“Lord Chelmsford is not a bad man. He is industrious and conscientious so far as his lights guide him. But nature has refused to him the qualities of a great captain. He has suffered much and is entitled to certain commiseration.” – Thomas Gibson Bowles, Vanity Fair

General Lord Chelmsford’s military career took him around the world; he served in the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny and the Abyssinian Expedition, before commanding the British invasion of the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa.

In January 1879, disaster struck when Chelmsford divided his forces at Isandlwana in the face of the enemy and the Zulu overwhelmed his camp, killing more than 1,300 of its defenders. Such a defeat was almost unprecedented in a Victorian colonial campaign. Despite Chelmsford's later victories at Gingindlovu and Ulundi, he was humiliatingly relieved of his command. His responsibility for Isandlwana dogged him for the rest of his days, and he would forever be associated with this historic defeat.

In this comprehensive new biography, Anglo-Zulu War specialist John Laband, explores the personal character and military career of Lord Chelmsford, providing a well-rounded, well-balanced and well-informed picture of this complex military figure.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• List of Maps, Table
• List of Plates
• Foreword by Ian Knight
• PREFACE A Case of Incompetency?
• PART I A Burgeoning Military Career, 1844-1877
  • CHAPTER 1 The Thesigers: A Family on the Rise
  • CHAPTER 2 The Making of an Officer
  • CHAPTER 3 With the Rifle Brigade in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1845
  • CHAPTER 4 Grenadier Guards, London and Dublin, 1845-1855
  • CHAPTER 5 In the Crimea, 1855–1856
  • CHAPTER 6 Exchanging into the 95th Regiment, 1856–1858
  • CHAPTER 7 The Indian Mutiny: Central India Campaign, 1858–1859
  • CHAPTER 8 The Bombay Presidency, 1859–1867
  • CHAPTER 9 The Expedition to Abyssinia, 1867–1868
  • CHAPTER 10 Adjutant-General in India, 1868–1874
  • CHAPTER 11 Home Commands and the Cardwell Reforms, 1874–1878
• PART II Command in the Ninth Cape Frontier War, 1878
  • CHAPTER 12 The Nature of the South African Command, 1873–1875
  • CHAPTER 13 The Ninth Cape Frontier War, 1875–1878
  • CHAPTER 14 General Officer Commanding South Africa, 1878
  • CHAPTER 15 Finishing the Ninth Cape Frontier War, 1878
• PART III Command in the Anglo-Zulu War, 1878–1879
  • CHAPTER 16 Establishing Headquarters in Pietermaritzburg
  • CHAPTER 17 Readying the Invasion Force, August 1878–January 1879
  • CHAPTER 18 Planning the Invasion,August 1878–January 1879
  • CHAPTER 19 Opening Moves of the Zulu Campaign, January 1879
  • CHAPTER 20 Zulu Preparations to Resist, January 1879
  • CHAPTER 21 Isandlwana: The Division of Forces
  • CHAPTER 22 Isandlwana: Return to the Camp and Rorke’s Drift
  • CHAPTER 23 Panic in Natal and the Despatch of ReinforcementsCHAPTER 23 Panic in Natal and the Despatch of Reinforcements
  • CHAPTER 24 Regrouping, January–April 1879
  • CHAPTER 25 Failing to Shift the Blame, January–April 1879
  • CHAPTER 26 The Eshowe Relief Column, March–April 1879
  • CHAPTER 27 The Battle of Gingindlovu, 2 April 1879
  • CHAPTER 28 Preparing for the Second Invasion, April–May 1879
  • CHAPTER 29 Launching the Second Invasion, May–June 1879
  • CHAPTER 30 Misfortunes and Disputes, June 1879
  • CHAPTER 31 Supersession, May–June 1879
  • CHAPTER 32 The Advance to the White Mfolozi, June–July 1879
  • CHAPTER 33 The Battle of Ulundi, July 1879
  • CHAPTER 34 Resignation, July–August 1879
• PART IV Aftermath, 1879–1905
  • CHAPTER 35 The Shadow of Isandlwana, August 1879–January 1887
  • CHAPTER 36 The Courtier General, April 1882–April 1905
• CONCLUSION ‘Ill-Luck Always Attends upon Mismanagement’
• Chronology
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements