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Primary sourcePainting15 March 1879

The Zulu War, Isandhlwana: the Dash with the Colours

After John Charles Dollman · 15 March 1879

An 1879 wood-engraved illustration of British officers riding through the Battle of Isandlwana, which Cetshwayo's Zulu army won.

Depicts the Battle of Isandlwana, a major victory won by the Zulu army under Cetshwayo's leadership.

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Black and white wood-engraved illustration of a battle scene. Two mounted British officers in red-and-dark uniforms ride through a crowd of African warriors with shields and spears, some lying wounded or dead on the ground. Canvas-covered wagons are visible in the background.
After John Charles Dollman, The Zulu War, Isandhlwana: the Dash with the Colours. The Graphic, 15 March 1879.

About this source

What it is

This is a wood-engraved illustration published in The Graphic on 15 March 1879, made after a work by John Charles Dollman. It depicts two British officers, Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill, riding through the Zulu army while trying to save the colours of the 24th Regiment during the Battle of Isandlwana.

Why it matters

Isandlwana was a major Zulu victory under King Cetshwayo's leadership, but this British illustrated newspaper image focuses entirely on the bravery of two British officers, not the Zulu army or its king. It shows how the British press shaped the story of the battle for readers at home, emphasising heroism and loss on their own side.

Look closer

  • Whose actions does this image focus on, and whose are left in the background?
  • Why might a newspaper choose to illustrate this particular moment of the battle?
  • What does the image leave out about the Zulu army's experience of the battle?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cetshwayo kaMpande on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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