If you used EH76's recipe with buttermilk, it's no wonder it didn't rise.
Cream of Tartar (an acid) is used with regular milk to adjust the acidity of the dough so the baking powder will work.
Buttermilk itself is more acidic than regular milk, and baking soda (a base) is generally used to counteract the acidity.
Baking powder only works within a narrow ph range.
