Buffalo Soldiers

Today’s post comes from a Facebook friend of mine, Allenz Strickland. Allenz tells the story well, so here it goes:

“This post is about the nickname given to African American U.S. Army personnel. For the Bob Marley song.

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in the Indian Wars. The term eventually became synonymous with all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866:

9th Cavalry Regiment

10th Cavalry Regiment

24th Infantry Regiment

25th Infantry Regiment

Second 38th Infantry Regiment

Buffalo Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Regiment in 1890

Active:

1866–1951

 

9th Cavalry Regiment

10th Cavalry Regiment

24th Infantry Regiment

25th Infantry Regiment

Engagements

American Indian Wars

Spanish–American War

Philippine–American War

Mexican Border War

World War I

World War II

Although several African-American regiments were raised during the Civil War as part of the Union Army (including the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and the many United States Colored Troops Regiments), the "Buffalo Soldiers" were established by Congress as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the regular U.S. Army] On September 6, 2005, Mark Matthews, the oldest surviving Buffalo Soldier, died at the age of 111. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Systemic prejudice:

John J. Pershing

General of the Armies John J. Pershing is a controversial figure regarding the Buffalo Soldiers. He served with the 10th Cavalry Regiment from October 1895 to May 1897, starting as a first lieutenant when he took command of a troop of the 10th in October 1895.

In 1897, Pershing became an instructor at West Point, where he joined the tactical staff. West Point cadets upset over Pershing's disciplinary treatment and high standards took to calling him "(N*) Jack," because he had learned to have full respect for black soldiers while leading them. Later during the Spanish–American War, where Pershing served with the 10th for six months in Cuba, the press softened the term to "Black Jack", which they continued to use in World War I.

At the start of the Spanish–American War, First Lieutenant Pershing was offered a brevet rank and commissioned a major of volunteers on August 26, 1898. He fought with the 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) on Kettle and San Juan Hills in Cuba and was cited for gallantry.

During World War I, Pershing was the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) on the Western Front. While earlier a champion of the African-American soldier, at this time he did not defend their full participation on the battlefield, but bowed to the racist policies of President Woodrow Wilson, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, and the Southern Democratic Party with its "separate but equal" philosophy.

Baker was cognizant of the many problems of domestic and allied political involvement in military decision-making during wartime, and gave Pershing unmatched authority to run his command as he saw fit, but Pershing practiced realpolitik carefully where black participation was concerned, not engaging in issues that might distract or diminish his command. Even so, Pershing allowed American soldiers (African Americans) to be under the command of a foreign power for the first time in American history.

The Punitive Expedition, U.S.–Mexico border, and World War I 

World War II 

Korean War and integration 

Medal of Honor recipients (1866–1918) Edit

Memorial to Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Clinton Greaves, 9th US Cavalry, at Fort Bayard, New Mexico

Sgt. John Harris of the 10th U.S. Cavalry with a Sharps rifle, c. 1868.

This list is of the officers and men who received the Medal of Honor due to service with the original units called "Buffalo Soldiers".

Edward L. Baker, Jr.

Dennis Bell

Thomas Boyne

Benjamin Brown

George Ritter Burnett

Louis H. Carpenter

Powhatan Henry Clarke

John Denny

Pompey Factor

Clinton Greaves

Henry Johnson

George Jordan

Fitz Lee

Isaiah Mays

William McBryar

Adam Paine

Isaac Payne

Thomas Shaw

Emanuel Stance

Freddie Stowers

William H. Thompkins

Augustus Walley

George H. Wanton

John Ward

Moses Williams

William Othello Wilson

Brent Woods

This list is of other notable African Americans who served in the original units as "Buffalo Soldiers" from 1866 to 1918.

John Hanks Alexander

Allen Allensworth

Lewis Broadus

Henry Ossian Flipper

Edward W. Pearson, Sr.

Charles Young

Cathay Williams

Today is Buffalo Soldiers Day–proclaimed by President George Bush on 24 July of 1992 and celebrated on 28 July annually thereafter to celebrate the all-black Army regiments’ “outstanding legacy of service.” The Buffalo Soldiers, as Bush acknowledged, are a historically important group best remembered for fighting on American’s western frontier. But “their achievements were not limited to the western United States,” Bush said: Members of the Buffalo Soldiers served in other parts of America and “in places as far-flung as Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines.” The Buffalo Soldiers fought through both world wars and a number of other conflicts. Throughout all of this, as Bush acknowledged, because of racism “they often received the worst food and equipment and labored without the respect and recognition that were their due.”

There is a great deal more to know about these extraordinary Soldiers as individuals, see my future post that will include more detailed dedications to these individual Soldiers that were essential in the shaping of our Great Nation, ‘Enjoy your Saturday morning Cup of Joe.’”