With the First Boer War reaching a crescendo, he was once again sent back to South Africa in January 1881, initially as a "staff colonel" to Sir George Colley, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in Natal, who was his junior on the Army list. He was then, again with the local rank of brigadier-general, appointed second-in-command, pushing reinforcements up to Colley. He succeeded Colley after his defeat and death at Majuba Hill (27 February 1881), earning promotion to the local rank of major-general.