War of rights regiments
During World War I, the racist policies of President Woodrow Wilson (who had already segregated federal offices) led to black regiments being excluded from the American Expeditionary Force and placed under French command for the duration of the war –– the first time ever that American troops had been put under the command of a foreign power. In 1918, the 10th Cavalry fought at the Battle of Ambos Nogales, where they assisted in forcing the surrender of the Mexican federal and militia forces.ĭiscrimination played a role in diminishing the Buffalo Soldiers' involvement in upcoming major U.S. They also fought in the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars, and played a key role in maintaining border security during the high-intensity military conflict along the U.S.-Mexico border during the Mexican Revolution. They took part in defusing the little-known 1892 Johnson County War in Wyoming, which pitted small farmers against wealthy ranchers and a band of hired gunmen. In addition, African-American soldiers had recently found themselves facing Native Americans during the Civil War, when some tribes fought for the Confederacy.īuffalo Soldiers played significant roles in many other military actions. government's often-genocidal polices toward Native Americans. But at the time, the availability of information was limited about the extent of the U.S. Much attention is given to the irony of African-American soldiers fighting native people on behalf of a government that accepted neither group as equals. In 1999, President Bill Clinton posthumously pardoned Flipper. But while Flipper served with distinction, he faced intense resentment from some white officers and was targeted by a smear campaign that culminated in a court martial and his dismissal from the Army in 1882. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, becoming the first black officer to command soldiers in the regular U.S.
Flipper overcame these obstacles, and in 1877 he became the first of the group to graduate. Four other African-American cadets were already attending the academy, but faced enormous difficulties due to hostility from the other cadets. During Reconstruction, he attended Atlanta University, and was then appointed to West Point by U.S. Henry Ossian Flipper was born into slavery in Georgia on March 21, 1856. This exceptional performance helped to overcome resistance to the idea of black Army officers, paving the way for the first African-American graduate from West Point Military Academy, Henry O. They served at a variety of posts in the Southwest and Great Plains, taking part in most of the military campaigns during the decades-long Indian Wars –– during which they compiled a distinguished record, with 18 Buffalo Soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor. The Buffalo Soldiers' main duty was to support the nation's westward expansion by protecting settlers, building roads and other infrastructure, and guarding the U.S. And in areas where Buffalo Soldiers were stationed, they sometimes suffered deadly violence at the hands of civilians. In addition, African Americans could only serve west of the Mississippi River, because many whites didn't want to see armed black soldiers in or near their communities.
Many officers, including George Armstrong Custer, refused to command black regiments, even though it cost them promotions in rank. Initially, the Buffalo Soldier regiments were commanded by whites, and African-American troops often faced extreme racial prejudice from the Army establishment. And eventually, the image of a buffalo became part of the 10th Cavalry's regimental crest. Whatever the reason, the soldiers considered the name high praise, as buffalo were deeply respected by the Native peoples of the Great Plains. Another is that their bravery and ferocity in battle reminded the Indians of the way buffalo fought. One is that the Plains Indians who fought the Buffalo Soldiers thought that their dark, curly hair resembled the fur of the buffalo. In 1866, an Act of Congress created six all-black peacetime regiments, later consolidated into four –– the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th Infantry –– who became known as "The Buffalo Soldiers." There are differing theories regarding the origin of this nickname.