The British Army’s worst defeat of the Victorian era came at the hands of the Zulus at Isandlwana in 1879. But what sort of people were the Zulus? Here are a few of the less well-known facts about them.
1. In the war of 1879 the Zulus had more guns than the British. Unfortunately for them, most were obsolete muzzle-loaders with limited range and accuracy, and few men had the time or ammunition to practice shooting.
2. The Zulu army’s greatest weakness was its lack of a supply train. Warriors often went hungry unless they could capture food from the enemy. This is one reason why they were generally eager to attack.
