Buller, M.P., of Crediton, Devonshire, and the descendant of an
old Cornish family, long established in Devonshire, tracing its ancestry in
the female line to Edward I., was born in 1839, and educated at Eton. He
entered the army in 1858, and served with the 60th (King's Royal Rifles) in
the China campaign of 1860. In 1870 he became captain, and went on the Red
River expedition, where he was first associated with Colonel (afterwards
Lord) Wolseley. In 1873-74 he accompanied the latter in the Ashantee
campaign as head of the Intelligence Department, and was slightly wounded
at the battle of Ordabai; he was mentioned in despatches, made a C.B., and
raised to the rank of major. In 1874 he inherited the family estates. In
the Kaffir War of 1878-79 and the Zulu War of 1879 he was conspicuous as an
intrepid and popular leader, and acquired a reputation for courage and
dogged determination. In particular his conduct of the retreat at Inhlobane
(March 28, 1879) drew attention to these qualities, and on that occasion he
earned the V.C.; he was also created C.M.G. and made lieutenant-colonel and
A.D.C. to the queen. In the Boer War of 1881 he was Sir Evelyn Wood's chief
of staff; and thus added to his experience of South African conditions of
warfare. In 1882 he was head of the field intelligence department in the
Egyptian campaign, and was knighted for his services. Two years later he
commanded an infantry brigade in the Sudan under Sir Gerald Graham, and was
at the battles of El Teb and Tamai, being promoted major-general for
distinguished service. In the Sudan campaign of 1884-85 he was Lord
Wolseley's chief of staff, and he was given command of the desert column
when Sir Herbert Stewart was wounded. He distinguished himself by his
conduct of the retreat from Gubat to Gakdul, and by his victory at Abu Klea
(February 16-17), and he was created K.C.B. In 1886 he was sent to Ireland
to inquire into the "moonlighting" outrages, and for a short time he acted
as under-secretary for Ireland; but in 1887 he was appointed
quartermaster-general at the war office. From 1890 to 1897 he held the
office of adjutant-general, attaining the rank of lieutenant-general in
1891. At the war office his energy and ability inspired the belief that he
was fitted for the highest command, and in 1895, when the duke of Cambridge
was about to retire, it was well known that Lord Rosebery's cabinet
intended to appoint Sir Redvers as chief of the staff under a