Buffalo Soldier Monument

In 1866, Congress approved the creation of African American Army regiments. The 9th Cavalry was formed in Louisiana by July 28 of that year. The famous 10th Cavalry was formed barely two months later, by September 21 at Fort Leavenworth, and not long after, were stationed at Fort Riley. The 24th and 25th Regiments followed; combined with the 9th and 10th, the four regiments would be the first all-Black regiments in the U.S. Army and earn the Buffalo Soldier label. 

The regiments were tasked with protecting westward expansion and often conflicted with the Native American tribes that inhabited the plains region. After their establishment, the 10th Cavalry was introduced through the Battle of Saline River, one of many battles that made up Hancock's Expedition, or Hancock's War, an expedition against Native tribes lasting from the spring to the end of the summer of 1867. The battle was the Cavalry's first taste of major combat, and already the Cavalry had shown their discipline and strategic know-how. The Cheyenne chased off the Cavalry, but the company reached Fort Hays with only a single trooper killed. After their introduction to the Native tribes, the 10th Cavalry skirmished with the Cheyenne near Ft. Hays often. Historians and speculators seem to agree this was the period that produced the Buffalo Soldier name and agree that it was likely given by the Cheyenne. The story of how the soldiers got the name is not as agreed upon, but one suggestion is that a comparison was made by the Cheyenne between the buffalo and the African American soldiers for their ferocity and determination. The 10th Cavalry adopted the name and even added the buffalo to their regimental crest. They continued on protecting railways, settlers and even contributing to the build of infrastructure in western Kansas. The Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry would also face the Kiowa and Comanche in Native territory and the Apache campaigns of the early 1880s. 

After the Indian Wars, the 10th Cavalry joined the Cuban campaign where they were a part of the Las Guasimas and San Juan Hill operations, earning a Medal of Honor and four medals of bravery. The 10th Cavalry has less of a story in the Spanish American War (1898), but other Buffalo regiments played significant roles during their time in Cuba. The 10th would move on from Cuba, and from the beginning of the 20th century to the first World War would move to wherever they were needed. The Regiment went to China, Nebraska, Wyoming, the Philippines, and Vermont, where they stayed until 1913. The Regiment then served on the Mexican border from 1916 to 1922. 

World War I would be the last war the 10th Regiment would participate in. Throughout the depression, the Cavalry set back up at Fort Leavenworth and served as support troops for the Command and General Staff College. The Regiment saw little of the second world war and was ultimately deactivated and disbanded in North Africa by 1944, with most of its personnel transferred to other units. The last Buffalo regiment was deactivated by 1955. 

The Buffalo Soldier monument stands today to honor the Buffalo Soldier's dedication and strength. As General Colin L. Powell built up the image of the Buffalo Soldier, he knew he wanted, "…him to have 'U.S' on his uniform … with a rifle in his hands and with courage in his heart. There would be no doubt that he was an equal, equal to any other soldier in the U.S. Army" (Powell). To General Powell, and many other Americans, the Buffalo Soldier legacy is not solely about westward expansion; it is a fight for equality that generations upon generations of Black Americans faced. General Powell became a part of the Buffalo Soldier Memorial Park of Fort Leavenworth in 2014, 20 years after he dedicated the Buffalo Soldier monument. You can find General Powell in the Park's Circle of Firsts, honored as the first African American man to hold office as the Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

"African-Americans Honored All over Fort Leavenworth." www.army.mil. Accessed March 23, 2021. https://www.army.mil/article/243452/african_americans_honored_all_over_fort_leavenworth.

"Buffalo Soldiers," April 18, 2019. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/manylenses/buffalosoldiers.

Burnes, Brian. "Colin Powell Honored at Fort Leavenworth Buffalo Soldier Monument." The Kansas City Star, September 5, 2014. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article1607698.html.

"10th Cavalry Timeline." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed May 5, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/fols/learn/historyculture/10th-cavalry-timeline.htm.

Schubert, Frank N. "Buffalo Soldiers: Myths and Realities." Army History, no. 52 (2001): 13-18. Accessed April 22, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26305152.