Wrap-Up Photo Gallery & Feature Story

2009 Buffalo Soldiers: February 14th & 15th, 2009

Fort Verde State Historic Park held its annual Buffalo Soldiers event on February 14th & 15th. 629 people attended this yearly event with living history presentations, riding demonstrations, and 1870s period equipment & uniforms. Learn more about Buffalo Soldiers in the Feature Story below and enjoy the pictures from this event.

Special thanks to: the numerous Buffalo Solider re-enactors as well as a special tribute and respect to the Buffalo Soldiers who served at Fort Verde and across America.

Brief History of the Buffalo Soldiers, 9th and 10th Cavalry

Nearly 16 months after the Civil War ended, Section 3 of an Act of Congress entitled "an act to increase and fix the Military Peace Establishment of the United States" authorized the formation of two regiments of calvalry composed of "colored" men. The act was approved on July 28, 1866. On September 21, 1866, the 9th Cavalry Regiment was activated at Greenville, Louisinana, and the 10th Calvalry Regiment was activated at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Troop I (10th Cavalry) came to Fort Verde in 1885.

The first regimental commanders were Colonel Edward Hatch (9th Cavalry) and Colonel Benjamin Grierson (10th Cavalry) under whose leadership the two units were trained, equipped and began a long and proud history. For over two decades, the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments conducted campaigns against Native American tribes on a western frontier that extended from Fore Verde State Historic Park Texas to Montana, New Mexico and Arizona.They engaged in several skirmishes against such great chiefs as Quanah Parker, Victorio, Na-hah and Geronimo. "Buffalo Soldiers" was the name given to the black troops by the Plains Indians because of the resemblance of the black man's hair to that of the buffalo's mane and also the ferocity with which they fought such as the buffalo when cornered or wounded. When not engaged in combat on the frontier, both regiments built forts, roads, installed telegraph wires, escorted wagons trains and stage coaches, subdued rustlers, outlaws and comancheros.

Elements of both regiments fought in Cuba during the Spanish-America War and participated in the famous charge on Kettle and San Juan Hill. Troopers of the 10th Cavalry Regiments rode with General John J. Pershing during the Punitive Expedition (1916-1917) into Mexico in search of Pancho Villa. In 1941, the two regiments formed the 4th Cavalry Brigade, commanded by General Benjamin O. Davis Sr., America's first general of African-American descent. In 1944, the era of the horse cavalry regiments came to an and thus concluding a long history of the Buffalo Soldiers.

During their history, 23 troopers and officers of the 9th and 10th regiments were awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Indian and Spanish-America Wars.

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The views, conclusions, findings and opinions expressed in this Feature Story are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Arizona State Parks, the Arizona State Parks Board, or the government of Arizona.

Fore Verde State Historic Park