After the attack on Rorke’s Drift, and an attempted attack by Zulu Impi’s early in February, the German ’settlement’ of Luneberg decided to ‘laager’ their environment. The British sent four companies of the 80th Regiment to help in this regard. In late February 1879, 18 wagons with supplies and ammunition were sent from Lydenberg to the garrison at Luneberg and when they reached the Intombi River, about 4 km from the settlement, they found the river in flood.
On 7 March 1879, Major Tucker who was commanding the forces sent to Luneberg earlier, sent Captain Moriarty to the convoy to make sure that the wagons had been laagered correctly against any possible Zulu attack, until the river had subsided. By 11 March, the river had subsided – enough for there to be a clear gap between the laagered wagons and the river’s edge, but not sufficiently enough for a crossing.
In the early hours of 12 March the Zulu’s attached the wagons. Moriarty was one of the first to perish and those that could, fled. The small number of troops stationed on the Luneberg side of the river offered what support they could, but being totally outnumbered this proved to be almost in vain. Colour-Sergeant Booth led an orderly retreat with those who had survived – when the attackers got too close shots were fired to disperse them. This was a slow exercise but Booth managed to reach the safety of a farm on the outskirts of Luneberg. For his bravery he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Not so lucky was Lieutenant Harward. He was a survivor, but on seeing the danger, he rode off to Luneberg – his excuse being that he was off to call for help. The British military authorities were having nothing of this as, being the most senior officer he should have stayed and done what Booth had done. Harward avoided a court martial, but through his actions, which now became an example throughout the military of what is not an acceptable action, he was forced to resign his commission.
In addition to Moriarty there were about 80 other casualties which included British troops, and African ‘labourers’.
