, enabling the chiefs to withhold their warriors for local defence, rather than contributing to the main Zulu Army. Lord Chelmsford required these Zulus to be distracted so that they would not interfere with the operations of No. 3 Column during its advance to Isandlwana and onto Ulundi.

On 17 January 1879, Wood advanced his column north-eastwards, and a laager (a defensive wagon circle) was established at Tinta's Kraal, 10 miles (16 km) south of a chain of flat-topped mountains on the 20th. These were Zunguin, Hlobane and Ityentika, connected by a nek, and running for 15 miles (24 km) in a north-easterly direction. While the camp was being fortified, scouts investigating the mountains were attacked from Zunguin by about 1,000 Zulus. At dawn the next day an attack was mounted on Zunguin, and the Zulus fled to Hlobane, where Wood observed some 4,000 Zulus drilling that afternoon. An attack on Hlobane began on the 24th, but was scrapped when Wood learnt of the disaster at Isandlwana. After falling back to Tinta's Kraal, Wood decided to move his column north-westwards to Kambula hill, about 14 miles due west of Zunguin. Their arrival on the 31st was met with a message from Lord Chelmsford informing Wood that all orders were cancelled, he was now on his own with no expectation of reinforcements and that he must be prepared to face the whole Zulu Army.

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