Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

9 1ST ARGYLLSHIRE HIGHLANDERS. 265men under your command, and that in Zululand, 1879.another laurel will be added to your colours."Attached were the signaturesof over seventyof the leading Scotchmen of Durban.Major Bruce, in a few words, thanked thedeputation for their address and the complimentthey had paid to the regiment.Before commencing the account of the movementsof the 91st during the Zulu War, it willbe interesting to give a short history of the nationand the state of affairs which brought about thewar.About 1820 a Zulu king called Chaka conqueredall the surrounding tribes, and converted theirchiefs into his own vassals.Chaka was the grandsonof Dingiswayo,who was the first Zulu toraise regiments and make a standing army.Heis supposed to have copied his system from thewhite troops which he had seen; he had alsonoticed there were no women with the whitetroops, so he came to the conclusion they were notallowed to marry, and framed his military lawsaccordingly. The reigning Zulu chieftains, fortheir subsequent safety, always made it theircustom to slay their male children, but the motherof Chaka, just before giving him birth, went into