January 23

Battle of Rorke's Drift

Following Isandlwana, roughly 4,000 Zulu warriors attacked a mission station defended by just 150 British soldiers. The defenders held through the night, repelling multiple waves of attackers. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded — the most ever for a single engagement.

Rorke's Drift became an iconic story of British military valor and helped restore confidence shattered by Isandlwana, though critics noted it was used to obscure the disaster of the day before.