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Photo: Renier Maritz, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Site of a major conflict on 16 December 1838 between the Zulu impi army under King Dingane and the Voortrekker forces under Andries Pretorius. On the western side of the Bloodriver is the Blood River monument and museum, commemorating the battle from an Afrikaner point of view. The monument consists of 64 full scale bronze replica oxwagons set up in a defensive circle. On the eastern side of the Bloodriver is the Ncome monument and museum, commemorating the same event from a Zulu perspective. The monument consists of a Zulu war horn formation display. 16 December is now a public holiday in South Africa, celebrated as Day of Reconciliation.
The Battle of Blood River, or Voortrekker–Zulu War, was fought on the bank of the Ncome River, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Zulu. Estimations of casualties amounted to over 3,000 of King Dingane's soldiers dead, including two Zulu princes competing with Prince Mpande for the Zulu throne. Three Voortrekker commando members were lightly wounded, including Pretorius.The year 1838 was the most difficult period for the Voortrekkers from when they left the Cape Colony, till the end of the Great Trek. They faced many difficulties and much bloodshed before they found freedom and a safe homeland in their Republic of Natalia. This was only achieved after defeating the Zulu Kingdom, at the Battle of Blood River, which took place on Sunday 16 December 1838. This battle would not have taken place if the Zulu King had honoured the agreement that he had made with the Voortrekkers to live together peacefully. The Zulu king knew that they outnumbered the Voortrekkers and decided to overthrow them and that led to the Battle of Blood River.
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In 1871 the second French Empire collapsed and Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte fled to Britain. He died in 1873 and his son, Prince Louis Napoleon (the Prince Imperial) became the heir to the Bonapartist tradition. The Prince Imperial trained at Sandhurst and as the Zulu War was drawing to a close travelled to South Africa to see some action. Although there were strict instructions that he was to be kept out of danger, a reconnaissance party of which he was a member was ambushed and he was killed. A monument, paid for by Queen Victoria, now marks the spot where he died.
During the Battle of Rorke's Drift, about 150 British soldiers repelled repeated attacks by 4000 Zulu warriors for a period of 12 hours. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded, the most in any one day in British history. The museum is housed in what was Jim Rorke's trading post which was built in 1847. The film Zulu is about this battle and has a young Michael Caine in his first major role.
A museum set in a park that exhibits local history, industry and crafts. The museum also has a reconstruction of a local Zulu kraal.
On 22 January 1879 the British Camp at Isandlwana was overrun by 20,000 Zulu leaving 1357 British Soldiers and colonial auxiliaries dead. Two survivors managed to escape and warn the British Force at Rorke's Drift of an impending attack. Today the battlefield has memorials to those killed. A visitor centre and museum (where the entrance fee is paid) is about 1.5 km due north of the main battlefield. It is advised that the services of a guide be sought at the museum.