| THE
HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS |
| The
Name |
 Sources
disagree on how the nickname "Buffalo Soldiers" began. According
to the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, the name originated with
the Cheyenne warriors in the winter of 1867, the actual Cheyenne translation
being "Wild Buffalo." However, writer Walter Hill documented
the account of Colonel Benjamin Grierson, who founded the 10th Cavalry
regiment, recalling an 1871 campaign against Comanches. Hill attributed
the origin of the name to the Comanche due to Grierson's assertions.
Some sources assert that the nickname was given out of respect for
the fierce fighting ability of the 10th cavalry. Other sources assert
that Native Americans called the black cavalry troops "buffalo
soldiers" because of their dark curly hair, which resembled a
buffalo's coat. Still other sources point to a combination of both
legends. The term Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers. It is primarily used for U.S. Army units that trace their direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry, units whose service earned them an honored place in U.S. history. |
| The
Formation |
 During
the American Civil War, the U.S. government formed regiments known
as the United States Colored Troops, composed of black soldiers.
After the war, Congress reorganized the Army and authorized the
formation of two regiments of black cavalry and four regiments of
black infantry. These soldiers comprised of former slaves, free
men and black Civil War soldiers. The unit designations were the
9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry, and the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Infantry
Regiments (Colored). The 38th and 41st were reorganized as the 25th
Infantry Regiment, with headquarters in Jackson Barracks in New
Orleans, Louisiana, in November 1869. The 39th and 40th were reorganized
as the 24th Infantry Regiment, with headquarters at Fort Clark,
Texas, in April 1869. All of these units were composed of black
enlisted men commanded by mostly white officers. These included
the first commander of the 10th Cavalry Benjamin Grierson, the first
commander of the 9th Cavalry Edward Hatch, Medal of Honor recipient
Louis H. Carpenter, and the first black graduate of West Point,
Henry Flipper. Many of the
white soldiers who were openly opposed to African-Americans serving
in the regular Army, made life for the newly formed troops extremely
difficult. To minimize public confrontations, these soldiers were
sent West because of the animosity in the South towards blacks after
the Civil War and the end of slavery. These soldiers believed that
they had something to prove and knew that if they performed well
in their service, duties and in battle, the decision to accept them
as citizens which they had previously been excluded would be vindicated.
Their desertion rate was the lowest of any frontier army unit although
their posts were often times in the most remote places. The soldiers
were consistently assigned to the harshest and most desolate locations.
Those who were accepted, for the minimum of 5 years, received the
basic troopers pay of thirteen dollars per month, plus quarters,
meals and uniforms. They felt they were now on their way to acceptance,
little did they know of the hardship they would face in the west.
Most started with uniforms and equipment that was castoff remnants
of both American Civil War armies. the major inducement for enlistment
was the prospect of learning how to read and write. They felt this
would bring them closer to learning and earning
the respect of the white men, and by knowing what the white man
new would help them survive and prosper. |
| |
| How
They Dressed |
 |
| During
the 1870-1880’s, the Buffalo Soldier wore a flannel shirt, and
a blouse of dark blue with light blue trousers tucked into over-the-knee
boots. Also, civil war kepi (hat) adorned with crossed sabers bearing
regimental and troop designation. He was armed with a 45-70 Springfield
carbine (rifle), a Colt Army .45, (1873 model) caliber pistol and
a saber. He was outfitted with a slouch ‘campaign’ hat,
black at first and a light grayish-brown by 1874. The Buffalo Soldiers
were not issued a neckerchief but generally wore one of his own color
of choice anyway. Sometimes yellow more often red or white. These
were real necessities, especially for the men riding further back
in the column needing protection from the thick clouds of dust kicked
up by the front ranks |
| The
Duties |
 These
four units helped to build and shape most of the lands west of the
Mississippi River. This included guarding railroads and stagecoaches,
telegraph lines, arms shipments, towns and homesteads, also protecting
the settlers in many of the western towns from outlaws, Indian and
Mexican bandits. In many instances, the very town’s people whom
the soldiers were protecting turned on them for they refused to have
the Negro soldiers’ protection. However, when the Buffalo Soldiers were not tasked with protection duties, they were used to map and explore the lands from the Canadian to the Mexican borders and as far west as the Pacific coast and searched new locations for establishing forts. Another little-known contribution of the Buffalo Soldiers involved eight troops of the 9th Cavalry Regiment and one company of the 24th Infantry Regiment who served in California's Sierra Nevada as some of the first national park rangers. In 1899, Buffalo Soldiers from Company H, 24th Infantry Regiment briefly served in Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park and General Grant (Kings Canyon) National Parks. Because these soldiers served before the National Park Service was created (1916), they were "park rangers" before the term was coined. A lasting legacy of the soldiers as park rangers is the Ranger Hat (popularly known as the Smokey Bear Hat). |
| The
Wars |
| From
their inception in 1866 through their de-activation in 1944, the soldiers
participated in every conflict and war the US Army was involved in:
the Indian, Spanish-American, Philippine-American, Mexican Revolution,
Mexican Expedition, World War I, and World II |
| World War I |
|
And the Army
Air Corps had the RedTails, whose motto was “Spit Fire”.
The Tuskegee Airmen who flew into fame as being the most successful
fighter escort group during the war! |
| World
War II |
| The
Spanish-American War had our troops in Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt’s
Rough Riders. “Mr. Roosevelt, how did the all-black units perform?”
A reporter later asked Roosevelt, wanting to take all the credit,
looked at the reporter and sighed. “They were very depending
on their white officers, And often cowardly and tried to run away”
He lied. The Rough Riders and Buffalo Soldiers listened to him in dismay, they all knew the stories he told, they could not Uphold. Because things just didn’t happen that way! In Cuba there were three hills of concern to capture. Two of the three had been taken by the American and the fort atop San Juan Hill remained. Roosevelt was atop the second, Kettle Hill and attempted to lead an attack forward against San Juan, but was followed by only five men. Returning to his lines, he met with the commander of the cavalry and was given permission to take the men forward. Storming forward, the cavalrymen, the 1st, 9th and 10th Cavalries, broke through lines of barbed wire and cleared the heights to their front and took over San Juan Hill. Many sought to pursue the enemy to Santiago and had to be recalled. |
| |
| A
Legacy |
| Every
year the west coast experiences numerous fires which scorch thousands
of acres of land. If not for the efforts of courageous members called
smoke jumpers many of those fires would go uncontrolled. The original
smoke jumpers, the 555th Paratroopers participated in fire-fighting
missions throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Their primary
mission was to conceal the Japanese attacks by incendiary bombs dropped
along the coast! |
| The
End |
| Due
to integration in the services, the segregated units of the 9th and
10th Cavalry, 24th and 25th Infantry were deactivated in stages with
the first in 1944 and the last unit, the 24th, while serving in Korea,
in Oct 1951. |
| Closing |
| It
is because if the accomplishments and successes of the first four
colored Army units, our military has been able to bond airmen, sailors
and soldiers together across all races to achieve mission successes
in the past, the present and into the future. And established organizations
to help preserve this country’s beauty and heritage! |
| People |
| Cathay Williams |
