Buffalo Soldiers Community Memorial

Buffalo Soldiers Community Memorial. Buffalo Soldiers Historical Snapshot. The U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of six, segregated Negro regiments on July 28, 1866. They recognized the military merits of African Americans by creating two cavalry and four infantry regiments., In 1869, Congress enacted a troop reduction; the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Infantry Regiments were consolidated into the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments were called Buffalo Soldiers by the American Indians. Some say this was because of the tenacity with which they fought, and others say it was because the texture of their hair reminded them of the buffalo., Buffalo Soldiers units were located in Arizona, Colorado, the Dakotas, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Elements of the 10th Cavalry were stationed at Fort Lyons, Colorado, and troops of the 9th Cavalry were at Fort Garland, Colorado., The Buffalo Soldiers aided the settlement of the American West. During the period of the Indian Wars, they fought against the Cheyenne, Apache, Kiowa, Ute, Comanche and Sioux. Other duties included patrolling the borders, protecting transportation routes, pursuing outlaws, installing telegraph lines, and delivering the mail longer than the Pony Express., The Buffalo Soldiers Regiments served with distinction and dedication during the Indian Wars, settling of the west, and Spanish American War that helped to lead to the integration of the U.S. Military by Executive Order No. 9981 on July 26, 1948.