Hello All, Here is another letter announcing the release of John Jenkins June 2026 Figures.
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The Last Stand at Gandamak – 13th January 1842
The Battle of Gandamak on 13th January 1842 marked the final defeat of General Elphinstone’s retreating army during the disastrous withdrawal from Kabul. Surrounded by Afghan tribesmen on a snowy hill near Gandamak, the remaining soldiers of the 44th East Essex Regiment refused to surrender despite having only a handful of working muskets and little ammunition. After fierce fighting, most were killed when the position was overrun. Captain Thomas Alexander Souter survived after being mistaken for a high-ranking officer because he carried the regimental colours wrapped around his body, and was taken captive along with a small number of survivors. The battlefield remained littered with weapons, equipment, and human remains well into modern times.
Thomas C. Collins was an officer of the 44th East Essex Regiment who died during the infamous retreat from Kabul in the First Anglo-Afghan War. Born in Bristol in 1801, he followed his father into military service, receiving a commission in the 2nd Dragoon Guards at just eighteen years of age. After marriage and early promotion, Collins travelled to India, later transferring to the 89th Regiment of Foot before eventually joining the 44th Regiment, choosing to remain in India even when his regiment returned to England.
By 1841, Collins was serving with the 44th in Kabul during the growing unrest in Afghanistan. Although promoted to Captain, he requested to remain attached to the regiment, even at the reduced rank of Lieutenant. As rebellion spread through Kabul, the 44th became heavily involved in a series of desperate skirmishes, including the fierce fighting on the Beymaru Heights. Poor leadership, collapsing morale, harsh winter conditions, and dwindling supplies soon forced the British garrison into its disastrous retreat towards India.
Collins survived the horrors of the Khord Kabul Pass and was wounded in the left arm during fighting at Kutter Sung on 11th January 1842. Continuing on through the deadly Jagdalak Pass, he eventually reached the final defensive position near Gandamak, where the last survivors of the Army of the Indus made their doomed stand against overwhelming Afghan forces.
Following his death at Gandamak, Collins’ widow Emma petitioned the British government for a pension, which was granted with the support of the Colonel of the 44th Regiment. While Emma spent the remainder of her life in a small cottage near Norwich, Collins himself was left buried forever on the windswept hillside above Gandamak alongside his fellow soldiers.
GAN-03 Bt.Capt. THOMAS C. COLLINS.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR GERMAN ARMOUR
On 10th May 1940, Germany launched its major western offensive against the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, beginning a campaign that would quickly transform the war in Europe. The invasion demonstrated Germany’s new style of warfare, later known as Blitzkrieg or “Lightning War,” which combined concentrated armoured assaults, fast-moving infantry, close air support from the Luftwaffe, and rapid manoeuvre to overwhelm enemy forces before they could effectively respond.
The Allied powers expected a repeat of the static trench warfare seen during the First World War and moved large numbers of troops into Belgium to meet the expected German advance. However, under the German plan Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the main thrust came farther south through the heavily wooded Ardennes Forest, an area the Allies considered unsuitable for large armoured formations. After crossing the Meuse River near Sedan, German Panzer divisions broke through French defenses and advanced rapidly toward the English Channel, cutting off the British Expeditionary Force and large sections of the French Army.
At the same time, powerful German armoured units operating in Belgium shattered Allied positions through speed, surprise, and aggressive manoeuvre warfare. Among the most famous formations involved in the campaign was the 7th Panzer Division, whose rapid advances and battlefield success helped cement its reputation during the invasion of France.
GA12B THE SECOND WORLD WAR TANK Panzer I Ausf. B #104
THE ANCIENTS ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF GREECE AND MACEDONIA
THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN ARMY | KARDAKE INFANTRY
The Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great around 550 BC, rose to become the first true superpower of the ancient world. Stretching from the Balkans in Europe to the Indus Valley in Asia, it was the largest empire ever seen at the time, uniting vast territories, cultures, and peoples under a single rule.
Renowned for its remarkable system of government, the empire combined strong central authority with regional administration through powerful satraps serving the “King of Kings.” It constructed extensive road and postal networks, established an official language across its domains, and maintained a disciplined professional army capable of controlling millions of square kilometres of territory. The Achaemenid Empire set new standards in administration, infrastructure, and imperial organisation, becoming a model that would influence great empires for centuries to come.
The Achaemenid Empire governed one of the most vast and culturally diverse realms of the ancient world, stretching from the shores of Anatolia and Egypt deep into Central Asia and the Indus Valley. This extraordinary breadth of territory brought together a remarkable mosaic of peoples, traditions, and ways of warfare, all of which were reflected in the empire’s military strength—most notably its cavalry.
Achaemenid cavalry was not a single uniform force, but a composite of elite horsemen drawn from many subject peoples, including Medes, Persians, Bactrians, Scythians, and Sakas. Each group contributed its own distinctive martial heritage—ranging from steppe-based hit-and-run tactics to disciplined imperial cavalry traditions. When unified under Persian command, these diverse elements formed a highly flexible and formidable mounted arm, capable of adapting to different battlefields and helping sustain the empire’s control over its immense and far-reaching dominions.
AP-35YB PERSIAN KARDAKE INFANTRY
AP-35YBN PERSIAN KARDAKE INFANTRY
AP-35L PERSIAN KARDAKE INFANTRY
THE SAMNITES
The Samnites were an Oscan-speaking people of central and southern Italy, part of a broader family of related Italic tribes who shared linguistic and cultural ties across the peninsula. Among these groups, the Samnites stood out as the most powerful and politically organised, forming a formidable confederation of four principal tribes: the Pentri, Caudini, Hirpini, and Caraceni.
Renowned for their fierce independence and martial strength, they emerged as Rome’s most formidable Italian adversary during the long and bitter series of conflicts known as the Samnite Wars (343–272 BC). Time and again they resisted Roman expansion with remarkable determination and military skill, forcing Rome to adapt and evolve its own army in response. Even after their eventual subjugation, the Samnites’ legacy of resistance endured, with many later siding with Hannibal during his great campaign against Rome in the Second Punic War.
Livy, the early Roman historian, records that the Samnites employed a loose, adaptable phalanx formation arranged in a broad square, designed for maximum flexibility in the broken and mountainous terrain of central Italy.
Unlike the classical Greek phalanx, which was a devastating force in head-on confrontation, it was inherently rigid and heavily dependent on flat, open ground to maintain cohesion. Once engaged, it became dangerously exposed on its flanks and rear, where its dense formation could be exploited. Although the Romans had previously used phalanx warfare to good effect on the coastal plains, they discovered that in the constricted valleys and rugged uplands of the Italian interior, the system proved increasingly impractical and ultimately ineffective.
By contrast, the Samnites were masters of fluid, irregular warfare. Deeply attuned to mountain terrain, they excelled in mobility, ambush tactics, and rapid manoeuvre, allowing them to outfight more rigid formations and making them one of early Rome’s most dangerous and elusive opponents.
CTSM-16A SAMNITE WARRIOR
CTSM-16B SAMNITE WARRIOR
ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF ANCIENT ROME
THE ROMAN ARMY OF THE MID REPUBLIC 275 – 140BC
The mid-Republican Roman army—often referred to as the manipular or “Polybian” system—defined Roman military power from the end of the Samnite Wars (c. 290 BC) through to the close of the Social War in 88 BC. Its organisation is described in detail by the Greek historian Polybius, writing in the 2nd century BC.
At the core of this system was a groundbreaking tactical innovation: the manipular formation. This replaced the inflexible phalanx with a far more dynamic structure known as the triplex acies. The legion was deployed in three staggered lines composed of small, highly manoeuvrable units called maniples, each typically numbering around 120 soldiers. Arranged in a checkerboard pattern, this formation gave the Roman battle line exceptional depth, flexibility, and the ability to respond rapidly to changing conditions on the battlefield.
In action, the lightly armed velites advanced first, harassing and disrupting the enemy’s approach. Behind them stood the hastati, who formed the first main line of engagement. If they were unable to achieve a breakthrough, they would withdraw in an organised fashion, allowing the more seasoned principes to take their place. Should the battle still remain undecided, the veteran triarii—Rome’s final reserve—would be committed to stabilise the line or deliver the decisive push.
This carefully layered system was employed with remarkable consistency and became one of the key foundations of Roman battlefield dominance. In later years, commanders such as Scipio Africanus refined its use further, notably at the Great Plains and at Zama, adapting its strengths to meet evolving strategic challenges.
MID Republican Roman Principles
In major battles, Roman heavy infantry was deployed in three disciplined lines, with the fighting concentrated in the front two: the hastati and principes. These ranks consisted largely of younger soldiers tasked with absorbing and sustaining the main combat.
Behind them stood the triarii, veteran troops forming a final reserve—committed only in crisis to stabilise the line or prevent collapse.
The principes, originally men in their prime with the means for quality equipment, occupied the crucial second line and often delivered the decisive blow. By the Punic Wars, they were defined more by experience than wealth, evolving into hardened veterans while retaining their central battlefield role.
PMRR-02R PRINCIPES
PMRR-02Y PRINCIPES
PMRR-02RN PRINCIPES
PMRR-02YN PRINCIPES
GLADIATORS
Gladiators in ancient Rome were armed fighters who entertained audiences by battling each other, wild animals, and condemned criminals in public arenas. Most were enslaved and trained under harsh conditions, though some volunteered for fame or reward. Despite their low social status, they could gain admiration for bravery in the arena, and they became a widely celebrated part of Roman culture, appearing frequently in art and everyday objects across the empire.
GLAD-10 THE GLADIATOR
THE EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY COLLECTION
THE RAID ON ST. FRANCIS 1759
ROGER’S RANGERS
Roger’s Rangers was an elite light infantry force raised in New Hampshire by Major Robert Rogers during the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War), serving under the British Army in North America. The unit drew heavily on frontier ranger traditions developed by colonial irregular fighters, as well as earlier pioneering doctrines of unconventional warfare associated with leaders such as Benjamin Church.
Under Rogers’ command, the Rangers became a highly mobile, fast-strike force trained for deep reconnaissance, long-range scouting, and offensive raids against enemy outposts far beyond conventional lines. Operating with remarkable independence in harsh wilderness conditions, they became specialists in endurance, stealth, and rapid manoeuvre.
Their tactics and discipline were formally standardised by Rogers in his celebrated “28 Rules of Ranging,” which helped define one of the earliest structured approaches to irregular warfare in the colonial era.
RR-37 ROGER’S RANGERS.
RR-37N ROGER’S RANGERS
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE & AMERICAN ARTILLERY
The early years of the Continental Army were marked by significant organisational difficulties, causing considerable frustration for Washington as he worked to transform loosely organised colonial forces into a professional army. This challenge is most clearly seen in the creation of the artillery branch, which had to be built entirely from scratch. Despite these difficulties, the Continental artillery developed rapidly and had become an efficient and well-regulated force by 1778.
Uniform standards in the artillery remained inconsistent in the early period, with more variation than in the infantry. This began to change with reforms introduced in October 1779, which standardised the appearance of all four Continental artillery regiments and removed earlier differences between units, creating a more unified identity for the corps.
Prior to these regulations, artillerymen were typically dressed in dark blue coats, usually with red facings, reflecting the early supply limitations and the gradual move toward uniformity within the Continental Army.
AWIART-01 MOUNTED OFFICER
BRITISH MOUNTED OFFICERS
Despite Britain’s recent campaigning experience in Europe and North America, its command structure remained relatively underdeveloped. Rather than a formal modern staff system, a commander-in-chief relied on a personal staff chosen to suit his own style, primarily focused on logistics, communication, and relaying orders rather than strategic planning.
British senior leadership in this era was generally capable and occasionally effective, but seldom marked by outstanding decisiveness. Sir Thomas Gage, the initial commander in North America, was removed after the heavy losses at Bunker Hill. He was replaced by Sir William Howe, who enjoyed several battlefield victories and was well regarded by his soldiers, but lacked the aggressive drive often associated with more decisive commanders.
A further weakness lay in poor coordination between senior British generals. Cooperation was inconsistent, and in 1777 Howe failed to adequately support Burgoyne’s northern campaign. This breakdown in coordination directly contributed to Burgoyne’s defeat and surrender at Saratoga.
SBRIT-02 FRANCIS CLERKE MOUNTED OFFICER
THE JACOBITE REBELLION 1745 | CUMBERLAND’S ARMY
The Jacobite Rising of 1745 was a final attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to restore his father to the British throne. It occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession, when much of Britain’s military strength was committed overseas, and represented the last major Jacobite rebellion following earlier uprisings in 1689, 1715, and 1719.
Charles raised his standard at Glenfinnan on 19 August 1745 and achieved early success, capturing Edinburgh and defeating government forces at Prestonpans. Encouraged by expectations of English Jacobite support and a promised French landing, he agreed in October to invade England. When these supports failed to appear, the campaign stalled, and the Jacobites withdrew to Scotland, leading to their decisive defeat at Culloden in April 1746. Charles later escaped to France but was unable to revive the cause and eventually died in exile in Rome in 1788.
The Battle of Culloden, fought on 16 April 1746, lasted less than an hour and is often regarded as the last pitched battle on British soil. A failed night march left many Jacobite forces exhausted or separated, reducing their strength to under 5,000 men against a well-prepared government army of 7,000–9,000 under the Duke of Cumberland.
The engagement began with artillery fire, where government guns quickly established superiority. The Jacobite artillery was weakened further by the absence of experienced leadership, including James Grant, who had been wounded beforehand. After enduring heavy bombardment, Charles ordered a frontal assault when the government army held its position.
The charge was disrupted by difficult, boggy terrain, breaking the momentum of the advance before the Jacobites struck Cumberland’s left wing. Although they initially forced some government units back, they were unable to break the line. Grapeshot fire inflicted devastating casualties, and the Jacobite attack ultimately collapsed.
While some government and foreign regiments withdrew in an orderly fashion, many Highlanders were cut down during the pursuit. The battle ended in a decisive government victory, effectively destroying the Jacobite army. In its aftermath, Charles ordered the remaining forces to disperse, marking the end of the rising.
DEJEAN’S REGIMENT OF FOOT
The British Army in this period was made up of 69 regular infantry regiments, all wearing the distinctive red coat. Each regiment consisted of a single battalion formed of ten companies, including one grenadier company. A company was intended to field about 70 men, giving a full battalion a theoretical strength of roughly 700 soldiers.
In reality, regiments were often well below establishment, especially in wartime. At Culloden, the strongest battalion present was Dejean’s Regiment with 426 men, while Blakeney’s 27th Regiment fielded only around 300. The grenadier companies were usually kept closest to full strength by drawing experienced men from the other companies, making them the most elite troops within each regiment.
The 37th Regiment of Foot was raised in Ireland in February 1702 by Lieutenant-General Thomas Meredyth and was originally known as Meredyth’s Regiment. It later saw action at Dettingen in 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession, and fought at Falkirk in January 1746 during the Jacobite Rising, where its Colonel, Sir Robert Munro, was killed in fierce close-quarter combat.
The regiment went on to serve under Colonel Lewis Dejean at Culloden in April 1746 before returning to the Netherlands to fight at Lauffeld in 1747. In 1751, a royal warrant replaced regimental titles based on colonels’ names with a numbered system according to precedence, officially renaming Dejean’s Regiment as the 37th Regiment of Foot.
A grenadier officer later noted that his platoon was nearly overwhelmed in the fighting, adding that his men showed little inclination to take prisoners. This, he suggested, stemmed from the widespread belief that several of their officers had been killed in cold blood by Jacobite troops at Falkirk just three months earlier.
Other accounts describe British infantry standing firm with fixed bayonets in the front rank, forming a protective barrier while the men behind continued the disciplined process of loading and firing. A commonly reported tactical refinement involved directing bayonet thrusts toward an enemy’s exposed right side rather than straight ahead, a technique thought to bypass the Highlanders’ targe shields and contribute to stopping the charge. This method is famously illustrated in David Morier’s painting Incident in the Rebellion, which depicts the front rank of Barrell’s 4th Foot advancing with leveled bayonets.
Dejean’s Regiment was positioned alongside Barrell’s 4th Foot during the engagement. While Barrell’s men were ultimately overrun by the Highland assault, Dejean’s regiment managed to hold its ground under severe pressure, though it also sustained heavy losses. Its reported casualties were 14 killed and 68 wounded, making it the second most heavily affected unit after the heavily battered 4th Foot.
BJ37-23 LINE INFANTRY DEFENDING
BJ37-23N LINE INFANTRY DEFENDING
THE GOLD RUSH
A gold rush, or “gold fever,” describes the sudden discovery of gold that triggers a массов influx of prospectors hoping to strike it rich. Throughout the 19th century, major gold rushes occurred across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and South Africa, rapidly transforming remote regions into booming frontier settlements.
These events were often driven by powerful optimism and a sense of opportunity, where individuals believed sudden wealth was within reach—captured in ideas such as the “California Dream.” Gold rushes encouraged large-scale migration and permanent settlement, shaping the cultural and social development of frontier societies in both North America and Australia. Because global economies were still closely tied to gold, new discoveries also stimulated wider financial growth far beyond the mining fields.
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) stands as the most famous example, drawing vast numbers of miners to the Sierra Nevada. It rapidly reshaped California into an industrialising region, as businesses, banking systems, and infrastructure expanded to support the population surge. The need for governance and order also accelerated California’s admission to the United States in 1850.
In Australia, several major gold rushes—particularly in New South Wales, Victoria in 1851, and Western Australia in the 1890s—played a key role in shaping economic development, immigration patterns, and infrastructure growth. While some individuals achieved great wealth, many others remained in the colonies, often turning to agriculture under generous land settlement policies.
One of the final major gold rushes was the Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899) in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Immortalised in the writings of Jack London and Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush, it centred on the Klondike River near Dawson City and helped open up Alaska and the broader northern frontier to exploration and settlement.
WSP-135 THE WATERBOY
THE MOUNTAIN MEN | JOHN COLTER
John Colter (c. 1770–1775 – died either 7 May 1812 or 22 November 1813) served as a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition between 1804 and 1806. However, he is most famous for his later solo journeys during the winter of 1807–1808, when he became the first known person of European descent to enter the area that would later become Yellowstone National Park and to encounter the Teton Range.
His long periods of isolation in the wilderness demonstrated exceptional survival ability, and he is widely regarded as one of the earliest “Mountain Men” of the American frontier.
John Colter is believed to have been born in Stuarts Draft, in the Colony of Virginia, in 1774. Growing up on the frontier, he developed exceptional wilderness skills that later impressed Meriwether Lewis, who recruited him on 15 October 1803 as a private in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, paying five dollars a month.
Colter soon became one of the expedition’s most skilled hunters and scouts, often sent out alone to secure food and supplies. His abilities in tracking and survival also made him invaluable in helping the expedition navigate difficult terrain, including key passes through the Rocky Mountains.
In 1808, Colter joined fellow veteran John Potts on a trading expedition from Fort Raymond in Montana. While escorting a large party of Flathead and Crow allies back toward the fort, they were ambushed by a much larger force of Blackfeet warriors. Although they managed to drive off the attackers, Colter was injured in the leg during the fight.
The following year, another confrontation with the Blackfeet proved far more tragic. Potts was killed after resisting capture, while Colter was taken prisoner while travelling by canoe on the Jefferson River. Stripped and disarmed, he was then released but immediately forced to flee, running for his life with a large war party in pursuit. After an exhausting escape across miles of rough terrain, he eventually outpaced most of his pursuers and overcame the last man close behind him.
Seizing a blanket from the fallen warrior, Colter continued his escape, reaching the Madison River and hiding inside a beaver lodge. Under cover of night, he escaped and endured an eleven-day trek to reach a trading post near the Little Big Horn River. His remarkable journey has since been commemorated in the annual “John Colter’s Run” held at Missouri Headwaters State Park.
WSP-45 THE MOUNTAIN MEN
THUNDER ON THE PLAINS
THE FIGHT WHEN ROMAN NOSE WAS KILLED, 17th SEPTEMBER 1868
CHEYENNE WARRIORS.
While hunting was a common male activity embedded within family and daily life, warfare was formally organised through structured tribal warrior societies. These societies were built around shared experience in combat, reinforced by rituals that celebrated and strengthened the identity and role of the warrior.
Henry Roman Nose (also known as Roman Nose II), a 19th-century Cheyenne war leader and warrior.
He was a prominent figure among the Northern Cheyenne during the conflicts of the 1860s, especially the American Indian Wars on the Great Plains. Roman Nose was known for his bravery, leadership, and participation in several major battles, including engagements connected to Red Cloud’s War.
He also had a strong spiritual reputation. Before going into battle, he is said to have observed strict ceremonial practices and carried sacred objects believed to protect him in combat.
Roman Nose was killed in 1868 during the Battle of Beecher Island, a fight between Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Sioux warriors and U.S. Army scouts led by George A. Forsyth. His death was a significant moment in the conflict and deeply affected Cheyenne resistance efforts.
Their responsibilities extended beyond fighting alone, often including duties performed for the benefit of the wider band. In their purpose, symbolism, and ceremonial life, they were fully oriented toward war, with religious elements largely centred on seeking spiritual or supernatural assistance in battle.
Accounts differ on the exact number of warrior societies that existed.
With about 150 members, this society derived its name from its members emulation of the Kit Fox or coyote, in their powers of endurance, cunning, activeness and alertness.
Having prepared their medicine, these warriors would feel light and able to outstriptheir fellow tribesmen in endurance.
All members of the society dressed alike. A black painted crescent shaped piece of hide was worn about the neck suspended by a string.
Warriors always wore two eagle feathers struck vertically in their scalplock, their bodies and upper parts of their arms and legs were painted yellow, while the lower arms and legs were painted black.
Figures Included Below:
SSB-26 CHEYENNE WARRIORS | COYOTE SOCIETY
SSB-23 CHEYENNE WARRIORS | RED SHIELD SOCIETY
THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA | THE INCA EMPIRE
The Inca Empire was the largest political entity in pre-Columbian America, originating in the Peruvian Andes during the early 13th century. Centered on Cusco, it developed into a powerful administrative, military, and spiritual hub. From 1438 to 1533, the Incas expanded dramatically across western South America through conquest and assimilation, forming a vast empire that stretched from modern Peru into Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile. Its official language was Quechua.
The empire was brought down by Spanish forces beginning in 1532, and by 1572 its final remnants had been eliminated. Despite lacking many technologies associated with Old World civilizations—such as wheeled transport, iron and steel tools, draft animals, and a formal writing system—the Incas created a highly sophisticated imperial state.
They achieved this through extraordinary engineering and organisation, including massive stone architecture, an extensive Andean road network, advanced agricultural systems, finely woven textiles, and the use of quipus (knotted cords) for record-keeping and communication.
Rather than relying on money or markets, the Inca economy was based on reciprocal exchange and state-controlled labour. Subjects paid tribute through work obligations, and in return the state provided access to land, resources, and communal feasts.
At the apex of society stood the Sapa Inca, ruler of both the empire and the earlier kingdom of Cusco. Though mythologically regarded as the son of the sun god Inti, the role became hereditary over time. The Sapa Inca held ultimate authority over political, military, and religious affairs, embodying the highest level of power in the empire.
INCA-03 INCA HALBERDIER
THE ANGLO ZULU WAR | THE BATTLE OF GINGINDHLOVU, 2nd APRIL 1879.
Charles Pearson advanced No. 1 Column of the British invasion force across the Tugela River, establishing a forward position at Eshowe in a deserted Norwegian mission station. Once in place, the British garrison soon found itself encircled and under siege.
In response, Lord Chelmsford organised a relief column, departing Fort Tenedos on 29 March. The force numbered 3,390 European troops supported by 2,280 African auxiliaries. Moving cautiously, Chelmsford prioritised security, having his men construct laagers and field entrenchments each night and keeping ammunition readily prepared. Although the advance was slow, Pearson’s observers at Eshowe could clearly see the relief force encamped and fortified on the south bank of the Ineyzane by the evening of 1 April.
Opposing them was a Zulu impi of roughly 12,000 warriors, including veterans of Isandlwana alongside local fighters drawn from the Eshowe area. Some Zulu leaders pressed for an immediate night assault, but Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande, brother of King Cetshwayo and commander of the right wing, urged delay until daylight.
At first light on 2 April 1879, Chelmsford’s troops were preparing to send forward elements of the Natal Native Contingent when the Zulu attack began. The impi advanced in its characteristic “horns of the buffalo” formation, crossing the Ineyzane and attempting to encircle the British laager from several directions.
As they closed in, British infantry—supported by Gatling guns and rocket fire—opened a devastating defensive barrage that blunted the assault. Despite repeated charges, the Zulu attack lacked the momentum seen in earlier engagements, and only a single young warrior reached the laager before being captured.
By around 7 a.m., the main Zulu attack had been broken. Chelmsford then ordered mounted troops and the Natal Native Contingent to pursue the withdrawing warriors, inflicting further losses. The relief of Eshowe was successfully achieved, allowing Chelmsford to complete his mission and return to Natal.
THE 3rd BATTALION 60th KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS
The battalion was stationed at Colchester when it received orders on 12 February 1879 to deploy to Natal. Shortly after arriving, it was assigned to the force preparing for the relief of Eshowe. On 2 April, the unit fought at the Battle of Gingindhlovu and took part in the successful relief operation that followed.
During the battle, six companies of the 3rd Battalion, 60th Regiment were positioned to hold the northern face of the British laager. They bore the main impact of the Zulu “chest” assault and came under sustained and heavy pressure. Despite this, they maintained their position, and by around 06:40 the attacking Zulu centre began to withdraw into cover.
Chelmsford then ordered Barrow’s Mounted Infantry and the Natal Volunteers to sally out from the northern side of the laager, but the Zulu forces regrouped and pushed them back. The Zulu centre subsequently shifted to the right, reinforcing the left element of the right horn as it attacked the western perimeter.
At approximately 07:00, the right wing of the Zulu right horn launched a renewed and determined assault on the southern face under Dabulamanzi kaMpande. Chelmsford responded by sending two companies of the 60th from the northern sector to reinforce the hard-pressed 91st Regiment. The attack eventually lost momentum under concentrated fire and briefly attempted to strike the eastern face of the laager, but without success.
During the second invasion of Zululand, the battalion formed part of the 2nd Brigade within Crealock’s 1st Division.
GG60-07 3rd BATTALION 60th KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, 2 INFANTRY
GG60-07N 3rd BATTALION 60th KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS, 4 INFANTRY
THE NATAL NATIVE HORSE
The Natal Native Horse was created in 1879 from Natal Bantu recruits, who supplied their own ponies and were employed mainly as scouts, guides, and transport troops. Most of its men were Christian converts from the Edendale and Driefontein missions, along with three troops recruited from the amaNgwane clan living in the Drakensberg foothills, traditional enemies of the Zulu.
They wore European-style clothing, usually marked by a red cloth tied around their hats. Riding habits varied: many went barefoot and controlled their mounts with their toes in the stirrups, while the Edendale men wore boots and spurs. Their standard armament was the carbine, though some also carried assegais in hide quivers.
At Isandlwana, five troops of the Natal Native Horse served under Captain W. Barton and were reported to have performed effectively. During the battle they fought their way through encircling Zulu forces and reached the far side of the Buffalo River, where they helped cover the retreat of survivors. When properly commanded, the Natal Native Horse excelled in reconnaissance and post-battle operations, though they were never intended for frontline combat.
At Gingindhlovu, one troop of the Natal Native Horse was present, alongside Jantzi’s Native Horse, which was also part of the wider formation.
A related unit, Mafunzi’s Mounted Natives, was raised in 1879 with a strength of 73 men and served with the 1st Division during the Zulu War.
GGNNH-04 NATAL NATIVE HORSE
THE ZULU IMPI
The Zulu impi numbered roughly 12,000 warriors, including Isandlwana veterans drawn from the main regiments as well as fighters living in the Eshowe region. Although several commanders pushed for an immediate night assault on the British relief column, Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande—half-brother of King Cetshwayo and commander of the right wing—persuaded them to postpone the attack until morning.
At daybreak on 2 April 1879, the dawn light revealed soaked, churned ground and a thick blanket of mist. Chelmsford, acting on Dunn’s report, decided not to advance directly on Eshowe at first light. Instead, he sent forward elements of the Natal Native Contingent to reconnoitre enemy positions. As these troops prepared to move out, shots rang out from the forward pickets, indicating the Zulu attack was already in motion. The impi advanced in strength, dividing into two main bodies as it crossed the Ineyzane and forming its classic “horns of the buffalo” formation. The left horn swept inwards toward the north-eastern corner of the laager, while the central “chest” pressed toward its northern face.
Zulu warriors were shaped by a demanding rural upbringing spent herding cattle across the veld, which built exceptional stamina, resilience, and detailed knowledge of the landscape. By 1879, the Zulu kingdom fielded 33 regiments. These units were not temporary formations but permanent parts of the social and military structure, with warriors serving for life. There was no retirement system, and even elderly men in their 60s and 70s would still respond to the king’s call to arms if they were physically capable.
THE umCijo REGIMENT
The uMciyo Regiment was established in 1867 and was known as “The Sharp Pointed,” as well as uKhandempemvu, meaning “The White-Headed,” most likely referring to the white cow-tail adornments worn in their headgear.
Had the Zulu maintained a system of regimental colours like the British Army, this young regiment would likely have been prominently marked with honours earned in battle. At Isandlwana, the uMciyo took a leading role in the centre of the assault, advancing low under intense rifle fire. They pushed forward on their bellies toward the British position until defensive fire began to weaken as ammunition ran low. Once the moment came, they rose and charged, breaking through supporting Natal Native troops and destroying the rear ranks of A and F Companies despite heavy casualties.
In the aftermath, the regiment continued to see hard fighting. At Kambula, they were again heavily engaged in frontal assaults under Mnyamana kaNgqengelele, suffering significant losses in the attempt to storm the British position.
At Ulundi, commanded by Zibhebhu kaMaphitha, the uMciyo were committed early in the final large-scale attack on the British square. They led from the front once more, but were caught in a concentrated defensive fire and suffered heavily in what became the decisive defeat of the Zulu army.
GGZ-12 ZULU WARRIORS
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS, 1861.
2nd WISCONSIN INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1861
Following the Battle of Fort Sumter on 16 April 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to help suppress the rebellion. The War Department then allocated troop quotas to each state, with Wisconsin required to raise one regiment of volunteers.
In response to Governor Alexander Randall’s appeal, 36 companies of men enlisted for service—sufficient to form three regiments. From these early volunteer formations, the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was organised as the second regiment created from the original pool of companies.
Governor Randall selected 41-year-old S. Park Coon to serve as colonel of the newly formed regiment. Coon was a native of New York, formerly Wisconsin’s second Attorney General, and a well-known Democratic figure in Milwaukee County.
His second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel Henry W. Peck, came from Ohio and had graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1851. Unlike Coon, Peck provided the regiment with formal military education and practical professional experience in training and organisation.
The regiment was officially mustered into federal service on 11 June 1861. Although Lincoln’s initial call was for three-month volunteers, the growing scale of the conflict soon required longer commitments, and the 2nd Wisconsin was enrolled as a three-year unit.
Once deployed to Washington, D.C., the regiment took part in its first major engagement at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, serving under a brigade commanded by William T. Sherman. At this time, the men still wore state militia grey uniforms, which caused confusion on the battlefield and led to friendly fire incidents when Union troops mistook them for Confederates.
In response, the regiment’s uniform was changed to standard Union issue. By October 1861, the Iron Brigade had developed its distinctive look, featuring the Hardee hat, the M1858 nine-button frock coat, and regulation dark blue trousers. This became the most recognisable appearance of the regiment throughout much of the war.
According to veteran Cullen B. Aubery, the unit earned the nickname “Ragged Ass Second,” reportedly due to poor-quality cloth used in their trousers, which gave the soldiers a noticeably rough appearance even during formal inspection.
Colonel Coon was never fully at ease in a military role and lacked confidence in command. Both he and Lieutenant Colonel Peck resigned on 30 July, after which Coon returned to politics.
WIS2-03 2nd WISCONSIN INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1861
WIS2-03N 2nd WISCONSIN INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1861
The 2nd Wisconsin went on to serve for most of the war as part of the famed Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac, taking part in many of the key battles in the Eastern Theatre.
It endured extremely heavy losses and is recorded as having the highest casualty rate, in proportion to its total enlistment, of any Union regiment in the war.
By July 1864, continuous casualties had reduced it to an “Independent Battalion” of just two companies. The remaining elements were eventually merged into the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in November 1864.
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