Battle of Rorke's Drift

Battle of Rorke's Drift
Part of the Anglo-Zulu War
The Defence of Rorke's Drift, by Alphonse de Neuville (1880)
Date 22–23 January 1879 Location Rorke's Drift, Natal 28°21′29″S 30°32′12″E / 28.35806°S 30.53667°E / -28.35806; 30.53667 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Zulu Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Lt. John Chard Lt. Gonville Bromhead	Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande
Strength
139–141 British Army regulars 11 colonial troops 4 civilians[1][2][3] 100 NNH cavalry (briefly engaged, then fled)	3,000–4,000 Zulus:[4] iNdluyengwe ibutho: 500 to 700 men uThulwana, iNdlondo, uDluko amabutho: c. 3,000 men[5]
Casualties and losses
17 killed[6] 15 wounded	351 confirmed killed[7] About 500 wounded[8]
class=notpageimage| Location in present-day South Africa Show map of South Africa Battle of Rorke's Drift (KwaZulu-Natal) Show map of KwaZulu-Natal

The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The successful British defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenants John Chard of the Royal Engineers and Gonville Bromhead, of the 24th Regiment of Foot, began once a large contingent of Zulu warriors broke off from the main force during the final hour of the British defeat at the day-long Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879. They traveled 6 miles (9.7 km) to attack Rorke's Drift later that day and continuing into the following day.

Just over 150 British and colonial troops defended the station against attacks by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The massive but piecemeal attacks by the Zulu on Rorke's Drift came very close to overwhelming the much smaller garrison, but were consistently repelled.^[9] Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to individual defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.