The Diary Of A Siege

DIARY OF A SIEGE23 JANUARY - 4 APRIL 1879

Day 1	Thu. 23 Jan	Column arrives at Eshowe. Death of Pte Dunne, 'The Buffs', wounded at Nyezane.
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	Fri. 24 Jan	Reinforcements for Lt Col Ely's convoy sent from Eshowe. Trace of new entrenchment layed out.
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	Sat. 25 Jan	Work parties begin digging ditches. Lt Col Coates sent with convoy to Lower Thukela.
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	Sun. 26 Jan	Pearson receives Frere's note to the effect that Durnford has been defeated but that Chelmsford has won a victory. Death of Sgt Hydenburg, NNC, wounded at Nyezane.
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Day 5	Mon. 27 Jan	Garrison told news of Durnford's defeat. Barrow takes mounted men on reconnaissance towards Mlalazi; Coates reaches Thukela.
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	Tue. 28 Jan	Barrow on recce to eNtumeni. Pearson receives Chelmsford's telegram instructing him to 'act in whatever manner you think desirable', and to be prepared for a major Zulu attack. Pearson decides to remain at Eshowe but to send back mounted men and NNC. Ely's convoy arrives. Tents abandoned, all men move into entrenchment. Barrow reaches Thukela.
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	Wed. 29 Jan	Pearson orders inventory of food and ammunition.
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	Thu. 30 Jan	Ninety oxen escape overnight. 1000 oxen are sent back to Lower Thukela; 500 are captured, the rest return to Eshowe.
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	Fri. 31 Jan	Ditch now completely surrounds entrenchment.
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	Sat. 1 Feb	Work begins on new cattle laager in ravine. Men placed on three-quarter rations. Death of Pte Kingston, 'The Buffs'
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	Sun. 2 Feb	Pearson receives full news of Isandlwana disaster, asks for more troops to be sent to Eshowe.
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Day 12	Mon. 3 Feb	Garrison given full details of Isandlwana. Large numbers of Zulus seen in area. Fourty-four oxen die in laager overnight.
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	Tue. 4 Feb	Pearson told no extra troops will be sent to Eshowe.
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	Wed. 5 Feb	Work on fort continues; daily band concerts begin.
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	Thu. 6 Feb	List of officers' casualties at Isandlwana received, together with story of Rorke's Drift. Chelmsford asks Pearson to reduce garrison and move to Lower Thukela. Pearson asks for twenty wagons of supplies.
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	Fri. 7 Feb	Powder magazine built, outlying defences commenced.
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	Sat. 8 Feb	Late start to general work due to overnight rain.
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	Sun. 9 Feb	Basic work on entrenchment completed; Zulu's fire on Captain Shervinton's patrol.
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Day 19	Mon. 10 Feb	Vendettes under fire.
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	Tue. 11 Feb	Pearson receives second letter urging him to retire with part of garrison to Thukela. Council of War decides to stay at Eshowe; Pearson informs Chelmsford they will nonetheless march out if orders are confirmed. Work on roadway within fort; death of Artificer Moore, HMS Active.
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	Wed. 12 Feb	General work on fort.
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	Thu. 13 Feb	Range markers layed out around fort. Death of Pte McLeod, 'The Buffs'
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	Fri. 14 Feb	Work started on caponnier in west face of fort.
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	Sat. 15 Feb	Death of Pte Oakley, 'The Buffs'
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	Sun. 16 Feb	March to Lower Thukela cancelled as no confirmation of order received from Chelmsford.
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Day 26	Mon. 17 Feb	Very wet day, no work.
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	Tue. 18 Feb	Pearson writes to Chelmsford again; lecture by Rev Robertson.
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	Wed. 19 Feb	Pearson rides out on recce to Mlalazi.
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	Thu. 20 Feb	Second lecture by Rev Robertson.
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	Fri. 21 Feb	Oxen driven over a mile from fort for grazing. Firing heard from the direction of Thukela. Deaths of Lce Cpl Taylor, 'The Buffs', Ptes Shields and Knee, 99th.
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	Sat. 22 Feb	Cattle guards under fire; troops sent from fort to drive off attackers. Two imizi burnt, heavy rain at night.
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	Sun. 23 Feb	Fort flooded. Auction of foodstuffs left behind by Volunteers.
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Day 33	Mon. 24 Feb	Pearson accompanies one raid; one umuzi burnt.
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	Tue. 25 Feb	Early rain prevents work in the morning.
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	Wed. 26 Feb	Work begins building wattle hut inside fort.
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	Thu. 27 Feb	General work continues.
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	Fri. 28 Feb	Late start to work due to bad weather; orders issued for major raid next day.
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	Sat. 1 Mar	Attack on eSiqwakeni ikhanda.
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	Sun. 2 Mar	Sun-flash signals observed at Lower Thukela.
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Day 40	Mon. 3 Mar	Part of received message understood.
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	Tue. 4 Mar	Hot-air message balloon completed, but bad weather prevents launch. Death of Pte Paul, 99th.
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	Wed. 5 Mar	Pearson orders a recce to find a route for proposed new road towards Thukela.
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	Thu. 6 Mar	Sun-flash message fully understood. Relief column to start on 13/3. Signalling screen completed. Heavy rain returns. Death of Drummer Mortimer, 'The Buffs'.
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	Fri. 7 Mar	Attack on Cpl Carson whilst on vedette duty.
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	Sat. 8 Mar	Strong winds destroy signalling screen. Rain collapses caponnier on south face. Last of slaughter oxen eaten. Deaths of Ld Seaman Radford, HMS Active, Pte Barber, Army Hospital Corps.
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	Sun. 9 Mar	Zulus open fire on road party. Death of Pte Stack, 'The Buffs'.
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Day 47	Mon. 10 Mar	Second signalling screen erected. Zulus attempt to surround road party, which is withdrawn. Runner arrives with fourteen-day old message, and is arrested as a spy.
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	Tue. 11 Mar	Lt Lewis of 'The Buffs' wounded while out with road party; torpedo exploded to deter Zulus from interfering with work. Attack on vedette post; Pte Brooks saved by Capt Shervinton. Large numbers of Zulus seen moving towards Nyezane to oppose relief column.
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	Wed. 12 Mar	More Zulus seen in direction of Nyezane: death of Capt Williams, 'The Buffs'.
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	Thu. 13 Mar	Road completed. Message received postponing relief until 1/4.
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	Fri. 14 Mar	Regular two-way communications established.
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	Sat. 15 Mar	Zulus observed retiring from Nyezane.
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	Sun. 16 Mar	Heavy thunderstorms herald three days of rain. Deaths of Pte Tubb, 99th, Marine Stagg and Midshipman Coker of HMS Active.
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Day 54	Mon. 17 Mar	Cattle laager relocated: Pte Kent, 99th (MI) killed on vedette duty. Death of Pte Venn, 99th.
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	Tue. 18 Mar	Bad weather prevents work.
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	Wed. 19 Mar	Runner arrives at Eshowe with news that relief column will march on 29/3.
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	Thu. 20 Mar	Raid on umuzi close to fort.
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	Fri. 21 Mar	Death of Pte Coombes, 99th.
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	Sat. 22 Mar	Rain prevents work in afternoon.
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	Sun. 23 Mar	Two Zulu enboys arrested as spies.
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Day 61	Mon. 24 Mar	Private sun-flash messages prohibited. Wagons withdrawn from fort and replaced with sod traverses.
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	Tue. 25 Mar	Work on new sod traverses continued.
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	Wed. 26 Mar	Death of Pte Roden, 99th.
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	Thu. 27 Mar	Second wattle hut completed. Death of Lt Davison, 99th and Pte Tarrant, 'The Buffs'.
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	Fri. 28 Mar	Two heavy rainstorms prevent work in afternoon. Death of Pte Lewis, 99th.
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	Sat. 29 Mar	Pearson receives request from Chelmsford to sally out and support his advance. Pearson replies that garrison is not fit enough. Runners arrive with medicine and newspapers.
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	Sun. 30 Mar	Relief column observed at amaTigulu river. Death of Lt Evelyn, 'The Buffs'.
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Day 68	Mon. 31 Mar	Cavalry scouts observed ten miles distant.
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	Tue. 1 Apr	Relief column forms laager about ten miles from Eshowe.
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	Wed. 2 Apr	Relief column defeats Zulus at battle of Gingindlovu. Death of Able Seaman Smith, HMS Active.
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	Thu. 3 Apr	The siege of Eshowe lifted.
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Day 72	Fri. 4 Apr	The garrison at Eshowe begins its return march to the Thukela. Death of Pte Monk, 'The Buffs'.

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