I te Oketopa 1853, i whakahaua ano te ope a Buller kia hoki ki te kaainga, ahakoa nga tono a Sir George Cathcart kia noho tonu ia hei pirihimana i te Cape, i tohe ia kia haere tahi me ia. I te wa i whakatauhia ai te tuku i tetahi ope whakatere ki te Rawhiti i te tau 1854, i tohua a Buller hei rangatira-rahi, ka riro i a ia te whakahau o te 2nd Brigade o te Light Division, kei roto i te 19th, 88th, me te 77th Regiments. Ko tana whanonga i te Pakanga o te Alma
i tino whakahētia i taua wā, engari i whakaaetia e ngā kaituhi hōia e titiro whakamuri ana ki te pakanga.