Lieutenant
Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill,
24th Regiment
Zulu War 1879 Lieutenant Coghill had been told to act as galloper to Colonel Glyn on the unfortunate reconnaissance made from
Isandlwana Camp, on January 22, 1879, but that officer, seeing
he was quite lame, insisted he should remain behind and nurse
his knee, injured while out foraging a few days before. He
therefore remained in the camp, which, as soon as the Zulus had
drawn off Lord Chelmsford and the main body of our troops, was
attacked by an impi of 25,000 men, completely surrounded, and
practically annihilated.
Colonel Pulleine, who was in command, seeing the desperate
state of affairs, called to Lieutenant and Adjutant Melvill to
take the Queen's colour of the regiment and endeavour to cut his
way through the mass of Zulus, to prevent its falling into the
enemy's hands. This order Lieutenant Melvill proceeded to carry
out, and, with Lieutenant Coghill, spurred his horse over the
rocky and dangerous ground to the Buffalo River, six miles
distant. The direction chosen was the only one possible which
gave any hope of success, for the road to Rorke's Drift was now
seen completely blocked by dense masses of Zulus. As it was,
they had to fight nearly the whole way, for the enemy, whose
running powers enabled them to keep up with the horses, were
assagaing from the saddle most of the fugitives who had followed
these officers. In company with one mounted soldier, Melvill and
Coghill reached the Buffalo and plunged in, the soldier being at
once carried away by the whirling stream and drowned. Coghill
reached the Natal side in safety, and, turning round, saw
Melvill, whose horse had been drowned, being carried down by the
rushing torrent, and that the colour he had tried so hard to
save, had been wrenched from his grasp and was floating away
down the river. Though unable to walk owing to his injured knee,
and knowing, as he did, that any accident to his horse meant
certain death to him, with safety and life at hand if he chose
to take them, yet Coghill refused to consider himself, and,
turning his horse's head, rode back again into the stream to
Melvill's assistance. The Zulus kept up a hot fire upon both
men, and shortly afterwards Coghill's horse was shot. With the
greatest difficulty both managed to reach and climb the steep
bank, and took shelter beneath some huge boulders. Higginson, an
officer of the Natal Native Contingent, who had succeeded in
escaping thus far from Isandlwana, saw them at this point and
joined them, but both Melvill and Coghill persuaded him to save
himself by flight, as, being unarmed, he could render no
assistance and, when discovered, would only add another to the
two lives whose tide was so nearly at the ebb.
Leaving them, he had gone some distance, when he
heard shots fired, and, looking round, saw them both surrounded
by Zulus. Of their actual end no living man has ever borne
witness, but when the search party under Major Black discovered
the bodies of these brave men, a ring of dead Zulus around them
bore silent testimony that they had sold their lives dearly and
had fought it out to the last.
The Queen, whose colour these officers had died
to save, was quick to recognize such heroic bravery, and sent
two wreaths to be placed on the arms of the cross which
marks their grave by the Buffalo River, and later presented to
the 24th Regiment a silver wreath to be hung on the colour pole
for ever, upon which were inscribed four names :—Bromhead and
Chard, of Rorke's Drift, and Melvill and Coghill, of Isandlwana.
Report of COLONEL GLYN, C.B,.
commanding No. 3 Column, to Lord Chelmsford, commanding
the Forces in South Africa, showing how the
Queen's Colour of the 1st Batt. 24th Foot, which had
been lost on January 22, has since been recovered, and
giving an account of the gallant behaviour of Lieutenant
and Adjutant Melvill and Lieutenant Coghill of that
Regiment until they met their deaths in the endeavour to
save this Colour from falling into the enemy's hands. |
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Rork's Drift, Buffalo River
February 21, 1879. |
SIR,
I have the honour to report that on January 22 last,
when the camp at Isandlwana was attacked by the enemy, the
Queen's Colour of the 1st Btn. 24th Regiment was in the camp,
the head-quarters and five companies of the regiment being there
also.
From all the information I have been since able to obtain, it
would appear that when the enemy had got into the camp, and when
there was no longer any hope left of saving it, the Adjutant of
the 1st Btn., Lieutenant Melvill, departed from the camp on
horseback, carrying the Colour with him in hope of being able to
save it.
The only road to Rorke's Drift being already in possession of
the enemy, Lieutenant Melvill and the few others who still
remained alive struck across country for the Buffalo river,
which it was necessary to cross to reach a point of safety. In
taking this line, the only one possible, ground had to be gone
over which, from its ruggedness and precipitous nature, would
under ordinary circumstances, it is reported, be deemed almost
utterly impossible for mounted men.
During a distance of about six miles Lieutenant Melvill and
his companions were closely pursued, or, more properly speaking,
accompanied by a large number of the enemy, who, from their
well-known agility in getting over rough ground, were able to
keep up with our people though the latter were mounted, so that
the enemy kept up a constant fire on them, and sometimes even
got close enough to assegai the men and horses.
Lieutenant Melvill reached the bank of the Buffalo and at
once plunged in, horse and all ; but being encumbered with the
Colour, which is an awkward thing to carry even on foot, and the
river being full and running rapidly, he appears to have got
separated from his horse when he was about half-way across.
He still, however, held on resolutely to the Colour, and was
being carried down stream when he was washed against a large
rock in the middle of the river. Lieutenant Higginson, of the
Natal Native Contingent, who had also lost his horse in the
river, was clinging to this rock, and Lieutenant Melvill called
to him to lay hold of the Colour. This Lieutenant Higginson did,
but the current was so strong that both officers, with the
Colour, were again washed away into still water.
In the meantime Lieutenant Coghill, 1st Btn. 24th Regiment,
my orderly officer, who had been left in camp that morning when
the main body of the Force moved out, on account of a severe
injury to his knee, which rendered him unable to move without
assistance, had also succeeded in gaining the river bank, in
company with Lieutenant Melvill. He too had plunged at once into
the river, and his horse had carried him safely across, but on
looking round for Lieutenant Melvill and seeing him struggling
to save the Colour in the river, he at once turned his horse and
rode back into the stream again to Lieutenant Melvill's
assistance.
It would appear that now the enemy had assembled in considerable
force along their own bank, and had opened a heavy fire on our
people, directing it more especially on Lieutenant Melvill, who
wore a red patrol jacket. So that when Lieutenant Coghill got
into the river again, his horse was almost immediately killed by
a bullet. Lieutenant Coghill was thus cast loose in the stream
also, and, notwithstanding the exertions of both these gallant
officers, the Colour was carried off from them, and they
themselves gained the bank in a state of extreme exhaustion.
It would appear that they now attempted to move up the hill
from the river bank towards Helpmakaar, but must have been too
much exhausted to go on, as they were seen to sit down to rest
again. This, I sorely regret to say, was the last time these two
most gallant officers were seen alive.
It was not for some days after the 22nd that I could gather
any information as to the probable fate of these officers. But
immediately I discovered in what direction those who had escaped
from Isandlwana had crossed the Buffalo I sent, under Major
Black, 2nd Btn. 24th Regiment, a mounted party, who volunteered
for this service, to search for any trace that might be found of
them.
This search was successful, and both bodies were found where
they were last seen as above indicated. Several dead bodies of
the enemy were found about them, so that they must have sold
their lives dearly at the last.
As it was considered that the dead weight of the Colour would
cause it to sink in the river, it was hoped that a diligent
search in the locality where the bodies of these officers were
found might lead to its discovery. So Major Black again
proceeded on the 4th inst. to prosecute this search.
His energetic efforts were, I am glad to say, crowned with
success, and the Colour, with the ornaments, case, etc.,
belonging to it were found, though in different places in the
river bed.
I cannot conclude this report without drawing the attention
of His Excellency the Lieut.-General Commanding, in the most
impressive manner which words can command, to the noble and
heroic conduct of Lieutenant and Adjutant Melvill, who did not
hesitate to encumber himself with the Colour of the Regiment in
his resolve to save it, at a time when the camp was in the hands
of the enemy and its gallant defenders killed to the last man in
its defence, and when there appeared but little prospect that
any exertions that Lieutenant Melvill could make would enable
him to save even his own life. Also, later on, to the noble
perseverance with which, when struggling between life and death
in the river, his chief thoughts to the last were bent on the
saving of the Colour.
Similarly, I would draw His Excellency's attention to the
equally noble and gallant conduct of Lieutenant Coghill, who did
not hesitate for an instant to return, unsolicited, and ride
again into the river, under a heavy fire of the enemy, to the
assistance of his friend, though at the time he was wholly
incapacitated from walking, and but too well aware that any
accident that might separate him from his horse must be fatal to
him.
In conclusion I would add that both these officers gave up
their lives in the truly noble task of endeavouring to save from
the enemy's hands the Queen's Colour of their Regiment, and,
greatly though their sad end is to be deplored, their deaths
could not have been more noble or more full of honour.
I have, etc.,
(Signed) R. T. GLYN, |
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Colonel Commanding 3rd Column. |
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Horse Guards
War office |
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April 21, 1879 |
From SIR M. A. DILLON, Major-General, Military
Secretary.
To Sir John Joscelyn Coghill, Bart. |
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SIR,
I am directed by the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief to inform
you that His Royal Highness perused with melancholy interest the
report forwarded to him by Lord Chelmsford from Colonel Glyn,
showing how the Queen's Colour of the 1st Battalion 24th Foot
would have fallen into the hand of the enemy on January 22 but
for the gallant behaviour of your son Lieutenant Coghill, and
Adjutant Melvill of that Regiment.
His Royal Highness, in communicating this Dispatch to you, desires me to
assure you of his sincere sympathy with you in the loss of your
son, whose gallant death in the successful effort to save the
Colour of his Regiment has gained him the admiration of the
Army.
It is gratifying to His Royal Highness to inform you that if your
son had survived it was Her Majesty's intention to confer upon
him the Victoria Cross, and a notification to that effect will
be made in the London Gazette.
I have the honour, etc., etc.,
(Signed) M. A. Dillon, M.- Genl. |
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Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill eldest son of Sir John Joscelyn Coghill, Bart., J.P., of Castle
Townshend, Co. Cork, Ireland, was born on January 25, 1852. He was educated at Haileybury, and passed direct commission
in 24th Regiment ; became Aide-de-Camp to General Sir Arthur
Cunynhame during the Galeka War, 1877, afterwards serving in a
similar capacity to Sir Bartle Frere, who, at his own request,
gave him six weeks' leave to join the fighting column in the
Zulu War, under Lord Chelmsford.
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