Surgical experiences in the Zulu and Transvaal wars, 1879 and 1881 / by D. Blair Brown.

  • Brown, D. Blair.
Date:
[1883]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Surgical experiences in the Zulu and Transvaal wars, 1879 and 1881 / by D. Blair Brown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    panied three companies of infantry—chiefly 24th regiment—on their way to join the main body. As we neared Rorke’s Drift we were met by fugitives who had escaped from the camp of Isandhl- wana, who told us the terrible story of its capture. We thereupon returned to Helpmakaar and formed a fort, which was occupied until troops from England arrived as reinforcements. The gallant defence of Rorke’s Drift was about to commence when we were turning on the road to go back: had we arrived a little earlier, we should have been sharers in the action. As it was, we wearily - toiled up the hill, saw the flames bursting from the buildings, and reached our camp by midnight. In four days afterwards the wounded from Rorke’s Drift arrived at Helpmakaar, so that I had the treat- ment of them. Contracting the prevailing fever of the place, I was sent to Ladismith. There I afterwards organized and ad- ministered the base hospital. When the new divisions were formed on the arrival of the reinforcements, I was appointed to the medical charge of the staff and departments of the 2nd division under the command of Major-General Newdigate, C.B., and of which Brigade-Surgeon Semple was principal medical officer. In this position I had con- siderable work to do for both my military and medical chiefs. There were few arrangements made connected with the medical organization in the field, and no case of surgical interest occurred that did not come under my notice or care. During the advance on Ulundi I saw all the killed and wounded, the result of the various skirmishes; and being in the centre of the square formed by our troops during the decisive battle, nearly every case, I may say, passed under my observation. I afterwards remained in Zulu- land several weeks, and saw numerous Zulus who had been wounded by our men. After returning to England in February 1880, I again received orders in December 1880 to proceed to South Africa. The Boers of the Transvaal had revolted, and the 94th regiment had been roughly handled at Brunker’s Spruit. I went out amongst the first of the reinforcements from England with the Inniskilling Dragoons, with whom I proceeded, on arrival in Natal, up country as far as
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