A Stylometric Foray into the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879
David I. Holmes, Elizabeth D. Johnson · English Studies · 2012
The most celebrated feat of arms during the reign of Queen Victoria was arguably the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and, in particular, the heroic defence of the mission station at Rorke's Drift. The senior officer, Lieutenant John Chard, was asked to write a report of the battle in its immediate aftermath which he duly submitted, yet suspicions have arisen concerning the true authorship of this “official” report, which deflects the blame for the horrifying tragedy at Isandlwana that same day away from the Commander-in-Chief Lord Chelmsford. This article describes how stylometry can shed light on a possible Victorian conspiracy.