Fort Tenedos
Encyclopedia
Fort Tenedos was large earth-walled fort was constructed on the Zulu side of the Tugela River
in January, 1879, opposite Fort Pearson, to support the British at the start of the Anglo-Zulu War
. It was named Fort Tenedos after the British warship of the same name, , whose crew formed part of the Naval Brigade
. The Fort was built under the supervision of Capt Warren Richard Colvin Wynne, R.E.
HMS Tenedos was anchored off the mouth of the Tugela. Armament consisted of two guns from the Royal Artillery
, two seven-pounder guns with the Naval Brigade and a Gatling gun
. Local British units consisted of the 91st Highlanders, Natal Hussars, the Durban Mounted Rifles, Alexandra Mounted Rifles, Stanger Mounted Rifles and the Victoria Mounted Rifles. There were also some 2,200 Natal Natives formed into two battalions of the 2nd Regt., Natal Native Contingent and a company of Durnford's Natal Native Pioneer Corps. These were formed from local African tribes hostile to the Zulus
.
Tugela River
The Tugela River is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls...
in January, 1879, opposite Fort Pearson, to support the British at the start of the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
. It was named Fort Tenedos after the British warship of the same name, , whose crew formed part of the Naval Brigade
Naval Brigade
A Naval Brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.-Royal Navy:Within the Royal Navy, a Naval Brigade is a large temporary detachment of Royal Marines and of seamen from the Royal Navy formed to undertake operations on shore, particularly during the mid- to...
. The Fort was built under the supervision of Capt Warren Richard Colvin Wynne, R.E.
HMS Tenedos was anchored off the mouth of the Tugela. Armament consisted of two guns from the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, two seven-pounder guns with the Naval Brigade and a Gatling gun
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
. Local British units consisted of the 91st Highlanders, Natal Hussars, the Durban Mounted Rifles, Alexandra Mounted Rifles, Stanger Mounted Rifles and the Victoria Mounted Rifles. There were also some 2,200 Natal Natives formed into two battalions of the 2nd Regt., Natal Native Contingent and a company of Durnford's Natal Native Pioneer Corps. These were formed from local African tribes hostile to the Zulus
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
.