Buffalo Soldier Teacher Resources

References

Web sites:

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Help/search.html

http://www.nps.gov/prsf/history/buffalo_soldiers/index.htm

http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/

http://www.nps.gov/yose/nature/articles/buffs.htm

http://www.buffalosoldier.net/

http://www.nps.gov/pwso/honor/thompkins.htm

Books:

The Buffalo Soldiers :A Narrative of the Negro Cavalry in the West. By W.H. Leckie

Buffalo Soldiers: by Tom Willard

The Forgotten Heroes: by Clinton Cox

Black, Buckskin and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier by Art T. Burton

Buffalo Soldiers: by Taressa Stovall

Buffalo Soldiers and Officers of the Ninth Cavalry:[1867-1898] By Charles L. Kenner

Ready and ForwardCourage and patriotism are not restricted to a singlegroup of people or culture. Achievements of theAfrican-American "Buffalo Soldier" regiments (9th and10th Cavalry, 24th and 25th Infantry) portray selfless anddedicated participation in the settling of the Americanfrontier and the development of the United States as aworld power. The courage of these Black soldiers meantnot only valor in the face of danger, but a spirit to serveto their country despite discrimination, segregation, andrepressive laws.

From inception in 1866 until integration after 1948, theBuffalo Soldier regiments were segregated, and withonly a few exceptions, the officers in charge wereCaucasian. Nevertheless, soldiers of the four Blackregiments overcame extreme adversity on thebattlefield and at home to establish themselves asamong the most effective military units in the Army.

Ready and Forward was the motto adopted by the 10th

Cavalry

Ready and ForwardCourage and patriotism are not restricted to a singlegroup of people or culture. Achievements of theAfrican-American "Buffalo Soldier" regiments (9th and10th Cavalry, 24th and 25th Infantry) portray selfless anddedicated participation in the settling of the Americanfrontier and the development of the United States as aworld power. The courage of these Black soldiers meantnot only valor in the face of danger, but a spirit to serveto their country despite discrimination, segregation, andrepressive laws.

From inception in 1866 until integration after 1948, theBuffalo Soldier regiments were segregated, and withonly a few exceptions, the officers in charge wereCaucasian. Nevertheless, soldiers of the four Blackregiments overcame extreme adversity on thebattlefield and at home to establish themselves asamong the most effective military units in the Army.

Ready and Forward was the motto adopted by the 10th

Cavalry

Origin of the NameThe legendary name, "Buffalo Soldier," is saidto have originated with the Plains Indians,who thought that the hair of the blacksoldiers resembled the fur of the buffalo, andthat their fighting spirit made them worthyopponents. The name first appeared in aletter from a frontier army wife to The Nationmagazine in 1873, and it was soon widelyadopted by writers and journalists. Thesoldiers seldom used the name amongstthemselves, but they did accept the name ascomplimentary, and eventually the buffalowas used in the crest of the 10th CavalryRegiment.

Herb Peck Jr., CollectionNinth Cavalry Insignia Tenth Cavalry Insignia

On the Western FrontierAfter Congress established the African American regiments in1866, they were quickly sent to the American frontier statesand territories. There, they scouted and patrolled vastexpanses of challenging terrain, provided security for settlers,built roads, and installed telegraph lines. They also spentendless hours performing drills, inspections, parades, andcaring for their horses and equipment. The troopers faced amix of danger and boredom accentuated by rigid militarydiscipline. They fought more than 125 engagements againstthe Cheyenne, Apache, Kiowa, Ute, Comanche, and Sioux.

The black regiments were frequently ordered to returnhostile Indian tribes to their reservations. These activitiescreated feelings of moral dilemma and a sense of irony forsome of the black troops, since many were former slaves andothers were Seminole Negroes, whose ancestors had fledslavery and joined Seminole tribes in Florida.

On the frontier, black troops were renownedfor their fierce fighting spirit

Painting by Arthur Shilstone

On the Western FrontierAfter Congress established the African American regiments in1866, they were quickly sent to the American frontier statesand territories. There, they scouted and patrolled vastexpanses of challenging terrain, provided security for settlers,built roads, and installed telegraph lines. They also spentendless hours performing drills, inspections, parades, andcaring for their horses and equipment. The troopers faced amix of danger and boredom accentuated by rigid militarydiscipline. They fought more than 125 engagements againstthe Cheyenne, Apache, Kiowa, Ute, Comanche, and Sioux.

The black regiments were frequently ordered to returnhostile Indian tribes to their reservations. These activitiescreated feelings of moral dilemma and a sense of irony forsome of the black troops, since many were former slaves andothers were Seminole Negroes, whose ancestors had fledslavery and joined Seminole tribes in Florida.

On the frontier, black troops were renownedfor their fierce fighting spirit

Painting by Arthur Shilstone

The First Black OfficersIn 1877, Henry O. Flipper was the first blackofficer to graduate from West Point Academy.He served in the 10th Cavalry until 1881, whenhe was discharged under questionablecircumstances. Two more academy graduatesfollowed him: John Hanks Alexander, class of1887, and Charles Young, class of 1889. Theywere joined by five African Americanchaplains: Allen Allensworth, Henry V.Plummer, George Prioleau, Theophilus GouldSteward, and William Anderson. Chaplainswere military officers that did not lead troops.The black chaplains saw to the spiritual needsof the segregated regiments and taught thosesoldiers lacking a basic education.

Black officers faced challenges both on the battlefield and at the post. Although the armyhad an official policy of non-discrimination, it could not guarantee equality or socialacceptance. It was not until 1901 that the first black soldiers, Benjamen O. Davis and John E.Green, would break the barrior to rise from the enlisted ranks to commissioned officers, andit would be 45 years after Charles Young graduated from West Point before Benjamin O.Davis, Jr. became the fourth black West Point graduate.

Lieutenant Henry O. FlipperPainting by Arthur Shilstone

Although the war was promoted as a fight to liberate Caribbean and Philippine islanders fromSpanish oppression, the participation of Buffalo Soldier and black volunteer regiments wascontroversial within the African American community. Blacks questioned whether they, who weredeprived of civil rights by federal and state laws and were being lynched and terrorized in theSouth, should fight overseas for a government that recognized them as citizens in name only.

The War with SpainIn February 1898, the battleship Mainemysteriously blew up in Havana's harbor, killing260 American sailors. The war with Spainbegan in April. Over 3,000 Buffalo Soldiersserved with distinction on the battlefields ofLas Guasimas, El Caney, and San Juan Hill. Theyfought up San Juan Hill beside white regulararmy regiments and the 1st Volunteer Cavalry—the Rough Riders—led by Lieutenant ColonelTheodore Roosevelt. After the battle, RoughRider Frank Knox said, “I never saw bravermen anywhere,” and Lieutenant John J.Pershing wrote, “They fought their way intothe hearts of the American people.”

Bob Bowen Collection

Post card showing the charge of San Juan Hill.

Beyond the Call of DutyThe Medal of Honor was created in 1862 to recognizeenlisted soldiers who “distinguish themselves by theirgallantry in action and other soldier-like qualities.” It isthe highest military award for acts beyond the call ofduty. Sixteen African American men earned the award inthe Civil War. During the Indian Wars, 18 more black menreceived the Medal of Honor and many others theCertificate of Merit. After five Buffalo Soldiers earned theMedal of Honor for valor in the Spanish American War,no other African Americans would receive the medal untilthe Korean War, when two soldiers were posthumouslyhonored. In 1997, President Clinton presented the Medalof Honor to seven Black soldiers for gallantry in WorldWar II—only one recipient was still alive.

The selfless acts of privates William H. Thompkins, FitzLee, Dennis Bell, and George Wanton during the SpanishAmerican War exemplify black valor. In the face of over-whelming enemy fire, these men voluntarily rescuedwounded U.S. and Cuban comrades from a beach in Cuba.Each received the Medal of Honor. Sergeant Thompkins isburied at San Francisco National Cemetery along with 450other Buffalo Soldiers.William H. Thompkins

GGNRA Park Archives

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Presidio GarrisonOn returning from the Philippine War in 1902,four 9th Cavalry companies were garrisoned at thePresidio of San Francisco until 1904. Garrison lifewas largely uneventful, consisting of the usualwork details and guard mount. However, in thespring of 1903, these units were assigned twospecial missions. They were to patrol Yosemite,Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks overthe summer, protecting them from logging,livestock grazing, poaching and fires. In addition,"I" Company was to serve as special escort toPresident Theodore Roosevelt during hisCalifornia tour, the first time black troops weregiven this honor.

Theodore Roosevelt's relationship with his African American constituents was inconsistent. In1904 Roosevelt raised hopes for racial equality when he invited educator Booker T. Washingtonto be the first black guest to dine at the White House. Then, in 1906 a small group of 25th

Infantry soldiers were involved in an incident in which a civilian was killed and a police officerwounded at Brownsville, Texas. Unable to identify the guilty men, the Army, backed byPresident Roosevelt, dismissed without honor 167 black infantrymen, none of whom werefound guilty of any wrongdoing.

Twenty-fourth Infantry, Yosemite, 1899