He was
the owner of two good buck-waggons with spans of salted oxen, and at
that time vehicles were much in request to carry military stores for
the columns which were to advance into Zululand; indeed the transport
authorities were glad to pay L90 a month for the hire of each waggon and
to guarantee the owners against all loss of cattle. Although he was not
desirous of returning to Zululand, this bait proved too much for Hadden,
who accordingly leased out his waggons to the Commissariat, together
with his own services as conductor and interpreter.
He was attached to No. 3 column of the invading force, which it may be
remembered was under the immediate command of Lord Chelmsford, and on
the 20th of January, 1879, he marched with it by the road that runs from
Rorke's Drift to the Indeni forest, and encamped that night beneath the
shadow of the steep and desolate mountain known as Isandhlwana.
That day also a great army of King Cetywayo's, numbering twenty thousand
men and more, moved down from the Upindo Hill and camped upon the stony
plain that lies a mile and a half to the east of Isandhlwana.
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