OCR Text |
Show TACTICS OF ZULUS IN WAR Their Crescent Formation Adopted by the British Agnlnst the Boers. Onco moro tho llslng of some of thr Nntal natives has turned men's thoughts to the famous Zulu tactics. In tho minds of most tlicso are associated asso-ciated with the namo of Tynkn, tho ruthless Zulu conqueror, who welded Into tho stock of tho Amazulu, tho people of the heaven), nil tho young men of tho various tribes ho conquered, con-quered, Incorporating them Into regl-menu regl-menu and thus building up a powerful power-ful military nation, says tho South African Sun. Yet It wns to Dlnglsl-wayo Dlnglsl-wayo tho Wanderer that tho Inception was due. This man, tho son of tho chief of tho Umtctwn, wns driven Into exile In consequenco of an abortive plot to seize tho reins' of power. During thnt exile ho lived In Cape Colony nnd snw the military methods of the ' rltlsh. With Instinctive genius 1 saw how tho Idea could bo adapted to his own nation and on his return nnd accession to tho chieftainship chief-tainship he divided his pcoplo Into regiments, dlitlngulshln;.' them by names nnd bv n special color of shield for each regiment, though for a time they retained the umkonto or throwing throw-ing assegai as their chief weapon. He heard the great use mado by tho British Infantry of their fnvorlto weapon, tho bavonet. and so ho ro-placed ro-placed tho umkonto by tho Ixwn or broad-bladed stabbing assegai. The peculiarity of tho Zulft tnctlcs has earned It the nomo of tho crescent formation for attack and It Is noteworthy note-worthy that, broadlv "peaking, It wns the method employ ' by the Ilocrs In their Invasion of Nntal and adopted adopt-ed by Lord Roberts In his advance through Orange Ithcr Colony, nnd It wns the fear of Its success which KeP' the Doers continually on the run. The best thing with which to compare It Is the head of the stag-headed beetle. Ilorni aie thrown out widely on either flank, while tho mnln body forms tho bead Itself. Krom tho main body n sninll force Is drtached to engage en-gage the enemy while tho horns creep nround the flnnl-s. This force In the days of Tynka was frequently '''-patched with tho com. mnnd, "Oo, ons of 5Cu'- go nnd return re-turn no morn," anil death at tho hands of their fellows wns the fate of those who returned. Whllo this force wns holding tho enemy tho 'lorns carried out their tnsk If possible and as soon as the two horns hud met In tho rear of tho enemy tho head or chest was launched upon the position and In the upshot, ns a rule, the whole force of tho foe tasted the assegai. For In that war no guar'"- "" "i-n or asked. |