Lord Chelmsford led British forces in Zululand in 1879. Overconfident in firepower, he neglected defences at Isandlwana and moved his main force to confront a rumoured Zulu army. The remaining troops, caught off guard, fought in an exposed line and were massacred due to limited access to ammunition. Despite this failure, Chelmsford retained command and later defeated the Zulus at Ulundi, salvaging his reputation. However, an enquiry criticised his leadership, and he never held a field command again.