Nothing Remains but to Fight: The Defence of Rorke's Drift, 1879

by Ian Knight

Ignoring the exaggerated stories of legend, many of which have found their way into print masquerading as fast, Ian Knight combines contemporary eyewitness accounts, some hitherto obscure, with the results of recent archaeological surveys of the site, in order to present the story of what actually happened – a story all the more remarkable for being true. He considers the battle from both the British and the Zulu perspectives, suggesting reasons for the failure of the Zulu assault; looks at the subsequent history of the Rorke’s Drift site from the 1880s up to the recent museum work; and recounts the destinies that lay in store for the survivors of the battle – not only the heroes and defenders of Rorke’s Drift, but also some of the Zulu attackers. “Nothing Remains But to Fight” includes a wide range of illustrations, some previously unpublished, as well as the better known photographs contemporary with the battle. Maps follow and explain the various stages of the assault and defence. This is the first detailed, thorough and comprehensive account of what really happened at Rorke’s Drift.

167 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1993

About the author

Ian Knight, BA, FRGS is a historian, author, battlefield guide and artifacts specialist internationally regarded as a leading authority on the nineteenth-century history of the Zulu kingdom, and in particular the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He has a degree in Afro-Caribbean Studies from the University of Kent and has been researching and writing for more than thirty years. He has published over forty books and monographs, the majority of them on Zulu history and the rest on other nineteenth-century British colonial campaigns. He has appeared on-screen in a number of television documentaries. He is an Honorary Research Associate of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg.

Reviews

[M.J. Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favourite non-fiction books of all time.
Though it is the stuff of empire and as such an extremely divisive topic, British military history is littered with epic battles and tales of extreme heroism in impossible circumstances. None more so than the last stand of the defenders of Rorke's Drift, where numerous VC's were won but countless more could, and probably should, have been awarded.
It's important to remember when viewing history with today's eyes, that ordinary soldiers involved in this action did not make policy or wield the power to influence decisions. It was a different time back then with questionable morals and almost every major nation on Earth was engaged in empire building. This book emphasises that soldiers in the ranks did as they were ordered. These troops (an English border regiment containing a blend of English and Welsh contrary to popular myth) were isolated, surrounded and facing certain death. Fighting a determined, capable and ruthless foe. They were also fathers, brothers, and sons. The only thing they had was each other in that moment. The thin red line.
The action is relayed perfectly with photos of the modern museum, charts and maps etc. It is littered throughout with illustrations which break up the text and add to the whole experience. We see things from the Zulu perspective too. This proud race of warriors who had swept all forces previously aside with revolutionary tactics were to be feared and respected. They had just wiped out a large British force at Isandlwana after all.
We also learn of the reasons behind certain decisions, such as the assigning of the older men by the Zulu King, the political nature of the gallantry awards, heroes whose actions were never acknowledged because of their deaths and the wish not to upset the Victorian public, what happened to some of the soldiers after the war....
Whether you agree or disagree with the politics of this or any conflict, war is a brutal endeavour undertaken at its heart by ordinary men and women. They endure and suffer chiefly because for whatever reason, they are there. Books like this remind us of their sacrifice and in doing so, keep their memories alive.

[Dantheman68 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The size of the book was the same as those kid annuals we used to get for Xmas. So initially did wonder how the content would stack up. It was a very informative well-researched read illustrated throughout with contemporary drawings and photos and also more contemporary pictures of the location. Added to my understanding of the conflict - instigated by the colonial government - and sympathy with the Zulus. They were a civilisation with a hereditary monarchy and subservient chieftains and a well organised army structure of impis who implemented a form of lightning warfare to envelop and annihilate their foes. They were also equipped with muskets and rifles as well as stabbing spears called assegais. A couple of hundred British troops were surrounded by 4000 Zulus and had to fighr fiercely for 24 hours in the process earning 11 Victoria Crosses. Very enjoyable read but did peter out at the end with no overall satisfactory conclusion to the book.