After an incursion as far as Eshowe (then also known as Fort Ekowe or kwaMondi)[1] Colonel Charles Pearson was besieged there for two months by the Zulus.

1 Column of the British invasion force, under Colonel Charles Pearson, had been ordered to establish an advanced base at Eshowe.

Shortly after 08:00 a small number of Zulus appeared near the knoll on the ridge and a company of the Natal Native Contingent (NNC), under Lieutenant Hart, were sent up the spur after them.

Pearson sent a group of empty wagons with escorts to collect fresh supplies from the Lower Drift, while the rest of his force began to dig in.

Without giving any details of the disaster at the Battle of Isandlwana he informed him that all orders were cancelled and that he was to take such as action as he thought fit to preserve his column, including withdrawal from Eshowe if necessary.

His force had plenty of ammunition but other supplies were insufficient and the consensus of his subordinates was to pull back to the Lower Drift.

The decision to stay was settled on when news arrived of the return of the supply wagons, with five further companies as reinforcement from the Lower Drift.

The appearance of large bodies of Zulu on the surrounding hills on 2 February, although they retreated under shelling from the 7-pounders, compelled Pearson to request reinforcements.

Pearson considered withdrawing part of his garrison, if Chelmsford agreed, but receiving no response and no further runners, it became clear that Eshowe had been cut off.

As the garrison prepared to mount the planned sortie on 13 March, however, another message advised a delay in the arrival of the relief column until 1 April.

The progress was slow, as in addition to taking a roundabout route to avoid ambush, the rivers they had to traverse were swollen by heavy rains.

By the evening of 1 April, Pearson's observers at Eshowe could see the relief column laagering ten miles away from the fort.

A trench surrounded a waist high wall of earth, which enclosed 120 wagons formed a square with sides of 130 yards in length.