Zulu Hart (28 page)

‘I will, sir.’

‘Good. You know Crealock and Gossett, of course, and this is Henry Fynn, the local border agent,’ said Chelmsford, gesturing towards the civilian. ‘He grew up among the Zulus and knows the terrain on both sides of the Buffalo like the back of his hand.’

I bet he does, thought George, taking Fynn’s hand and finding the grip surprisingly strong for a man of such slender frame. He looked in Fynn’s eyes for a sign that he knew about the eavesdropping episode, but could see none.

‘Fynn’s received intelligence,’ continued Chelmsford, ‘that Chief Sihayo is still at his kraal, a couple of miles northeast of the drift, with up to eight thousand men. I very much doubt he’ll wait for us to attack, because if he does there’ll be no means of escape once our troops are in position. But either way I intend to burn his kraal and collect his cattle.’

‘I’m sure Mr Fynn’s right, my Lord,’ said George, ‘though I didn’t see any sign of such a large force on my reconnaissance yesterday. But if Sihayo does withdraw, is it necessary to destroy his homestead? Won’t that deprive his womenfolk of shelter?’

Fynn snorted. ‘Admirable sentiments, I’m sure, Mr Hart. But remember this is war, not a picnic. And you might also bear in mind that it was Sihayo’s family that was responsible for the abduction and murder of those women last

July.’

‘I’m well aware of that, but you can hardly blame his wives and children.’

‘This is not about blame; it’s about punishing a wrong. Force is the only thing these natives understand.’

‘But surely the principle of crime and punishment is that it’s practised on offenders, not the innocent.’

Chelmsford raised his hand.
‘Enough, Hart!
Fynn’s right. This is war and we must prosecute it as vigorously as we can. The kraal will be destroyed,
pour encourager les autres.
I’ve made my decision and it’s not negotiable. Now,
gentlemen
, we cross the Buffalo at dawn, three hours from now. Colonel Wood’s column is already ensconced in Zululand at Bemba’s Kop to the north, and I’ve arranged to meet him halfway, at Nkonjane Hill, ten miles above the drift, at nine o’clock, which gives us plenty of time to get there. As Pearson won’t cross the Tugela with his column until tomorrow, it’s vital Wood and I coordinate our movements and don’t give the Zulus any opportunity to slip between us. Gossett, can you inform Major Russell that the Mounted Infantry will act as my escort?’

‘Of course, my Lord.’

‘Well, that’s it,
gentlemen
,’ said Chelmsford. ‘There’s no going back, and with luck we’ll be in Ulundi by the end of the month.’

As Crealock left the tent, George followed him. ‘Excuse me, Colonel. I’d like to have a word.’

‘About what?’ said Crealock, barely concealing his
dislike.

‘I’d like to know why you recommended me for the staff.’

‘I would have thought that was obvious. Partly as a reward for keeping your mouth shut, but it also enables me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t step out of line. You’re a dangerous man, Hart, and dangerous men need to be watched. You’ll be glad to hear I haven’t mentioned your eavesdropping escapade to anyone, even Fynn. But if I so much as suspect you of interfering with my plans, I’ll come down on you hard. Do you understand?’

George nodded.

‘Good. Is that all?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, get some sleep, then,’ said Crealock, striding off into the darkness.

The far bank was obscured by drizzle and mist as a lone
horseman
urged his mount into the Buffalo’s cold, fast- flowing current. Halfway across, with the water over the top of his boots, he paused. Was it too deep? What horrors were waiting for him on the other side? Casting all doubts aside, he spurred his mount forward. As his horse scrambled up the bank, he tensed his short, squat body, half expecting the cold, exquisite pain of an assegai thrust. But none came; the bank was empty. He raised his white sun helmet with its red scarf in relief.

Waiting on the Natal bank with Chelmsford and the rest of his staff, George tried hard to suppress a chuckle, but failed.

‘Something funny, Hart?’ asked Crealock.

‘Oh, nothing, Colonel.
But it’s ironic, is it not, that the honour of being the first man into Zululand has gone not to a soldier but to a newspaper correspondent?’

‘What? Is that Norris-Newman of the
Standard?’

‘The very same, Colonel.
He’s attached himself to the headquarters of the Native Contingent.’

‘Bloody correspondents,’ interjected Chelmsford, ‘always getting in the way. I told Frere it was a mistake to let him accompany the column, but he was insistent. Good for public awareness of the campaign, he told me. Not if Norris-Newman gets himself killed, it won’t be. All right, Gossett, give Russell the signal to advance.’

Gossett raised his hand and the red-coated Mounted Infantry began to splash across the shallow river ford known as the old drift in open column, four abreast, followed by the various contingents of volunteer cavalry, including George’s comrades in the Carbineers, with the Natal Mounted Police bringing up the rear. A couple of horses were washed off their feet by the current, but they managed to swim the rest of the way with their riders clinging to their saddles.

Chelmsford nodded with satisfaction as the mounted volunteers spurred towards the high ground to establish a chain of outposts that would prevent the column from being surprised as it crossed. ‘So far, so good,’ said Chelmsford, ‘Where’s Colonel Glyn?’

‘Here, my Lord,’ replied a short, stocky officer with a bushy beard and a red face.

‘Very good.
Now I expect you, as column commander, to issue the necessary orders for setting up camp on the Zulu bank. Get the infantry across first, and once you’ve secured the camp perimeter, you can bring the guns, wagons, oxen and supplies over. It will take most of the day so you’d better get on with it.’

‘Yes, my Lord,’ said Glyn. ‘Shall I bring all the infantry over the new drift in the ponts?’

‘No.
Just the white troops.
Commandant Lonsdale’s Kaffirs can wade across. And use both drifts: it will save time.’

‘Is that wise, my Lord? The new drift is much deeper, and with the current as strong as it is, we might lose a few.’

‘Just do it, Glyn. The sooner we have the fighting troops across, the better.’

‘Yes, my Lord. And do you want me to circle the wagons into a defensive laager?’

‘No. There’s no need.’

‘Begging your pardon, my Lord, but your own instructions advise laagering every night in Zululand.’

‘Yes, Colonel, I know what my instructions say. I wrote them. But they only apply if there’s an imminent threat of attack from the main Zulu army. At the moment that couldn’t be further from the case.
Anything else?’

‘No, my Lord.’

‘Good. Gentlemen,’ said Chelmsford, turning to his staff, ‘shall we?’

The ride to Nkonjane Hill was over broken, hilly terrain and took a good three hours. Only one Zulu was sighted, and he quickly scuttled into cover as Chelmsford’s mounted escort spurred forward to relieve him of his small herd of cattle. The staff hollered their approval, but George stayed silent, aware the cattle almost certainly belonged to his
kinsman
, Sihayo. Shortly before nine, the
horsemen
crested Nkonjane’s flat summit to be met by Colonel Wood and a small party of Frontier Horse, off-saddled among a pile of loose rocks.

‘Good morning, my Lord,’ said Wood, touching the brim of his wideawake hat. ‘I trust your crossing of the Buffalo is going to plan?’

‘Like clockwork,’ replied Chelmsford. ‘I’ve left Glyn in charge. How are you, Wood? It’s good to see you.’

‘And you, my Lord. I’m well.’

The general and his staff dismounted and sat on boulders next to Wood. ‘Buller not here?’ asked Chelmsford.

‘He’s rounding up cattle, as per your instructions.’

‘Excellent. And thank you for marching south so speedily to cover my flank. Fynn’s spies were convinced that Sihayo would contest the crossing and your movement might have dissuaded him.’

‘It might have, my Lord. But all the intelligence I’ve received still points to the first serious Zulu attack falling on the Central Column. As far as I’m aware, the main Zulu army is still at Ulundi, and has been since it gathered for the First Fruits Ceremony on the ninth. But when it moves, it will strike the Central Column first. You must be on your guard because Cetshwayo’s warriors can cover forty miles in a day and could be up with you in three. Apparently Cetshwayo’s strategy is to win a crushing victory that will force us to negotiate.’

Chelmsford tugged at his beard. ‘I wish that were true, Wood, because I have every confidence in the Central Column’s ability to repulse any number of Zulus. But I very much doubt they’ll risk an attack. What do you say, Mr Fynn?’ he enquired of the civilian advisor sitting alongside him.

‘I don’t wish to contradict the colonel, my Lord, but my spies paint a very different picture. They say the main Zulu army will aim to slip between our two columns and try to cut our lines of communication.’

George’s ears pricked up. Was this the start of Fynn and Crealock’s plan to point Chelmsford in the direction of Chief Matshana? It sounded like it.

‘Hear that, Wood?’ said Chelmsford. ‘And that’s from a man who knows the Zulus and has contacts close to the king himself. If he’s right, and we have to assume he is, our main priority is to prevent the Zulu army from sidestepping our columns and attacking us from the rear. That is why a careful coordination of all three columns is vital, and to that end I would ask you not to continue your advance for a further three days, to give Colonel Pearson the chance to catch up. He doesn’t cross the Lower Drift with the Southern Column until tomorrow and, as you know, has the furthest distance to cover.’

‘I quite understand, my Lord. I’ll hold fast at Bemba’s Kop until the fifteenth. But do take care. I have a number of Boers with me who’ve fought the Zulu, and they all warn against a sudden attack.’

‘Well, let’s hope they’re right, Wood,’ said Chelmsford, smiling, ‘because the Central Column only has supplies for two weeks. How long can you stay in the field?’

‘Seven weeks, my Lord. Mr Hughes, my commissariat officer, has performed miracles.’

‘He’s to be congratulated. But I’d hope to be back in Pietermaritzburg long before the spring. Well, I must be off,’ said Chelmsford, rising. ‘Glyn was wittering on about defensive arrangements and has probably built a fort in my absence. Keep in regular contact and don’t forget: hold your ground until the fifteenth at the earliest.’

‘I will, my Lord. By the way, is that young Hart I recognize among your staff?’

‘It is. He saw fit to join the Carbineers and is now my galloper.’

‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said Wood. ‘Buller took quite a liking to him on the boat and thinks he will make a fine soldier.’

‘We’ll see.’

‘Good luck, my Lord.’

‘Luck
don’t
come into it, Wood. It all comes down to careful planning, and making sure these damn Zulus don’t slip through the net. See you in Ulundi.’

As the lone bugle sounded Reveille, George looked at his pocket- watch and groaned. It was 3 a.m, and in just three hours a portion of the column would leave its camp on the Zulu bank of the Buffalo and assault Sihayo’s kraal. There was every possibility that George’s kin - Sihayo himself, or at least some of his sons - were in residence, and the very thought made George uncomfortable. Not that he felt, since his trip to Zululand, any particular ties of loyalty to them - far from it - but nor did he wish to take part in the destruction of their home.

He rose and made his way in darkness to the headquarters marquee, his boots sinking deep into the sodden turf. All around, the camp was stirring, with men lighting fires for coffee and cattle lowing. Two redcoats snapped to attention as George entered the marquee. Inside, grouped around the map table, he found the general and his senior officers and staff.

‘Good of you to join us, Hart. Now pay attention. Our objective this morning is to capture Sihayo’s kraal. It’s a natural stronghold, situated in a huge horseshoe-shaped gorge on the far bank of the Bashee River, about two miles from here. We’ll follow an old traders’ track as far as the river, but from there on the going is extremely tough. Thick bush, ravines and rocky ground will bar our path. And that’s even before we’ve reached the gorge, which, if defended, will have to be scaled and taken in hand-to-hand fighting. The First Third NNC will lead the frontal attack, with four companies of the First Twenty-Fourth in support. I will be present, but Colonel Glyn will command.
Any questions?’

‘If I may be so bold, my Lord,’ said Fynn.

‘Yes?’

‘Have you considered sending mounted troops to outflank the position, my Lord? That way you’d prevent any defenders from getting away.’

‘It’s a good idea, but is there a way up?’

‘Yes, sir.
Horsemen could ascend by a track I know to the right of the gorge.’

‘Well, that’s what we’ll do.
Any
other
questions?’