Battle of Kambula
Kambula, near Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
What happened
A British force under Colonel Evelyn Wood fought the main Zulu army, commanded by Mnyamana kaNgqengelele. A day after a British defeat at nearby Hlobane, the main Zulu army attacked Wood's camp at Kambula. The British were protected by a ring of wagons and a stone cattle enclosure. British mounted troops drew part of the Zulu army into an early attack, and steady rifle and artillery fire held off the assaults until the Zulus withdrew at dusk.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the turning point of the Anglo-Zulu War. After Kambula the Zulu army never fully recovered.
What came next
Three months later, the British defeated the Zulu army again at Ulundi, ending the war.
Did you know?
Many Zulu warriors at Kambula carried rifles captured from the British at earlier battles, including Isandlwana.
Timeline
- January 1879The Zulu win at Isandlwana.
- 28 March 1879The British are defeated at Hlobane.
- 29 March 1879The British win at Kambula.
- 4 July 1879The British win at Ulundi.