Lest We Forget

Although among historians there is little agreement on the source of the nickname for the Buffalo Soldiers, there is no argument about their contributions in the settlement of the western United States. Shortly after the end of the Civil War, an act of Congress resulted in the formation of several new units in the U.S. Army. The 9^th Cavalry was established in Greenville, LA with the 10^th Cavalry in Leavenworth, KS. The original act directed the formation of four infantry regiments but those were eventually merged into the 24^th and 25^th Infantries (Figure 2). All of these units were comprised of soldiers who would become known for their valiant service but who could not be on the parade ground with other units. Comprised of Civil War veterans, former slaves and freemen, the Buffalo Soldiers faced constant discrimination due to the color of their skin. 

Figure 2. This 1890 photograph shows Buffalo Soldiers of the 25th Infantry. Notice several individuals wearing buffalo coats.
The photograph was taken at Ft. Keogh, Montana.

In spite of being supplied with equipment and uniforms in poor repair, and horses that were inferior to the needs of their mission, the Buffalo Soldiers served the nation with distinction and earned a reputation for being courageous and dedicated warriors. While the classic impression of the Buffalo Soldiers is drawn from images of the American West, the segregated units served until they were deactivated in May 1944. These all-African American units had the lowest rates of desertion and courts martial in their day. It was also common for these men to be decorated for valor. 

Figure 3. This first day cover of the Buffalo Soldiers issue from the Fort Leavenworth Station, one of four issuing official first day cancellations, was signed by four surviving members of the Buffalo Soldiers. The first day of issue ceremony at Fort Leavenworth included a number of men who had served as Buffalo Soldiers. Cover courtesy of Bob Sazama.

Figure 4. This 1899 photograph shows Buffalo Soldiers on patrol in Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service.

Tasked initially with fighting the Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne and other Native tribes in the western frontier, Buffalo Soldiers were also instrumental in key battles of the Spanish-American War. The 9th Cavalry fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders at the Battle of San Juan Hill and even served as his honor guard when, in 1903, he visited San Francisco as President of the United States. The 9^th and 10^th Cavalry Regiments also served in the Philippines into the early 1900s. Discrimination, often fierce and unrelenting, did not deter these professional soldiers who even transitioned well into peacetime missions which included constructing roads and protecting the national parks from thieves, poachers and fires (Figure 4). And yet, for so long their contributions were largely ignored—until 1994.

On April 22, 1994, in four different cities, the Buffalo Soldiers were finally honored for their service to a nation that had not always been as grateful as it should have been. Marked with first day ceremonies in Dallas, TX; Leavenworth, KS; San Angelo, TX; and Sierra Vista, AZ, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 29-cent stamp honoring the Buffalo Soldiers. The stamp, designed by artist Mort Kuntsler, shows four Buffalo Soldiers on horseback. The illustration, lacking background detail, focuses attention on the mounted cavalryman — a fitting tribute to troopers who were largely invisible to the country during their years of service.

As with most stamp issues, the efforts to bring the Buffalo Soldiers stamp idea to fruition spanned many years and involved an assortment of supporters. The release coincided with the 1994 convention of the African-American Postal Leaders United for Success (A-PLUS). Members of the association members were vocal in their support of the stamp, drawing public attention to the role Buffalo Soldiers served in mail delivery on the American frontier. 

At Fort Leavenworth, The Buffalo Educational and Historical Committee pushed for the project with the goal of making the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers a central story in the permanent record of U.S. history. As the home of the Buffalo Soldier Monument, Fort Leavenworth played a crucial role in the campaign for the commemorative stamp.

In attendance at the first day ceremony at Fort Leavenworth were several surviving members of the 9^th and 10^th Cavalry Regiments. The first day cover depicted in Figure 3 was signed by four of these Buffalo Soldiers. Although the units were incorporated in the 2^nd Cavalry Division short before the US joined World War II, their service continued.

While the honorees from the 1994 ceremony were not “original” Buffalo Soldiers, the men in the modern continuation of these troops served with no less distinction while suffering similar discrimination. History suggests the African American soldiers were proud of the moniker assigned to them, after all the buffalo was adopted as part of the 10th Cavalry’s regimental crest (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Modern version of the crest of
the 10th Cavalry regiment.