A striking scene of British military signaling during the Anglo-Zulu War, this original hand-colored engraving shows a heliograph team in operation atop a rise in Zululand. At the center, a British officer transmits flashes of sunlight using a mirror mounted on a tripod, while others transcribe and observe, relaying messages to distant forces. The figure holding the signal flag indicates active long-range communication—crucial for coordinating movements across vast terrain.
The composition features a full array of Imperial personnel—infantry, mounted officers, and non-combatants—with a group of African laborers seated in the left foreground observing the activity. British redcoats and engineers are depicted with meticulous detail, and in the distance, the undulating hills of Zululand frame the action, capturing both the isolation and complexity of the campaign.
This is a superbly preserved original illustration from the Illustrated London News, offering a rare view of 19th-century battlefield communication and British operations during the 1879 campaign.
