Battle of Colenso

Dec 15, 1899

British Force

Commander: General Sir Redvers Buller VC

4 Infantry Brigades

1 Mounted Brigade

5 Field Batteries

3 Naval Batteries

Totaling: 14,000 infantry, 2,700 mounted infantry & 48 guns

General Buller’s mission upon arriving in the Natal was to end the war in South Africa with a fresh force arriving with him from England. His immediate concern was the town of Ladysmith with a 13,000 strong British force under siege by Boers. An assault through the town of Colenso was chosen eventually as the breakthrough point to Ladysmith. This was the most direct route to Ladysmith. The naval guns have been pounding the hills on the opposite side of the Tugela river for the past two days with unknown effect on the Boer forces.

It is now dawn on December 15, and the troops and guns are now in position to attack.

Objective:

- Push the Boer force out of this area to begin the relief of Ladysmith.

Intelligence

Drifts are located on the Tugela River. Unsure if these are currently fordable, as the water levels are higher at this time of year.

The Boers have seen the British force arriving in the area for the last two days and have probably estimated your numbers, and have prepared.

The Railway bridge is destroyed, but the Wagon bridge is standing.

You could expect Boer forces on the opposite side of the river, in the town of Colenso, and on Mt. Hlangwane hill.

There is an unknown Boer force size in this region. Only a few Boers have been spotted; Most likely scouts. There are about 7000 Boers along the whole Tugela River; Unknown how many are in this area around Colenso. There could be between 2000-6000 Boers facing this British force. Intelligence is only guessing at this.

The Boers have smokeless rifle and gun powder.

Glossary

Boer - Dutch for "tiller of the ground". The word was applied to cattle-breeders as well as agriculturists, and is frequently used in the plural form to signify the whole rural population of European blood, speaking the Dutch language.

Commando - A levy of local or territorial division of the militia; a body of burghers called out for military purposes.

Commandant - The Captain of a Commando.

Donga - Gully/Ravine.

Drift - Fordable crossing point in a stream or river.

Kraal - South African village of huts enclosed by fence; enclosure for cattle or sheep.

Lager - Dutch word meaning an enclosure for protective purposes, such as a circular wall of stone, or a number of wagons lashed together.

British Forces

Commander-in-Chief: General Sir Redvers Buller

Naval Artillery

2-4.7" guns

6-12pdr naval guns

Brigades

Hildyard’s 2^nd Brigade

2^nd Royal West Surrey

2^nd West Yorkshire

2^nd East Surrey

2^nd Devonshire

Lyttleton’s 4^th Brigade

2^nd Scottish Rifles

1^st Durban Light Infantry

1^st Rifle Brigade

3^rd King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Barton’s 6^th Brigade

1^st Royal Welsh Fusiliers

2^nd Royal Irish Fusiliers

2^nd Royal Scots Fusiliers

2^nd Royal Fusiliers

Hart’s 5^th Brigade

1^st Connaught Rangers

2^nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers

1^st Royal Inniskillin Fusiliers

1^st Scottish Borderers

Dundonald’s Mounted Brigade

1^st Royal Dragoons

13^th Hussars

Composite Regiment

Bethune’s Mounted Infantry

Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry

South African Light Horse

7^th Field Battery

Artillery Units

Colonel Long’s Guns

14^th Field Battery (6-15pdrs)

66^th Field Battery (6-15pdrs)

Ogilvy’s Naval Guns (6-12pdrs)

Colonel Parson’s Guns

63^rd Field Battery (6-15pdrs)

64^th Field Battery (6-15pdrs)