'The Ever Victorious Army', Lieutenant-General Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, 1881

Chromolithograph by Vincent Brooks, Day and Son after 'Ape' (Carlo Pellegrini), published by 'Vanity Fair', 19 February 1881.

Caricature portrait of Frederick Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford in civilian dress.

In a coercive move to 'persuade' the Zulus to cooperate in a federation of British colonies and Boer republics in South Africa, a field force under Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford entered Zululand in 1879. On 20 January a temporary base camp was established under the distinctive hill of Isandlwana. Two days later, Chelmsford marched out part of his column to find a reported concentration of Zulu forces. Just after midday, the remaining garrison, mainly six companies of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot (later the South Wales Borderers), was attacked by about 25,000 Zulus. The garrison attempted to form an extended firing line some distance forward and at right angles to the camp, but this was soon outflanked. Attempting to fall back, the troops were forced to form several small squares, and fought to the death. The official casualty return listed 858 Europeans and 471 Africans killed.

Despite the disaster, Chelmsford retained his command and eventually went on to defeat the Zulus following the Battle of Ulundi. This salvaged his reputation, but he was severely criticised by a subsequent enquiry into the events that had led to the Isandlwana defeat and never held a field command again.