Anglo-Zulu War regret. The ensuing Battle of Isandlwana was the greatest victory that the Zulu kingdom would enjoy during the war. The British centre column was wrecked and its camp annihilated with heavy casualties as well as the loss of all its supplies, ammunition and transport. The defeat left Chelmsford no choice but to hastily retreat out of Zululand. In the battle's aftermath, a party of some 4,000 Zulu reserves mounted an unauthorised raid on the nearby British army border post of Rorke's Drift and were driven off after 10 hours of ferocious fighting. While the British central column under Chelmsford's command
Wiltshire Regiment Charles Pearson besieged by the Zulu impis. At the Battle of Gingindlovu, the 99th helped defeat a Zulu impi that tried to overrun the British while laagered. Although it would not participate in the final battle at Ulundi, the 99th was honoured for its service in the Anglo-Zulu War, being awarded the battle honour South Africa 1879. It would be the last battle honour earned by the 99th as an independent regiment. In 1881, following up on the earlier Cardwell Reforms of 1872, the 99th was merged with the 62nd Regiment of Foot as part of the Childers reforms to