Fort Pearson, War Graves and the Ultimatum Tree Fort
Tenedose
Fort Pearson, War Graves and the Ultimatum Tree
All from the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War and can be found on the South bank
of the Tugela River. Fort Pearson and the Ultimatum Tree are National
Monuments. The Fort was built in 1878 and named after Colonel Charles
Pearson, who led one of the columns that invaded Zululand in 1879.
There is no building, just trenches and tent sites. It was under the
Ultimatum Tree that delegates of King Cetshwayo, son of Mapande who
was brother of Shaka, were given an ultimatum by the British Government
to pay taxes and return stolen cattle by mid January 1879, or there
would be war. War raged until August of that year, when Cetshwayo was
captured There are war graves at the foot of the hill from that time.
These can be found by travelling north on the N2. There is a signboard
on the right about 5kms before the Tugela River directing you to the
sites.
Fort Tenedos
The remains of this fort can be found on the bank of the Tugeia River
and is from the same 1879 war. It was named after a royal navy ship
that not only supplied most of the men who built the fort, but also
provided the original Garrison. A few war graves can be seen on the
site, which can be found by travelling north on the N2 past Stanger.
The turn off is to the right just after the Tugela River.
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