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Buller, Redvers Henry, General, Sir, 1839 - 1908

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 7 December 1839 - 2 June 1908

Biography

British Army officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in South Africa during the early months of the Second Boer War and commanded the army in Natal until November 1900.

Buller was the second son and heir of James Wentworth Buller (1798–1865), MP for Exeter, and Charlotte Juliana Jane Howard-Molyneux-Howard (d.1855). The Bullers were an old Cornish family.

He was educated at Eton and purchased a commission in the 60th Rifles in 1858. He served in the Second Opium War and was promoted captain before taking part in the Canadian Red River Expedition of 1870. In 1873–74, he was the Intelligence Officer under Lord Wolseley during the Ashanti campaign. He was promoted to Major and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

He served in South Africa during the 9th Cape Frontier War in 1878 and the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. In the Zulu War he commanded the Mounted Infantry of the Northern British column under Sir Evelyn Wood. He fought at the British defeat at the Battle of Hlobane, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery under fire. The following day he fought in the British victory at the Battle of Kambula. After the Zulu attacks on the British position were beaten off, he led a ruthless pursuit by the mounted troops of the fleeing Zulus. In June 1879, he again commanded mounted troops at the Battle of Ulundi, a decisive British victory which effectively ended the war.

In the First Boer War of 1881 he was Sir Evelyn Wood's chief of staff and the following year was again head of intelligence, this time in the Egypt campaign, and was knighted.

Buller had a long and prolific military career, serving in all the key conflicts of his time including Sudan, Ireland, the Second Boer War and he was eventually promoted to General in 1896.

For a while Buller was popular as a military leader amongst the public in England. However, his reputation had been damaged by his early defeats in South Africa and through public discontent the Ministry of War used him as a scapegoat and dismissed him from the Forces on 22 October 1901. Although he tried to appeal, he had not option but to retire. After his military career was over, Bullen served as Principal Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company until his death in 1908.

Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:

Argyle Theatre Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0117
Scope and Contents

This collection contains a large number of posters as well as business records including records of artist bookings, accounts, scrapbooks, contracts and correspondence.

Dates: 1865 - 1941

Argyle Theatre of Varieties Poster, 19 November 1900

 Item
Reference code: 178R12.306
Scope and Contents Argyle Theatre of Varieties, Birkenhead. 6 Brothers Luck in new Pantomimic Absurdity 'The Hermit', Animated Photographs of General Buller and the C.I.V’s. return to England Produced by the Royal Bioscope, The Dorrells Duettists, Vocalists and Dancers, Charles Seel Comedian, Martha Gymnast, Maude Needham Serio Comic and Ballad Vocalist, T.W. Barrett The Nobleman’s Son, Marion Keats Serio Comedienne and Dancer, New Macs Knockabout Comedians. Printed by S. Griffith and Co, Printers, Liverpool....
Dates: 19 November 1900

Bill Barnes Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0172
Scope and Contents

Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.

Dates: 1881 - 2017

Joseph Poole's New Myriorama Programme, 8 January 1900

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.56
Scope and Contents Town Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Grand re-opening, The Boer War, General Buller's March, The Battle of Elandslaagte, Charing Cross, London, The Royal Navy Review, Osborne, The Bay of Biscay, River Tagus, Gibraltar, Alexandria, Interior of the mosque of El Choree, Our troops at the Pyramids, The Sphinx, Manfalout, The Temple of Karnac, Erment, Elephantina, The Throne of Pharaoh at Philae, Nubia, Abou Simbel, Battle of Tamai, Khartoum, South Africa, General Buller's march, The slave trade,...
Dates: 8 January 1900

Posters, c1880 - 1940

 Series
Reference code: 178R12
Scope and Contents

Large collection of Argyle Theatre posters.

Dates: c1880 - 1940

Programmes , 1881 - 2016

 Series
Reference code: 178K53
Scope and Contents

Pre-Film and variety and music hall programmes mainly related to the travelling shows of Joseph Poole and Harry Poole, Harry H. Hamilton, Mapleston Brothers and Adams but it also includes other showmen.

Dates: 1881 - 2016

Filtered By

  • Subject: Gymnasts X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 4
Collection 2
 
Subject
Acrobats 4
Aerialists 4
Anglo-Afghan Wars 2
Anglo-Burmese War, 3rd, 1885 1
Anglo-Egyptian War, 1882 2