Battle of Isandlwana

The first major battle of the Anglo-Zulu War was the British disaster at Isandlwana, which ranks as the worst-ever defeat of a modern army by a primitive one in the history of warfare. It’s the British version of “Custer’s Last Stand” but much worse.

After the British invaded Zululand, the top guy, Lord Chelmsford, AKA General Thesiger, decided to camp his center column at the base of a mountain called Isandlwana. Of course he wanted to make sure no Zulu army was around that might attack him, so he ordered Major Dartnell to scout ahead. Dartnell encountered Zulus and sent word back for permission to attack them. Thinking it was a big Zulu army, and not wanting to be left out of the fight, Chelmsford rode out with half of his force to reinforce him. This left the camp at half-strength and under the command of the inexperienced Major Pulliene.

But the main Zulu army was hiding out of sight in a low ravine, and they attacked, catching the camp unprepared. When Chelmsford returned, the camp had been wiped out. Over a thousand British and their native allies were massacred. News spread fast, and the world was shocked. They didn’t think that was possible.

The thing is that the Dutch-descended Boers who had been living in South Africa for hundreds of years and fighting the Zulus for just as long, had warned the British not to underestimate the Zulus. But the British didn’t listen. And that's what happened.