Battle of Italeni
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Italeni was a battle
that took place at 28°29′6"S 31°16′27"E in what is now KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa
, between the Voortrekkers
and the Zulus
during the period of the Great Trek
.
and his men by Dingaan on 6 February 1838, a number of Voortrekker camps were also attacked by the Zulu
impi
s. These Voortrekkers appealed to other treks, particularly those of Piet Uys
and Hendrik Potgieter in the Orange Free State
, for help. Both treks send out commando
s to help.
The two groups met on the banks of the Blaukraans River
, where a council of war was held. During this meeting Uys was elected as "General Field Commandant" by those present - becoming, in effect, the first elected Boer
Commandant-General
.
Potgieter, a natural leader, objected to this and stated that he and his men were not prepared to serve under any other leader. As a compromise, it was decided that each commando would remain under its own leader, but that both parties would fight together. This arrangement would prove to have disastrous consequences.
and took a number of them captive (although it has been speculated that these may have been spies
sent to lead them into a trap). The captives told the Voortrekkers that the main Zulu army was encamped near Umgungundlovu
- the capital of their king
, Dingane
.
As a result of this information, Uys led the parties directly to the Zulu capital. About 6,4 kilometres from Umgungundlovu they did indeed encounter the main Zulu army - at a mountain defile
guarding the approaches to the Zulu capital. On each of the two hills at the end of the defile an impi was stationed, and another one waited in the valley between them - about 8,000 warriors.
Uys gave Potgieter a choice as to which impi he would like to attack. Potgieter chose the one in the valley, while Uys decided to attack the hill towards his right.
After riding to within 36 metres of the Zulu force, Uys ordered his men to dismount and open fire. Volleys from the Voortrekkers decimated the first two lines of the impi, while the third turned and fled. The battle appeared won.
On his side Potgieter made what was reported as a "half-hearted" attack on the Zulu forces, and then retired. However, sixteen members of his commando attacked the Zulus at the base of the hill on the left, riding close and firing at them. The Zulus charged this small party, who turned and fled. One man was killed on the Voortrekker side. After the survivors of the attack reached the rest of Potgieter's commando, they mounted and left the battlefield.
The remaining Zulu impis were now free to attack Uys' commando from the rear. Uys saw the Zulu force advancing and sent Gert Rudolph, the voortrekker leader that had replaced the ailing Gert Maritz, to Potgieter to request him to cover his rear. However, Potgieter ignored this request and continued retreating. The action of sending Gert Rudolph as a messenger to Potgieter almost certainly saved Gert Rudolph's life.
Meanwhile, two members of Uys' party (the Malan brothers) had become isolated from the rest of the commando while pursuing the fleeing Zulus and were being led into an ambush in a bushy gorge. Seeing the danger they were in, Uys wanted his whole commando to ride to their rescue. Most of the members considered this too risky, and refused. In response, Uys formed a party of fifteen volunteers (including his son, Dirkie
) and rode to their rescue. During the subsequent fighting Uys, his son, the Malan brothers as well as five of the volunteers were killed (for ten Voortrekker dead during the battle).
The part of Uys' commando that remained behind (under the command of Field Cornet
Potgieter), were surrounded and had to fight their way out.
Due to the outcome of the battle, the Voortrekker forces involved in the fighting subsequently became known as the Vlugkommando (Flight Commando).
However, it has been speculated that, without the lessons learnt as a result of the Battle of Italeni - such as fighting from the shelter of ox-wagon
s whenever possible and choosing the place of battle rather than being enticed into unfavourable terrain - the Voortrekkers would not have succeeded in finally beating the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River
eight months later.
defile
guarded by two hill
s that is approximately 4,8 kilometres southwest of Umgungundlovu. It has been speculated that the Zulus named it the "Battle of Italeni" as some of the fighting took place at Itala Mountain, 24 kilometres away.
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
that took place at 28°29′6"S 31°16′27"E in what is now KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, between the Voortrekkers
Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
and the Zulus
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
during the period of the Great Trek
Great Trek
The Great Trek was an eastward and north-eastward migration away from British control in the Cape Colony during the 1830s and 1840s by Boers . The migrants were descended from settlers from western mainland Europe, most notably from the Netherlands, northwest Germany and French Huguenots...
.
Background
After the massacre of Piet RetiefPiet Retief
Pieter Mauritz Retief was a South African Boer leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he assumed command of punitive expeditions in response to raiding parties from the adjacent Xhosa territory...
and his men by Dingaan on 6 February 1838, a number of Voortrekker camps were also attacked by the Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
impi
Impi
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. However, in English it is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu. Its beginnings lie far back in historic tribal warfare customs, where groups of armed men called impis battled...
s. These Voortrekkers appealed to other treks, particularly those of Piet Uys
Piet Uys
Petrus Lafras Uys was a Voortrekker leader during the Great Trek.He was born in Swellendam, the third son of Jacobus Johannes Uys...
and Hendrik Potgieter in the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
, for help. Both treks send out commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s to help.
The two groups met on the banks of the Blaukraans River
Weenen massacre
The Weenen Massacre was the massacre of Voortrekkers by the Zulu on 17 February 1838. After the murder of Piet Retief and his delegation, the Zulu chief Dingane sent his impis to exterminate the remaining voortrekkers who were camped at Doringkop, Bloukrans The Weenen Massacre was the massacre of...
, where a council of war was held. During this meeting Uys was elected as "General Field Commandant" by those present - becoming, in effect, the first elected Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
Commandant-General
Commandant-General
Commandant-General is a rank in several counties and is generally equivalent to that of Commandant.-Italy:Comandante generale , in Fascist Italy's MVSN, was the title of the head of the Blackshirts, held by Benito Mussolini from 1922 to 1943.Nowadays, is the title held by the commander of the...
.
Potgieter, a natural leader, objected to this and stated that he and his men were not prepared to serve under any other leader. As a compromise, it was decided that each commando would remain under its own leader, but that both parties would fight together. This arrangement would prove to have disastrous consequences.
The battle
The two commandos (347 men) set out, in two separate columns, on 5 and 6 April 1838. On 9 April, near the Babanango Mountain Range, they saw a large Zulu impiImpi
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. However, in English it is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu. Its beginnings lie far back in historic tribal warfare customs, where groups of armed men called impis battled...
and took a number of them captive (although it has been speculated that these may have been spies
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
sent to lead them into a trap). The captives told the Voortrekkers that the main Zulu army was encamped near Umgungundlovu
UmGungundlovu
uMgungundlovu was the royal capital of the Zulu king Dingane and one of several military complexes which he maintained...
- the capital of their king
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
, Dingane
Dingane
Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
.
As a result of this information, Uys led the parties directly to the Zulu capital. About 6,4 kilometres from Umgungundlovu they did indeed encounter the main Zulu army - at a mountain defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
guarding the approaches to the Zulu capital. On each of the two hills at the end of the defile an impi was stationed, and another one waited in the valley between them - about 8,000 warriors.
Uys gave Potgieter a choice as to which impi he would like to attack. Potgieter chose the one in the valley, while Uys decided to attack the hill towards his right.
After riding to within 36 metres of the Zulu force, Uys ordered his men to dismount and open fire. Volleys from the Voortrekkers decimated the first two lines of the impi, while the third turned and fled. The battle appeared won.
On his side Potgieter made what was reported as a "half-hearted" attack on the Zulu forces, and then retired. However, sixteen members of his commando attacked the Zulus at the base of the hill on the left, riding close and firing at them. The Zulus charged this small party, who turned and fled. One man was killed on the Voortrekker side. After the survivors of the attack reached the rest of Potgieter's commando, they mounted and left the battlefield.
The remaining Zulu impis were now free to attack Uys' commando from the rear. Uys saw the Zulu force advancing and sent Gert Rudolph, the voortrekker leader that had replaced the ailing Gert Maritz, to Potgieter to request him to cover his rear. However, Potgieter ignored this request and continued retreating. The action of sending Gert Rudolph as a messenger to Potgieter almost certainly saved Gert Rudolph's life.
Meanwhile, two members of Uys' party (the Malan brothers) had become isolated from the rest of the commando while pursuing the fleeing Zulus and were being led into an ambush in a bushy gorge. Seeing the danger they were in, Uys wanted his whole commando to ride to their rescue. Most of the members considered this too risky, and refused. In response, Uys formed a party of fifteen volunteers (including his son, Dirkie
Dirkie Uys
Dirkie Uys was a Voortrekker hero during the Great Trek.After the massacare of Piet Retief and his men by Dingaan on 6 February 1838, a number of Voortrekker camps were also attacked by the Zulu impis. These Voortrekkers appealed to other treks, particularly those of Piet Uys and Hendrik Potgieter...
) and rode to their rescue. During the subsequent fighting Uys, his son, the Malan brothers as well as five of the volunteers were killed (for ten Voortrekker dead during the battle).
The part of Uys' commando that remained behind (under the command of Field Cornet
Field Cornet
A Field Cornet was a South African term for either a local government official or a military officer.Initially, the term was used for a civilian official in a local government district of the Cape Colony, acting as and invested with the authority of a military officer and empowered to act as a...
Potgieter), were surrounded and had to fight their way out.
Due to the outcome of the battle, the Voortrekker forces involved in the fighting subsequently became known as the Vlugkommando (Flight Commando).
Aftermath
The commandos returned to their camp on 12 April. During a subsequent meeting of the Voortrekkers, Potgieter was accused of cowardice and treachery for his refusal to endanger his commando in an attempt to rescue Uys' party. In vain, Potgieter argued that if he had attacked, he and his men would also have died at Italeni. In disgust at the cries of "traitor", Potgieter and his followers left and returned to the Orange Free State.However, it has been speculated that, without the lessons learnt as a result of the Battle of Italeni - such as fighting from the shelter of ox-wagon
Ox-wagon
An ox-wagon or bullock wagon is a four-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen . It was a traditional form of transport, especially in Southern Africa but also in New Zealand and Australia. Ox-wagons were also used in the United States...
s whenever possible and choosing the place of battle rather than being enticed into unfavourable terrain - the Voortrekkers would not have succeeded in finally beating the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River
Battle of Blood River
The Battle of Blood River, so called due to the colour of water in the Ncome River turning red with blood, was fought between 470 Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated 10,000–15,000 Zulu attackers on the bank of the Ncome River on 16 December 1838, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal,...
eight months later.
Site of the battle
As no place with the name of Italeni currently exists, the exact site of the battle remains unknown and has been the subject of some controversy. However, the most likely area lies in a mountainMountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
guarded by two hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
s that is approximately 4,8 kilometres southwest of Umgungundlovu. It has been speculated that the Zulus named it the "Battle of Italeni" as some of the fighting took place at Itala Mountain, 24 kilometres away.