22 January in military history: Battle of Isandlwana, 1879

Quick answer

On 22 January 1879, in the Anglo-Zulu War, a Zulu army attacked the British camp below the hill of Isandlwana in Zululand, now KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, while Lord Chelmsford was away with half his column. The camp was overrun and more than 1,300 of its defenders were killed. That evening Rorke's Drift held out.

Battle of Isandlwana, 1879: the day the Zulu broke a British army

22 January 1879 · 147 years ago

The Zulu won at Isandlwana on 22 January 1879: some 20,000 warriors overran a British camp and killed about 1,300 men. Zulu tactics, Rorke's Drift, a map.

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Battle of Anzio, 1944: the landing that was meant to open the road to Rome

22 January 1944 · 82 years ago

Allied troops landed at Anzio and Nettuno to outflank German defenses south of Rome and open the way to the capital, in Italy during World War II. The beachhead faced months of fighting against German and Italian RSI forces that ended only with the liberation of Rome.

Read the full story of Battle of Anzio, 1944: the landing that was meant to open the road to Rome ›

Frequently asked questions

What happened at Isandlwana on 22 January 1879?

A Zulu army attacked the British camp at Isandlwana while Lord Chelmsford was away with half of his column. The camp was overrun and more than 1,300 of its defenders were killed.

Why did the British lose at Isandlwana?

Chelmsford had divided his column and left the camp unentrenched, without a wagon laager. The defenders' firing line was too strung out to hold against a much larger army. Whether ammunition supply played a decisive part is still debated.

How many men died at Isandlwana?

On the British side 1,329: 52 officers and 1,277 men, including 471 African troops. Zulu deaths are uncertain: the official British narrative and the Talana Museum give more than 1,000, and other estimates run above 3,000.

What is the connection between Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift?

The Zulu reserve went on to attack the small British post at Rorke's Drift the same afternoon. About 140 defenders held it through the night, and eleven of them received the Victoria Cross.