Page 85 - All About History - Issue 33-15

A-Z of the British Empire

Yorktown TheAnglo-ZuluWarwasprimarily
caused by British aggression
Theimportantsiegethatbroughtanendtomajor andiswellknownfortheheroic
defence at Rorke’s Drift
hostilities in the American War of Independence
Perhaps one of and French coalition army to
the most preventCornwallis’sescapefrom
pivotal battles Yorktown.Aseablockadewasput
in the history in place and shortly after land
of empire, troops advanced on the British
Yorktown positions. After the British lost
signified the naval superiority at the Battle of
endoftheBritishgriponAmerica. Virginia Capes, Cornwallis and his
The British commander, Lord men were isolated. After 20 days,
Cornwallis, had moved his troops to the situation was hopeless and
Yorktown, Virginia, in hope of Yorktown was surrendered with
maintaining communication with 8,000 British prisoners taken. The
themainBritisharmyinNewYork. defeatitselfwasn’tahugelossbutit
George Washington ordered French startedtopersuadetheBritish
GeneralLafayetteandanAmerican government to consider peace.

The British wanted to surrender
to the French but were forced to
admitdefeattotheAmericans

Zulu

PriortotheBoerWar,theBritishfoundanothergreat
threattotheirdesiretorulesouthernAfrica

In the early years of The first major conflict was at
the19thcentury,the Isandlwana, where 806 British
Zulus were the major soldiers died in what became an
holders of power in emphatic victory for the Zulus.
southern Africa. Thesameday,asmallBritish
However, with settlers encampment called Rorke’s Drift was
arriving from assaulted by huge numbers of Zulus,
overseas, it wasn’t long until violence but the garrison of just 145 men
brokeoutbetweenthemand remarkably held out.
the new Boer and British As the war progressed,
colonists who had The thetideturnedagainst
discovered gold and disastrous the Zulus, who
diamonds in Zulu and embarrassing were no match for
Cornwallis’s surrender depicted by John lands. Back in British tactics and
Trumbull,anartisthiredbytheUSgovernment loss at Isandlwana
specifically to produce patriotic paintings London, the firepower.
British wascoveredup;many A telling
government of the Victorian exampleofthis
weren’t keen on public never heard came at Kambula
war, but High thetruestory in March 1879,
Commissioner for when 2,000 Zulus
South Africa Bartle perished while the
Frerehadotherideas;he Britishonlylost18men.
issued an ultimatum to the This defeat broke the Zulu
Zulus. The harsh conditions imposed nation and effectively handed their
were not adhered to and predictably landsovertotheBritish.
led to war. Britishimperialismhadconquered
The Anglo-Zulu War began in SouthAfricaandtheareawould
January1879.TheZulushada become an important part of empire
numerical advantage with King until war broke out again 1880, this
Cetawayo boasting forces of 40,000. time against the Boers.
85