Page 8
February 14, 2001
®t|e ^íartíanh Obseruer
Buffalo Soldiers of the Old West
Native Americans consider the
buffalo a sacred animal. All who
took part in the hunting o f them
would drink the anim al’s spirit -
its blood. This was to complete
the circle o f life. When Native
Americans died, their ashes and
dust would nourish the Earth.
The Earth would nourish the veg
etation that the animal ate. The
Buffalo would feed and clothe the
Native Americans, completing the
circle o f life.
From 1870 to the late 1800’s,
Buffalo Soldiers had achieved one
o f the most outstanding records
in military history: they patrolled
and kept the peace under the con
ditions o f racism from the citi
zens they protected, covering ter
Black cavalry in the field.
B y M ark L ittle for T he
P ortland O bserver
I grew up watching movies o f
white Cavalry charging and riding
to the rescue o f pioneers and
covered wagon trains begin at
tacked by Native Americans. Little
did I know at the time that those
images should have included the
Black Buffalo men on horseback
who served this country with
distinction. Most o f their four
regiments o f the 9th, 10th, 24th and
25th were stationed in the most
THE LEGENDARY
demanding regions o f unchartered
territory o f the American South
west. It was their Indian adver
saries who gave them the nick
name o f Buffalo Soldiers. Their
black and curly hair resembled
that o f the buffalo. They honored
the Black cavalrymen for their
bravery, and the troopers accepted
the name as a mark o f honor.
M c M E N A M IN S
«
Buffalo Soldier Sargeant in uniform with his wife in J888. Buffalo
Soldiers re-enlisted several times because there weren't many job
opportunities fo r blacks.
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ritories from the Mississippi to
the Pacific Northwest and from
the Rio Grande to the Canadian
border. Buffalo Soldiers received
some o f the worst assignments
the Army had to offer. Some o f
their duties included stringing tele
graph lines and building or repair
ing outposts. They also helped to
capture Great W ar Chiefs and
crim inals like Nana, Victorio,
Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Lone Wolf,
Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid.
Their story is one o f significant
achievements under adverse con
ditions. They could not overcome
prejudice and discrimination. This
element in our social structure
denied them the recognition for a
job well done. Even through all o f
this, their battle cry, “We can, We
will” and “Ready and Forward,”
could not be extinguished.
The history o f the Buffalo Sol
diers has special meaning and
connection to Oregon history. One
o f the most famous Buffalo Sol
diers, Moses Williams, a winner
o f the Congressional Medal o f
Honor, served in Oregon in the
1880’s and is buried in Vancouver,
Washington.