the legacy of the buffalo soldiers. 10 th cav. montana
TRANSCRIPT
The legacy of the
Buffalo Soldiers
10th Cav. Montana
Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?
• “Buffalo Soldiers”– A letter in 1872 references black troops as
“buffalo soldiers”– Named out of respect for the “Courage of the
buffalo”
History of the Buffalo Soldiers• 1792
– Federal Law barred blacks from bearing arms for the US Army
• 1863 – Emancipation Proclamation– Government established the Bureau of Colored
Troops– General Order 233
• Threatened against mistreatment of black troops by Confederate POWs
• 1866– Congress passed a law creating the all black 9th & 10th
Cavalry regiments
U.S. Army Recruitment Poster
WWI
9th Cav., Pine ridge, S.D.
Buffalo Soldiers Statistics
• By the end of the Civil War– 179,000 black men (10% of the army) – 19,000 served in the Navy– ~40,000 black soldiers died of infection or disease
• During the Indian Wars;– 20% of the Calvary troops were black– Fought in over 177 engagements
• In early 1890s Buffalo Soldiers earned $13 a month
Buffalo Soldier Campaigns• Western Frontier
– Movement of Native Americans– Settlement of the frontier– Indian Wars
• Spanish-American War
• Philippine American War
• Military Campaign to capture Pancho Villa
• Resource Protection of the National Parks
• WWI