Editing Redvers Buller (section)

==Zulu War and Victoria Cross==
He then served in South Africa during the [[Xhosa Wars|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 (No. 4 column) under Sir [[Evelyn Wood (British Army officer)|Evelyn Wood]]. In March 1879 the column met defeat at the [[Battle of Hlobane]]. Buller was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery during this battle.

The following day he participated in the British victory at the [[Battle of Kambula]]. After the Zulu attacks on the British position were beaten off, he led his mounted troops in a ruthless pursuit of fleeing Zulu fighters. In June 1879, he again commanded mounted troops at the [[Battle of Ulundi]], the Zulu capital. This decisive British victory effectively ended the war.

His VC citation, for actions taken during the Battle of Hlobane, reads:

{{blockquote|For his gallant conduct at the retreat at Inhlobana, on the 28th&nbsp;March, 1879, in having assisted, whilst hotly pursued by Zulus, in rescuing Captain [[Cecil D'Arcy|C. D'Arcy]], of the Frontier Light Horse, who was retiring on foot, and carrying him on his horse until he overtook the rear guard. Also for having on the same date and under the same circumstances, conveyed Lieutenant C. Everitt, of the Frontier Light Horse, whose horse had been killed under him, to a place of safety. Later on, Colonel Buller, in the same manner, saved a trooper of the Frontier Light Horse, whose horse was completely exhausted, and who otherwise would have been killed by the Zulus, who were within 80 yards of him.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24734|page=3966|date=17 June 1879}}</ref>}}

[[File:Redver buller sauvant un officier à Hlobane.jpg|thumb|upright|Buller's VC action, painted by [[Montagu Love|H. Montagu Love]] (1905)]]

In an interview to ''[[The Register (Adelaide)|The Register]]'' newspaper of [[Adelaide]], South Australia, dated 2 June 1917, Trooper George Ashby of the [[Frontier Light Horse]] (also referred to as "[[Henry Burmester Pulleine|Pulleine]]'s Pets") attached to the 24th Regiment gave an account of his rescue by Col. Buller:

{{blockquote|... it was discovered that the mountain was surrounded by a vast horde of Zulus. An attempt was made to descend on the side opposite to the pass. Cpl. Ashby and his little party endeavoured to fight their way down, and at last he and a man named Andrew Gemmell, now living in New Zealand, were the only ones left. With their faces to the foe, firing as they retired, they kept the Zulus at bay. Then an unfortunate thing happened, Cpl. Ashby's rifle burst, but, fortunately for him, Col. Buller, afterwards Sir Redvers Buller, who was one of the party, came galloping by, and offered to take him up behind him. Col. Buller was a heavy man, and his horse was a light one, and realizing this, Cpl. Ashby declined his generous offer. But the Colonel stayed with him, and, Cpl. Ashby having picked up a rifle and ammunition from a fallen comrade, the two men retired, firing whenever a foeman showed himself. They eventually reached the main camp, and for this service, as well as for saving the lives of two fellow-officers on the same occasion, Col. Buller received the Victoria Cross. Out of 500 men who made the attack on the Zjilobane Mountain, more than 300 met their death."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59138187 |title=A ROMANTIC CAREER. |newspaper=[[The Register (Adelaide)|The Register]] |volume=LXXXII |issue=22,017 |location=Adelaide |date=2 June 1917 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>}}