TheBattleofIsandlwanain1879,thefirstmajorencounterintheAnglo-ZuluWar,endedinacrushingvictoryfortheZulus.OneBritishsoldierdescribeswhathappened:
"Therewasapoorfellowstruckthroughthearm,whosaidasIpassed,thatifIcouldtieuphisarmandstopthebleedinghewouldbeallright.Itookoutmyhandkerchiefandtieduphisarm.TheZuluswerenowallroundus,finishingoffthewounded,themanIhadhelpedamongthenumber.Iplungedintotheriver,andlandedontheotherbank.IwastheonlywhitemantobeseenuntilIcametoonewhohadbeenkickedbyhishorseandcouldnotmount.Iputhimonhishorseandlenthimmyknife.Hesaidhewouldcatchmeahorse.Directlyhewasuphewentcleanaway."
一八七九年伊桑德爾瓦納之役，是英國和祖魯戰爭中第一場大戰，英軍慘敗，一名英兵記述了當時情況：
「有個苦人兒手臂洞穿，見我走過，說只要我給他包紮手臂止血，他就會沒事。我拿出手帕，把手臂包紮好。這時，四方八面都是祖魯人，傷者都給他們結果了，包括我幫他裹傷的那個人。我跳進河裏，登上彼岸，四望只有我一個白人，到後來才碰到另一個。他給坐騎踢傷了，無法上馬，我扶他上鞍，並把小刀借給他。他說會去捉一匹馬給我騎，但一上鞍，就跑得無影無蹤。」