al ions ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Ang lo - Z ulu ▁War , ▁begun ▁after ▁a ▁British ▁invasion ▁of ▁Z ul ul and , ▁ruled ▁by ▁Cet sh way o . ▁The ▁ 2 4 th ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Foot ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁crossing ▁of ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁River ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁January , ▁entering ▁Z ul ul and . ▁The ▁first ▁eng agement ▁( and ▁the ▁most ▁dis astr ous ▁for ▁the ▁British ) ▁came ▁at ▁Is and l w ana . ▁The ▁British ▁had ▁pitch ed ▁camp ▁at ▁Is and l w ana ▁and ▁not ▁established ▁any ▁fort ifications ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁she er ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁force , ▁the ▁hard ▁ground ▁and ▁a ▁short age ▁of ▁ent rench ing ▁tools . ▁The ▁ 2 4 th ▁Foot ▁provided ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁force ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁overall ▁commander , ▁Lord ▁Ch el ms ford , ▁split ▁his ▁forces ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁the ▁Z ulus , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁( 5 ▁companies ) ▁and ▁a ▁company ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion ▁were ▁left ▁behind ▁to ▁guard ▁the ▁camp , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁Henry ▁P ulle ine ▁( CO ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 / 2 4 th ▁Foot ). ▁ ▁A ▁Z ulu ▁force ▁of ▁some ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁war riors ▁attacked ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁main ▁column ▁consisting ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 , 8 0 0 ▁British , ▁colonial ▁and ▁native ▁troops