伊散德爾瓦納戰役

伊散德爾瓦納戰役（英語：Battle of Isandlwana）發生於1879年1月22日－1月23日，為祖魯戰爭先期戰爭中，極為重要的戰役。該戰役中，20,000名南非祖魯人成功伏擊了英國遠征軍進攻至伊散德爾瓦納的約1,700人前鋒。儘管面對着軍事裝備的巨大劣勢，但祖魯人最後仍以約1千至4千人的代價擊敗英軍，並令英軍戰死超過1,300人，幾乎全軍覆沒。祖魯人並趁此機會收復羅克渡口的原本失土。

伊散德爾瓦納戰役
祖魯戰爭的一部分
泰格茅斯·梅爾維爾（英語：Teignmouth Melvill） †及內維爾·科吉爾（英語：Nevill Coghill (VC)） †兩位中尉帶着軍旗撤退
日期 1879年1月22日 地點 南非伊散德爾瓦納 28°21′32″S 30°39′9″E 結果 祖魯勝利
參戰方
大英帝國	祖魯王國
指揮官與領導者
安東尼·鄧霍（英語：Anthony Durnford）中校 † 亨利·普林（英語：Henry Pulleine）少校 †	Vumindaba kaNthati Mavumengwana kaNdlela
兵力
第三縱列 英軍：14人 土著和殖民軍：511人 第三縱列 英軍：734人 土著和殖民軍：578人 總共： 1,837人[1]	祖魯部隊： 約20,000人[2] 10,000-15,000人參戰 預備隊： 3,000-5,000人至羅克渡口
傷亡與損失
超過1,300人戰死：[3] 52名軍官[4] 727名英軍[4][5] 476名非英軍士兵[4] 343名非洲土著[6] 133名殖民軍[7] 2門火砲被俘	約1,000–3,000人戰死[8][9] 2,000人受傷[10]

註解

1. All figures from Holme, N. (1999) The Noble 24th: Biographical Records of the 24th Regiment in the Zulu War and the South African Campaigns, 1877–1879 pp. 377–78
2. Doyle, p. 120: "... around 20,000 ...". Colenso, p. 313, "The Zulu army, he (Nugwende) says, numbered 20,0000 ..." and p. 312, "... full nominal strength reaches a total of 30,900 men but the actual numbers are estimated at from 20,000 to 25,000
3. Knight (2002), p. 86
4. Giliomee, Hermann; Mbenga, Bernard. New History of South Africa First. Tafelberg Publishers. 2007: 166. ISBN 978-0-624-04359-1.
5. Smith-Dorrien, Chapter 1D, "... nearly 900 British and 2,000 or 3,000 natives, friend and foe, had breathed their last on the fatal 22nd."
6. Lock, p. 224
7. Colenso, p. 312, gives 1333 also states a "given" total as 822 but says the actual loss is slightly higher
8. Knight, Ian. Isandlwana 1879: The Great Zulu Victory, Osprey, 2002, p. 86, "Zulu casualties were almost as heavy (as the British). Although it is impossible to say with certainty, at least 1,000 were killed outright in the assault...". Knight's estimate of Zulu casualties is more in keeping with those suffered by the Zulu at Kambula, where a British column forms an excellent defensive position with a wagon lager, six 7 pounder artillery pieces and 2,000 soldiers and inflicts 800 (counted bodies) – 1,000 killed on the Zulu. Similarly, Knight & Castle. Zulu War 1879: twilight of a warrior nation, 1992, p. 54 and in their Zulu War, 2004, p. 114, state that the Zulu casualties at Kambula and Isandlwana are comparable. Again, Ian Knight. Brave Men's Blood, The Epic of the Zulu War, 1879, (1990), p. 142, "785 [bodies] were collected from close by the camp", while there is a British pursuit at Kambula that inflicts many casualties on the Zulu, there is only the British retreat at Isandlwana during which the Zulu inflict many casualties. Also Laband, Historical Dictionary, 2009, p. 123.
9. Smith-Dorrien, Chapter 1D, "The next few days after the battle, St. Matthew's simile, " Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together," was fully illustrated, for literally the sky was darkened at times by continuous streams of " Aasvogels " heading from all directions to the battlefield marked by that precipitous and conspicuous crag, like a lion couchant, " Isandhlwana " where nearly 900 British and 2,000 or 3,000 natives, friend and foe, had breathed their last on the fatal 22nd." As can be seen from this account there were from both sides a total of 2 to 3 thousand natives killed.
10. Victor David Davis Hanson, "Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power", p. 282, Anchor Books, 2002. Hanson highlights Zulu accounts of how simply being hit by a Martini Henry .45 slug was usually enough for a crippling or maiming wound and in the absence of effective medical care, many wounded Zulus died, within several hours or a few days as result of wounds sustained at Isandlwana.