Roles, Duties, and Influence of Buffalo Soldiers

¶ … Roles, Duties, and Influence of Buffalo Soldiers in the United States

Despite the fact that Buffalo Soldiers and their accomplishments may not be known by many, they played an integral role in the construction and expansion of the United States as it is known today. While the Buffalo Soldiers as a cavalry only lasted from 1866 to 1944, their influence has had a lasting impact. Furthermore, they helped to pave the way for future African-American leaders and deserve to not only be recognized for their valuable services, but also need to be remembered as role models.

On July 28, 1866, the United States Congress passed legislation to establish two segregated cavalry units, the 9th and 10th regiments, and four segregated infantry regiments, the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st, which were to be made up of black, enlisted men.[footnoteRef:1] These six different units were later consolidated into four black regiments in 1869: the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiment remained the same while the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry Regiments were consolidated into two infantry regiments, the 24th and the 25th.[footnoteRef:2] Congress established these segregated units as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the U.S. Army. Enlisted men were paid $13 a month, plus were provided with room and board, and clothing. Additionally, these soldiers were required to fulfill a five-year enlistment period.[footnoteRef:3] May of these enlisted men had been born into slavery, while others were of Seminole descent.[footnoteRef:4] [1: "Buffalo Soldiers," National Park Service, last modified May 24, 2013, http://www.nps.gov/yose/historyculture/buffalo-soldiers.htm.] [2: "On the Western Frontier," National Park Service, last modified June 11, 2013, http://home.nps.gov/prsf/historyculture/on-the-western-frontier.htm.] [3: Ibid.] [4: Ibid.]

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly were the term Buffalo Soldier originated, although there are several theories as to the term's origin. Some believe that the soldiers were given the name by the Native Americans whom they fought against due to their fierce nature and how they reminded Native Americans of how buffalos fought, while others believe that they were given the name due to the soldiers' curly hair being similar to buffalos', while others believed that they were given the name because these soldiers work think coats made from buffalo skins during the winter.[footnoteRef:5] The Buffalo Soldiers' commanding officer, Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson contended that Native Americans gave them their name out of respect for their powerful adversaries.[footnoteRef:6] Buffalo Soldiers fought in more than 125 conflicts in campaigns against the Cheyenne, Apache, Kiowa, Ute, Comanche, and Sioux and were often ordered to return these Native Americans to their respective reservations.[footnoteRef:7] Buffalo Soldiers would find themselves engaged in foreign conflicts in later years, beginning with the Spanish-American War in 1898 during which these soldiers were sent to fought abroad in countries such as Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines, and concluded their overseas duties in 1944 in North Africa when the 10th Cavalry Regiment was deactivated.[footnoteRef:8] [5: "A Brief History of the Buffalo Soldiers," Buffalo Soldiers of the American West, accessed June 11, 2013, http://www.buffalosoldiers-amwest.org/history.htm.] [6: Stanford L. Davis, "Buffalo Soldiers & Indian Wars," last modified 1999, http://www.buffalosoldier.net/] [7: "On the Western Frontier."] [8: "Who Were the Buffalo Soldiers?" Buffalo Soldiers Research Museum, accessed June 11, 2013, http://www.buffalosoldiersresearchmuseum.org/who.htm]

As part of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiment and 24th and 25th Infantry Regiment, soldiers spent time scouting and patrolling the terrain, "providing sentinels and security for the settlers, building roads, and installing telegraph lines" for settlers that chose to travel west.[footnoteRef:9] Buffalo Soldiers also "assisted local authorities and federal marshals, escorted civilians, stagecoaches, and freighters, guarded railroad construction workers and mail carriers, forestalled Boomers, chased robbers, horse thieves, and cattle rustlers," and attempted to pacify and protect Native Americans in Indian Territory.[footnoteRef:10] At a fundamental level, Buffalo Soldiers were responsible for preparing and construction the infrastructure that would allow these settlers to move west. In 1890, after the Pine Ridge campaign, less troops were needed to help establish and maintain peace on the frontier, thus the War Department closed many outposts and displace soldiers were transferred to larger garrison like Fort Robinson in Nebraska, Fort Riley in Kansas, and the Presidio of San Francisco.[footnoteRef:11] Buffalo Soldiers also spent much of their time performing military duties such as inspections, parades, and participating in the care and maintenance of their horses and equipment. Buffalo Soldiers also helped with the experimentation of new weapons, equipment, and strategic and tactical maneuvers, some of which were unsuccessful like testing if horses could be replaced by bicycles.[footnoteRef:12] [9: Ibid.] [10: Bruce A. Glasrud, "Buffalo Soldiers," Oklahoma Historical Society, accessed June 11, 2013, http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/b/bu005.html.] [11: "On the Western Frontier."] [12: Ibid.]