The Alamo

[Travis]

[quote]

There was of course the time when 98 British regulars took on 6000 Zulu warriors.....

[Professor Brensec]

[quote]

There was of course the time when 98 British regulars took on 6000 Zulu warriors.....

[Smoke2much]

Actually some of them did

I personally wouldn't want to take on 6 Zulu warriors if I was armed with a Gatling gun and they had pea shooters LOL.

My point was....  I've forgotten.

The Battle of Rourke's Drift, to which I was referring, was on the 22-23 Jan 1879 when a single company of Infantry held a farm house against 4000 Zulu's, not 6000(sorry).  And for those of you making wisecracks about Rifles vs Natives, what exactly happened to Custer?

The company in question had been detached from the 24th foot a few days previously.  The 24th were wiped out by Zulu warriors at the battle of Isandlwana.  They had artillery support and various contingents of native troops and local cavalry with them.

Finally as you pointed out to me Brensec, the Martini Henry was not a repeating Rifle.  This means that once the 4000 Zulus got close enough it was 400 to one, both sides armed effectively with spears.


Will

[Polynomial]

[quote]

But the Zulus didn't have firearms!

[Professor Brensec]

Makes you awfully proud to be Aussie, hey Professor!!!!!!!!!!!!

It does mate, it does indeed.  8)

I lived next door to a 'highly decorated' Digger who as in Vietnam. I was a kid, but he used to bring home stuff for my brither and I. we got Slouch hats, all sorts of insignia, giigle hats etc.
He was involved in that battle and, as I said was highly decorated. he said they didn't know they had won such a great victory until the next day when they went and counted the VC bodies, there were over 500.  :'(

Pride, but also tears for very brave men on the losing side.  :'(

[Felix/FFDS]

Custer - for all his flamboyance, made a serious tactical and strategic mistake.  He was in the open, for starters, in an area where his location could be approached under cover of terrain - depressions, ravines, etc.  The "Natives" were seasoned warriors, armed with weapons reasonably as good as Custer's soldiers.  He could have waited for reinforcements, but didn't.  A lot has been written on Custer, the conclusion points to a disastrous blunder.

And for those of you making wisecracks about Rifles vs Natives, what exactly happened to Custer?


Will

[BFMF]

Custer was a drunken fool

[Professor Brensec]

I haven't done much reading on the 'Little Bighorn' incident, but have done some and seen a Doco or two. I have seen a History Channel Biography on Custer.

For my limited knowledge, I can tell you that Crazy Horse's men were armed with Winchester repeaters. The same as the 'Cavalry' were. Some even had revolvers for close quarters fighting.
As Felix says, what he did, seemed more an act of suicide than anything else. Although some may see it as a level of contempt and refusal to believe that the 'Indians' of the day were anything but savages with no ability to wage 'modern' war at all. How wrong he was. And he should have known much better.  ;D

If only he could have lasted a little longer in the Army. He would have been demoted even further, and not had command over so many men.  ;)