Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter - 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association - aka: Buffalo Soldiers

Red Tails A formula for success.

2012-01-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

Go see this movie! Red Tails is a fictionalized account of the difficulties and heroic achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen! The movie starts in 1944 with America embroiled in World War II in the Pacific and European Theaters. The focus of the story takes place at Ramitelli Airbase in Italy, home of the 332^nd Fighter Group, and follows the lives of a small group of young, but experienced pilots, with support from the ground crews whose job it is to keep the aircrafts flying.

There has been a lot of criticism made of George Lucas and his so called Hollywood formula predictive screenplay. Let me say this about formulas. A formula is a mathematical expression designed to produce the right answer. E=mc² is a formula and its answer unlocked the secret of the atom and produced the most destructive weapon ever created by man. If someone tries to discourage you from seeing this movie and their argument is that some type of formula was used to develop the screenplay; just say "So what!" and go see it for yourself. Even though I was invited to the premiere in Los Angeles, I went to see the movie on its opening weekend, paid full price for my ticket, and I was glad I did. When you do go to see "Red Tails," take your kids with you. The characters in this film are not perfect, they have flaws, but the handicaps that they were able to overcome, in themselves and in the racist minds of society during that time... well, that's the stuff heroes are made of! “COURAGE HAS NO COLOR!” "Red Tails" is in theaters now, and is rated PG-13.

Trooper Ron Jones with co-star Marcus T. Paulk, who plays, David 'Deke' Watkins, one of the Tuskegee Airmen pilots.

Yes Joshua, there still are Buffalo Soldier.

2011-12-27T22:53:00.000-08:00

The following is a fictionalized account of an event that did not really take place. But then, isn’t that what fictionalize means? Anyway, because this is the holiday season, and after meeting the little trooper, Joshua Sims, I thought I would have some fun with an editorial by newsman, Francis Pharcellus Church. Mr. Church wrote a response to a letter from a little 8-year old girl named Virginia. His editorial was published in New York’s “The Sun” newspaper on September 21, 1897. It has become known as, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause,” and it is a reminder that the Holiday Season is truly a time for our children. So, without further adieu I give you:

“Yes, Joshua there still are Buffalo Soldiers.”

Dear Editor: I am a 3^rd grader at the C.L.A.S. Charter School. This past October I dressed as a Buffalo Soldier for our Fall Festival. All my little friends told me that there were no more Buffalo Soldiers. I asked my mother and she said, “If you read it in the BUGLE CALL it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, are there still Buffalo Soldiers?

Joshua Sims

Los Angeles, CA.

Joshua, your little friends are wrong. They have been deprived by a lack of books, movies and programming that should be available to cover the rich history that is the Buffalo Soldiers. They have been affected by an institutionalized attempt to withhold the contributions of African Americans to the development, growth and protection of this great nation. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Joshua, whether they be man’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Joshua, there still are Buffalo Soldiers. They exists as surely as devotion, unselfishness, generosity and love for this country exists, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How different would the world be if there never were any Buffalo Soldiers? If would be as different as if there never was a Joshua. There would be no childlike faith then, no childlike curiosity and infinite imagination to make tolerable this existence. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Without the Buffalo Soldiers there would be no Tuskegee Airmen, no Montfort Point Marines and no Triple Nickel Parachute Unit; there would be no Navajo Code Talkers or 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated regiment in the history of the United States armed forces and they were made up of Japanese Americans. Without the Buffalo Soldiers there would be no minorities or women in the military. The Buffalo Soldiers were the first minorities to serve in the regular peacetime military and they opened the door for all the minorities who came after them.

Joshua, the number of original Buffalo Soldiers gets smaller everyday. They are the last of our World War II and Korean War veterans. But even after the last one of them has gone, the Buffalo Soldiers will continue to exist. They will exist because of you Joshua and children like you. When you dress-up as a Buffalo Soldier you are helping to keep their memory alive. When your friends ask you who were the Buffalo Soldiers, and you’re able to tell their story; you are helping to keep their legacy going. And when people are able to read the truth about the Buffalo Soldiers in the BUGLE CALL, I am helping to educate an uninformed populace about the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers and together Joshua, you and I will keep their memory alive.

Yes Joshua, because of you there will always be Buffalo Solders.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE CORPS

2011-02-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

There is a saying in the military, "For the good of the corps." It has a lot of different interpretations. It could mean, you are being asked to put aside your own self interests and make a personal sacrifice for your unit or your command... and you would do it... for the good of the corps. You may get reassigned to a different location or a new duty responsibility that you didn't want or asked for, but you accept it... for the good of the corps. Sometimes, just sometimes; "For the good of the corps," means contributing a joke or a story that helps the morale of the unit.

I want to thank my cousin, Linda in Aruba, for bringing this gem to my attention.

On November 13, 2010 a Mass Choir inconspicuously gathered in a food court in Welland, Ontario and quietly settled down, with unsuspecting diners, for lunch. 31 million and counting, views later, this video is still a great example of how one group can inspire, move, motivate, and entertain another group with a smile and a simple act of kindness and charity. It reminds me of the song; "Reach out and touch, somebody's hand..."

By providing you the link to this video I have extended my hand to you. Now it's up to you to meet me half way.

Enjoy.

YouTube Flash Mob!

If you are having problems with the link above, just cut and paste this URL into your browser: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_embedded

I SAW THE DREAM

2011-02-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

Buffalo Soldiers and Montford Point Marines were present to honor the

City Of Inglewood's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speech contest winners.

The City of Inglewood 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Day Celebration

I have been photographed with true American Heroes, entertainers, superstar athletes and celebrities, but never have I felt more positive about our future and more honored to be seen with then I did when photographed with these young men and women; winners of the City of Inglewood's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speech contest. Under the banner of "Believe, Achieve and Succeed," these young people spoke about their dreams and they were funny, emotional, uplifting, inspiring, moving, touching and positive. If these young people represent our leaders of tomorrow, we are leaving things in good hands.

I want to thank the City of Inglewood for inviting us to be a part of their 28th Annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Inglewood was one of the first cities in the nation to designate Dr. King's birthday a legal holiday. Congratulations Inglewood, the City of Champions.

Lest we forget:

I HAVE A DREAM

By: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, nad the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew our of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Disneyland Salutes American Heroes

2011-01-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

Trooper Bobby McDonald and I were honored to be included with other VIP guests who were invited to be present as Disneyland Resorts saluted two American Heroes; Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, and Silver Star recipient Staff Sgt. Erick Gallardo.

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient,

Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta

Trooper Ron Jones with Silver Star Recipient Staff Sgt. Erick Gallardo.

Trooper Bobby McDonald with Silver Star Recipient

Staff Sgt. Erick Gallardo at Disneyland on Main Street U.S.A.

The Dapper Dan's perform at the ceremony honoring

Staff Sgt.'s Gallardo and Giunta.

Disney Executive John Nicoletti, VP of Communications prepares to

present Staff Sgt. Gallardo and Staff Sgt. Giunta with special Mickey statues.

Staff Sgt. Giunta is presented with the American Flag.

Members of the Buffalo Soldiers, the U.S. Army and government

representatives were present as special guests for the Disney program.

This is the "Saluting Mickey" presented to Medal of Honor Recipient

Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.

BUGLE CALL - BUFFALO SOLDIER NEWSLETTERS

2010-12-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

Over the years I have tried to keep our members informed by periodically publishing a newsletter that I call, "BUGLE CALL." I didn't know what I was doing when I started and I still don't know what I'm doing, but I've always tried to do the best I could. That is all I can ask of myself.

My blog gives me the opportunity to archive these newsletters and make them available to the world. They were produced for members of the Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter of the NINTH & TENTH (HORSE) CAVALRY ASSOCIATION and now we share them with you.

Enjoy.

Newsletter APR 2004

Newsletter OCT 2004

Newsletter DEC 2004

BCCOC Special Edition

Newsletter NOV 2011

Newsletter DEC 2011

A House is not a Home

2009-11-06T23:36:00.000-08:00

I’ve stood at the entrance of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. It is an architectural wonder with beautiful statuary and priceless works of art. There are many altars within the cathedral adorned in gold and jewels. When I asked, “What is this place?” I was told, this is God’s house! As a child, I’ve camped alongside the King’s River and I’ve slept outdoors at the foot of a Giant Sequoia Redwood in Sequoia National Forest; looked up at the sky at night and saw more stars than I have ever seen in my entire life. When I asked, “What is this place?” I was told, this is God’s home!

In God’s house there is a golden chalice, used for the consecration and distribution of sacramental wine and it is kept on an altar, but in God’s home I’ve stood on the snow-covered-rim of Crater Lake and seen water so blue and so pure that I knew ...this is where God dips his cup.

This month your local PBS stations broadcasted a six part Ken Burns series titled: “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” The Buffalo Soldiers’ contributions to our National Parks were highlighted in the series and we are very thankful to Ken Burns for the recognition, but this series goes well beyond the contribution of any individual(s). There is a synergy to the efforts of the men and women highlighted in this series and it is their combined and sustained effort that has made our National Parks and the National Park Service what they are today.

If you haven’t seen this series check with you local PBS station or request it. If you can afford it, buy it. You will be a better person for the experience. This series took me back to my youth, traveling to our National Monuments and camping in our National Parks. FYI, just one percent of the visitors to Yosemite National Park are Black. That’s a Fact!

Sometimes we have to step out of God’s house and into God’s home to realize the awesome responsibility we have, not just to our families, our church families and to each other, but to the land and the water and to this planet as a whole; for this isn’t just God’s home, it’s our home too!

Fiddler's Green

2009-09-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest duties one military person can bestow on another is seeing to it that a fallen soldier is sent off to their final resting place in a very dignified and respectful way. This honor is made even more significant when it is a trooper who has come to the end of his journey.

It said that men of war will never make it through the gates of Heaven. But for those who have performed their duties very well there is a special place that is set aside just for them. For the men who served in the U. S. Calvary that place is Fiddler's Green!

Traditionally the poem, Fiddler's Green, is read by a fellow trooper during the "home going" ceremony of a fallen comrade. So it is very understandable if the words seem to get stuck when it is time to say goodbye.

Trooper Lennister Williams, with the Los Angeles Chapter of the 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, reads Fiddler's Green at a recent ceremony for one of our members.

92 year-old - Trooper Robert McDaniel transferred to Fiddler's Green, August 27, 2009

2009-09-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

A Buffalo Soldier Died Today!

A Buffalo Soldier died today, and when he did a mother and a father lost a son; siblings lost a brother; nieces and nephews lost an uncle. His wife lost her husband; the community lost a neighbor and his associates lost a friend. Now you might ask me; Trooper Jones, isn’t that basically what happens anytime someone dies? Yes it is! But this was a Buffalo Soldier. We as a people lost a role model and this Nation lost another hero.
A role model and a hero. Think about these words; let them roll around in your mind until you’ve created a concept of understanding about their definitions, their meaning and what it truly takes to be, a role model and a hero. Now think of someone you know personally who is your role model or your hero. You’ll know that you have reached the correct understanding when you begin to feel a tingle that starts at the base of your neck and runs down your spine with a shiver that causes your shoulders to do the shimmy shake, and you whisper, “Oh my, I know someone like that!”
Basically, a role model is someone who is worthy of imitation. Alright, that makes sense. But how does one become worthy? Well, a worthy person is someone who has “qualities or abilities that merit recognition in some way.” Merit? How does someone merit anything? As it turns out merit is the quality of being deserving. You become deserving by your actions. In other words, you “earn” it.
Okay, we have arrived at the base word that I think we can all understand. Earn! If we do our chores we earn playtime, if we do our homework we earn good grades and if we do our job we earn a salary. There are no shortcuts to earning. You have to do the time!
A role model is someone who has done the time in such a way, that they have become deserving... they merit... they are so worthy of our respect and admiration that we view them as a Role Model.
A Buffalo Soldier died today! His name was: Trooper Robert L. McDaniel - WWII Veteran, U.S. Army - 4th Calvary Brigade, 2d Calvary Division, 9^th Calvary Regiment. He was one of the few remaining original Buffalo Soldiers from a bygone era. There aren’t that many of them left. You owe it to yourself to get to know a Buffalo Soldier, before they are all gone. I knew one, and now he’s gone!

Col. Charles Young Petition

2009-08-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Did You Know?

There is a grassroots effort in place to have Colonel Young, posthumously promoted to Brigadier General.

I first became aware of this project when Trooper Yolanda Williams (President of the Inland Empire Buffalo Soldier Heritage Association) asked me to participate in a letter writing campaign, to my State and National Congressional and Senatorial Representatives. Since that introduction, from Trooper Williams, there has been a ground swell of interest in this project and the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce and the Los Banos Chapter of the NINTH & TENTH (HORSE) CAVALRY ASSOCIATION, have taken a proactive roll to make sure this effort comes to fruition.

In 2007, when Trooper Bobby McDonald ran for National President of the 9^th & 10^th (Horse) Cavalry Association, his campaign slogan was; “Preserving, Promoting & Perpetuating the history of the Buffalo Soldiers”. That is our, Millstone! As members of this great organization we have a moral responsibility to the OBS (Original Buffalo Soldiers); those that have gone on to Fiddler’s Green and to those Originals who are still with us. We owe them our dedication and our trust that we will always attempt to do the right thing. If an organization or a group of organizations are trying to both figuratively and literally Promote the accomplishments of Col. Young, then it is our responsibility to get onboard and help guarantee the success of this endeavor.

I wish to salute to efforts of: Trooper David Ofwono, President of the Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers, along with Troopers: Geneva Brett, Kevin Craig, Jeff Periera, Phil Colman and Aimbrell Shanks, all Board members of the Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers - NINTH & TENTH (HORSE) CAVALRY ASSOCIATION; ...I salute them for rolling up their sleeves and getting involved.

How do we get involved?

The Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers Chapter has made it very easy for any of us who want to help and that should be anyone who is reading this article. Just go to their website:

www.losbanosbuffalosoldiers.org

Click on the “Promote Charles Young to General” link, and sign the petition. That’s all there is to it. Signing the petition is a three of four step process. Make sure you go through all the steps in order for your entry to be registered. I’ve already signed, just look for Trooper Ron Jones, California... I’ll be looking for your entry.

A Brief History of Camp Lockett

2009-08-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

A Brief History

Trooper Fred D. Jones - 28th Cavalry Troop C WWII Buffalo Soldier

Camp Lockett's site was chosen for a cavalry camp as far back as 1878 when sixteen troopers wearing the blue uniform of The US Cavalry bivouacked for several months in this small Mexican border valley. At that time it took a week to get to San Diego, the choicest acres of bottom land sold for $5 an acre, smugglers and belligerent, "Indians" were problems.

"E" Troop of the 11th Cavalry Regiment was stationed here in 1918 and since then therehave been a succession of home soldiers stationed at this strategic junction where road and rail road return to the United States after dipping into Baja California en route from San Diego to Yuma.

Ground was broken for the present camp on June 23rd 1941. The 11th Cavalry Regiment came there two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Camp Lockett is a horse cavalry camp. The surrounding terrain offers unparalleled opportunities to test man, beast and mechanized carriers over a wide variety of terrain that includes heavily wooded underbrush, desert sand, miles of barren, rocky wastelands, Streams to be forded, and other geographic hazards identical to those which confront cavalry troopers in battle conditions.

Climatically this is a region of extremes. There is summer heat of 115 degrees; freezing temperature in winter. Long dry spells alternate with cloudbursts.

Some of the buildings were built as permanent cantonments while others were semi-permanent. The semi-permanent buildings no longer exist. There was a well equipped hospital which is now used as a youth facility. There are still standing many of the permanent barracks and some stables.

In 1942, the 10th Cavalry Regiment (the famed Buffalo Soldiers) moved into Camp Lockett to replace the11th Cavalry Regiment which had been converted into an armored unit. In 1943 The 28th Cavalry Regiment made up of inductees joined the 10th to form the 4th Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Cavalry Division (Horse)

At the same time The 27th Cavalry Regiment, also made up of inductees, joined the 9th Cavalry Regiment to form the 5th Cavalry Brigade. This brigade was stationed in Fort Clark, Texas. Their duty was to guard the Texas-Mexican Border. While the 10th and 28th guarded the California-Mexican Border. These troopers also guarded the many installations along the border such as, trestles, bridges, dams, railroad tunnels and would be the first line of defense in case Germany or Japan attempted an invasion of the United States through Mexico.

In 1944 The 9th, 10th, 27th and 28th were dismounted and sent to North Africa. Soon after their arrival there all four regiments were inactivated and converted into service troops. This marked the end of the horse cavalry in the United States Army. The 28th, through an error was not officially inactivated until 1951.This makes Camp Lockett the last home of the last horse cavalry in the US Army.

Note: Information obtained from The California State Military Museum

A Moment in History

2009-08-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

A Moment in History

By Adrian O' Connor & Trooper Houston Wedlock

In 1913, the Buffalo Soldiers Came to Winchester

Their band played “Dixie.”

Ninety-six years ago this summer, on the morning of July 19, 1913, troopers of the 10th U.S. Cavalry, more than 700 strong and led by their regimental band, rode into Winchester.

As the horsemen displayed their prowess in the saddle, the unit’s 28 musicians warmed the hearts of the local residents who lined Main (now Loudoun) Street by playing the tune most associated with the cause of Southern independence.

That this scene was touched by a certain undeniable irony is evident in the identity of the troopers. Though commanded by white officers, the 10th Cavalry was, in its rank and file, an all-black regiment.

Many were the sons of freed slaves. Others were descendants of black Civil War veterans. All were known by the name given in honor by the Cheyenne during the Indian Wars — “Buffalo Soldiers.”

That unusual demonstration in the streets of Winchester — black musicians playing the popular Confederate anthem in a Southern town — was but a foreshadowing of a unique, albeit largely unknown, episode in the history of the northern Shenandoah Valley.

For two months that summer, a sprawling “camp of cavalry instruction” occupied 1,200 acres along the Front Royal Road.

For the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry, the road to “Dixie” — and the streets of Winchester — began more than a month and 706 miles earlier, at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt.

Hard as it may be to imagine now, the U.S. War Department would often hold peacetime maneuvers in locales far removed from its forts, or bases of operations.

Such was the case in 1913 when the 10th Cavalry left Fort Ethan Allen for a handpicked site in Frederick County.

To move the largest cavalry command the Valley would see since Union Gen. Philip Sheridan put the Shenandoah to the torch in 1864 was a considerable undertaking.

More than 700 men — 680 troopers and 30 officers — left Vermont on June 16 with 800 horses and mules and 36 wagons stocked with provisions.

The line of march led the 10th through such cities and towns as Burlington and Hubbardton in Vermont and Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Cobleskill, Oneonta, and Sidney in New York.

In Winchester, the regiment would be joined by the 11th Cavalry, based in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., and selected troops from the 15th Cavalry, stationed at Fort Sheridan, Ill. — all-white regiments both.

The 10th’s journey south was largely uneventful, save for an incident in Carlisle, Pa., in which a young woman said a black trooper had assaulted her and knocked her escort unconscious. However, after two examinations of the entire command did not yield a positive identification of the assailant, it was concluded that a cavalryman was not to blame for the crime.

By July 17, the Buffalo Soldiers, averaging a crisp 23 miles a day, had reached Williamsport, Md., where they camped for the night. The next day found them at Darkesville, W.Va., south of Martinsburg, their last stop before establishing their bivouac outside Winchester.

When the Buffalo Soldiers stepped proudly on parade through the city on July 19, the lion’s share of the 15th Cavalry was already in camp, having arrived the day before.

By nightfall of July 20, other detachments from the 15th made it to the camp on the high, rolling terrain blessed with a perfect view of the distant Blue Ridge. (The site is roughly five miles down U.S. 522 from the Interstate 81/U.S. 50 interchange, across from the aptly named Fort View Motel).

Troops B, C, and D had spent two days at the Antietam battlefield in Maryland; another group, accompanied by a battery of field artillery, would come rolling into town on Baltimore & Ohio railroad cars from Fort Sheridan.

This swelled the ranks to roughly 2,100 men.

Two more troops, one each from the 11th and 15th regiments, would come late the following week, pushing the total to nearly 2,500.

In charge of the camp was Col. Cunliffe H. Murray of the 12th Cavalry. Leading the Buffalo Soldiers was a relatively new commander, Col. John C. Gresham, who had replaced Col. Thaddeus W. Jones, a veteran of 40 years in the saddle, the previous October.

As expected, a “state of chaos and confusion” reigned in those early hours of camp, as The Star noted in its columns of July 21. But order eventually prevailed.

A field hospital quickly took shape, as did a post exchange and a post office.

However, the Army could do little to prevent the hurlyburly on the Front Royal Road outside the camp.

A swarm of vendors had set up shanties selling candy, fruit, cakes, and soft drinks to the throngs of visitors who flocked to the site to observe what the Army had in store for the next two months.

Over that period, the assembled cavalrymen would engage in tactical maneuvers, simulated war games, field exercises, and horsemanship and saber competitions.

As Col. Murray told The Star, the real instruction would begin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23.

Houston Wedlock is not a man given to craziness.

Such a state of mind hardly becomes a person of his stature. A Green Beret, Wedlock retired from the Army in 1974 after 20 years of service — with 498 airplane jumps and two tours of Vietnam under his belt.

And yet, upon discovering that the Buffalo Soldiers had actually bivouacked near Winchester, he said, “I went crazy.”

But for good reason.

Now a resident of Columbia, Md., Wedlock, 66 (at the time of this original article), was born and raised in the Clarke County community of White Post, just a short gallop from the site of that “camp of cavalry instruction” on the Front Royal Road.

“I never knew they were here,” he said. “This was home, and this is a nice piece of history for the town.”

And “a nice piece of history” for a re-enactor and member of the 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Association to pursue.

Together with Air Force veteran Stanley Lawson, another native of White Post, and Isaac Prentice of Fort Washington, Md., Wedlock formed the “Research Re-enactors” back in the ’90s.

The group is dedicated to all things Buffalo Soldier as well as to the history of the four historically all-black regiments — the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th U.S. Infantry — known collectively by that name.

The three men — all retired or, in Wedlock’s case, semi-retired — couple their interest in history with a devotion to community outreach.

Donning distinctive period dress, they’ve brought the story of the Buffalo Soldiers to schools, churches, and federal agencies. They’ve done television shows and participated in parades and marches all over the Washington, D.C., area and beyond — particularly during February, Black History Month.

But, as Prentice points out, what they strive to teach is “not black history, but American history.”

“These men,” he said, “were Americans. Their stories are American stories.”

Prentice, through his uniform, has a particular story to tell — that of Capt. Henry Vinton Plummer, the first black chaplain in the U.S. Army after Reconstruction.

Born a slave in Prince George’s County, Md., in 1844, Plummer received an appointment to the 9th Cavalry in 1884 and served as chaplain to that unit for the ensuing 10 years.

Wedlock and Lawson, meanwhile, appear in generic cavalry uniforms, circa 1885. Wedlock wears the mounted uniform of a first sergeant; Lawson sports a sergeant’s field uniform, complete with the distinctive yellow trooper’s gloves.

“It’s an interesting hobby,” Wedlock said. “We’ve been to so many schools in [the Winchester] area, but we couldnever tell the kids the Buffalo Soldiers were here. Now we can.”

Toward that informational end, Wedlock has immersed himself in the lore of that 1913 venture.

Using the records on file at Carlisle Barracks (the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa.), he has meticulously tracked the route of the 10th Cavalry from Fort Ethan Allen to Winchester.

Through his research, Wedlock has a theory as to why Winchester was chosen as the site for this camp.

The northern Valley, he says, was centrally located for the three regiments that would participate in the camp of instruction. What’s more, it was close enough for officials of the War Department (Secretary Lindley M. Garrison, for example) and the central command (Army Chief of Staff Gen. Leonard Wood) to come from Washington to review the troops.

From a historical perspective, Wedlock notices too a certain symmetry in the selection of Winchester. A goodly number of Buffalo Soldiers, he says, hailed from this general area.

Lawson, for instance, likes to point out that Trooper (Pvt.) Charles Davis was reared in White Post, where the house in which he grew up still stands. Davis, however, did not take part in the 1913 camp, as he was a member of the 9th Cavalry.

That Davis’ memory lives on can be attributed not merely to Wedlock and Lawson. His kinfolk — in particular, three generations of Ford men, all named Edwin James — still reside in the Valley.

In fact, Edwin James Ford Jr. of Winchester happily provided the photos of his great uncle that appear with this article.

The memories of other Buffalo Soldiers remain fresh, largely due to the re-enactors’ joyful efforts to keep the legacy before the public.

Wedlock, for example, clearly relishes his role as historian and story-teller. One of his more interesting tales is that of Cathay Williams, who, as William Cathey, disguised herself as a man and joined the BuffaloSoldiers shortly after the Civil War.

Tall and slender at 5 foot 9, she managed to remain a trooper for two years (18661868) without being discovered.

Even Cathay, said Wedlock, has a northern Valley connection, having served as cook and washerwoman to the staff of Gen. Phil Sheridan when it was based in Winchester during the climactic Valley Campaign of 1864.

The 10th U.S. Cavalry was commissioned and activated at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., on July 28, 1866.

It did not take long for the black troopers — freed slaves and Civil War veterans — to make a name for themselves.

While patrolling the Kansas Pacific Railroad in the summer of 1867, the 10th, commanded by Col. Benjamin H. Grierson, twice engaged larger bands of Cheyenne in sharp combat.

It was after these clashes that the Cheyenne dubbedtheir blue-clad foe “Buffalo Soldiers” — for their skin color, for their short, wooly hair, and, most of all, for their fierceness in battle.

The appellation soon became a badge of honor. The10th, in time, included a buffalo figure as part of its insignia.

Later that year, riding with Sheridan, the 10th vigorously pursued — and eventually captured — the famous Cheyenne leader Black Kettle and his warrior band through a blinding snowstorm. This episode added to the regiment’s growing legend.

Though the 10th would be involved in 177 separate engagements over the course of the protracted Indian Wars, much of their duty was considerably more prosaic.

In addition to fighting Indians, the Buffalo Soldiersscouted and patrolled a 34,420-mile area of the Western plains, laid hundreds of miles of new railroad track, put up new telegraph lines, protected mail coaches, arrested cattle rustlers and bandits, and escorted settlers, railroad crews, and even herds of cattle to their respective destinations in the West.

Together with the other allblack horse regiment, the 9th,the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th comprised 20 percent of the cavalry stationed in the West.

During the Indian Wars, no less than 18 BuffaloSoldiers received the Medal of Honor, with Sgt. Emanuel Stance being the first such honoree.

What’s more, the black regiments boasted the lowest rate of desertion — 4 percent — in the Army. Overall, this rate ran as high as 25 percent.

Nonetheless, certain officers — Gen. George Armstrong Custer being the most noteworthy — were either reluctant or outright refused to place the black troopers under their command.

A notable exception was future General of the Armies John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, who, early in his career, was a junior officer in the 10th. In fact, his nickname can be traced to those days in the 1890s when he led black troops.

Late in the Indian Wars, the 10th was instrumental in chasing down the two renegade Apache chieftains, Victorio and Geronimo. Then, roughly a decade later, they fought heroically alongside Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in their fabled charge up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War.

In 1909, in response to allegations of discrimination — it was said the black regiments were given the worst billets even when they requested better — the Army decided to move the 10th east to the relative comfort of Fort Ethan Allen with its indoor riding hall and superbly equipped gymnasium.

And it was from there, of course, that the 10th left on its 706-mile trek to Winchester and the “camp of cavalry instruction” on the Front Royal Road.

That the troopers of the 10th, 11th, and 15th Cavalry quickly became a part of the Winchester community during their two-month stay can be evidenced on the pages of The Star.

For example, the cavalry officers sponsored a dance (Aug. 4); the precision-riding troopers were the hit of a talent show to benefit the Winchester hospital (Aug. 20); and the camp opened its tent flaps to the public for a “moving pictures” program (Aug. 30) and then for a minstrel show (Sept. 6).

The highlight of their immersion in local affairs came during the second week of September when, as part of the Winchester Fair, the Army horse soldiers displayed their talents in cavalry drills and races to crowds numbering — in The Star’s estimate — as high as 12,000 people.

To be sure, the camp did experience its share of untoward bumps during those two months in the Valley.

The local constabulary seized a stash of illegal liquor on Aug. 11; “sundry offenses” by troopers necessitated a series of courts-martial on Aug. 19; and, on Sept. 5, a lovesick trooper from the 11th Cavalry — Ernest Baker — committed suicide when his fianceé “threw him over.”

However, the incident that caused the most stir among the local populace came early in the Army’s prolonged visit.

On July 25, Frederick County Sheriff Luther Pannett, with the cooperation of Lt. Arthur Conrad of the 10th Cavalry, arrested two white women in a tent at the edge of camp.

The women, said to be French-Canadian, were caught in the company of six black troopers, all of whom escaped in the chaotic raid. One, however, cut himself severely on a wire fence, necessitating a trip to the Army’s field hospital.

It was not until four days later that police in Harrisburg, Pa., nabbed the raid’s foremost target — a mulatto named Samuel Franklin allegedly engaged in the white slave trade.

For the most part, the Army earned praise for its exemplary conduct. In fact, Winchester Police Chief M.A. Doran saw fit to respond to a Baltimore Sun article of July 27 that stated black troopers were misbehaving on the streets of Winchester, to the point of pushing residents off the sidewalks.

Quickly dismissing the allegations, Doran informed Col. Gresham, commander of the 10th, that “there has not been a single complaint regarding the conduct of either the white or colored troopers, but on the other hand they have conducted themselves at all times in a quiet and orderly fashion.”

In late September, the big brass — Secretary of War Garrison and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wood — visited Winchester to survey the camp and review the troops.

Then, beginning on the evening of Sept. 29, the three regiments commenced breaking camp.

By 8 a.m. on Sept. 30, they were gone.

The 10th Cavalry made its way to Roslyn, across the Potomac River from Washington, where, in the second week of October, it conducted exercises and passed in review before President Woodrow Wilson.

On Oct. 11, the regiment left by train for Fort Ethan Allen.

The 10th’s days in Vermont, however, were shortlived. In November and December of 1913, the BuffaloSoldiers left the comfort of the fort and returned to the Southwest.

Stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, they patrolled the volatile Mexican border, often crossing into Mexico to pursue bandits and gun-runners from that politically unstable nation.

Later, the Buffalo Soldiers would fight together in both world wars and in Korea.

After the armed forces were desegregated in 1952, soldiers from these previously all-black regiments were absorbed into other units.

Though the Buffalo Soldiers are now consigned to history, the 9th and 10th Cavalry live on, reincarnated as regiments of armor. The 24th Infantry, the last all-black regiment to see action (in Korea), remains on the Army’s rolls; the 25th Infantry, however, was disbanded.

While it’s safe to assume that those rolling hills of southeastern Frederick County will never again feel the synchronized tumult of pounding hooves or hear the lonesome sounds of morning reveille or nightly “Taps,” that very ground may one day witness the return of horses, mules, and excited riders.

That is, if Houston Wedlock can somehow turn a dream into reality.

Only this time, the horsemen, as it were, will not be the seasoned troopers of old, but children, youths whose lives have been fractured by neglect and abuse.

Shortly after retiring from his second career, as a regional administrator for Preston Trucking Co., Wedlock became involved with Vision Quest, a nationwide program for at-risk youth based in Tucson, Ariz.

These children are adjudicated to Vision Quest’s care from juvenile courts. For the past 29 years, the organization, which receives funding from individual states, has employed a rigorous program grounded in military discipline to help these youngsters attain a proper path in life.

An unusual feature of the program — and one near and dear to Wedlock’s heart — gives each child the responsibility of caring for an animal, usually a horse. Regionally, Vision Quest has a camp in Pennsylvania, near South Mountain, where these animals are quartered.

“We try to keep the kids busy,” Wedlock said. “We show them that they should give something back [to the community].”

Wedlock’s dream, therefore, is to bring his Vision Quest youth to Frederick County and re-create the encampment of 1913 on the very property where theBuffalo Soldiers once rode.

This is hardly an idle “vision” — or “quest,” for that matter. He has already done a similar re-enactment, based on the history of Custer’s 7th Cavalry, in Montana.

Wedlock originally hoped to put such an event together in years past, but work with Vision Quest kept him on the road virtually the entire summer.

But, guided by the spirit of the Buffalo Soldiers of yore, he has set his sights to the future, when on the anniversary of their arrival, he will celebrate, with the young troopers, when the rolling thunder of galloping steeds could be heard up and down the Front Royal Road.

Note: Slight edits were made to the article to update certain time lines. The photo of Trooper Wedlock was made available by the Vermont Area 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association. Vermont-Buffalo-Soldiers - Fort Ethan Allen

Trooper Dallas Miller - Resting in Fiddler's Green

2009-02-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

Dallas retired from the Army as a Commissioned Officer. Upon retirement, Dallas worked as a High School Science teacher in DeKalb County, Georgia. In 1998, Dallas began his career with the Federal Government with the Environmental Protection Agency as a Congressional Liaison. In 2001, Dallas began his CDC career as a Public Health Advisor in the Division of Viral Hepatitis.

Dallas transitioned this life on February 5, 2009 - at his home with family and friends providing comfort and support. Dallas will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his loving wife, Panina Sandiford and son, Dallas Alexander of Stone Mountain, Georgia, his mother, Ora Castella Miller-Oliver of Danville, Virginia, brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Felicia Miller of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and Larry W. and Pearl Miller of Danville, Virginia, sisters Linda C. Miller of Danville, Virginia and a host of family and friends. He was proceeded in death by his sister, the late, J. Valerie Grice.

He was a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, a member of DeKalb County Veteran's Task Force and he was also Commissioner Lou Walker's appointee for DeKalb County's Home Land Security Board. He served as President of the Buffalo Soldiers - Greater Atlanta Area Chapter 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, for four years. He spent much of his time going throughout the country educating the public about the history of these forgotten and unrecognized heroes. He took time off from work to visit schools with his Troop, presenting a living history of the Buffalo Soldiers on horseback to young people, instilling in them a sense of realism and identification.

The Georgia - Memorial Service will be held Monday, February 9, 2009 at 11:00 AM, 240 Chandler Road S.E., Atlanta, Georgia, zip code 30317. Senior Pastor George Moore will preside over the services. A home-going service will be held for Dallas on Wednesday, February 11th, at 11:00 AM, at the Fisher and Watkins Funeral Home, 707 Wilson Street, Danville, Virginia, 24541.

Donations can be made in Dallas' honor via the internet at: www.leukemia-lymphoma.org. Condolences may be sent to: 1960 Scarbourgh Drive, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30088.

Questions regarding this announcement can be directed to Todette Bryant at (404) 498-2717.

Fiddler's Green

When a cavalryman dies, he begins a long march

to his ultimate destination. About half-way along

the road he enters a broad meadow dotted with trees

and crossed by many streams, known as "Fiddler's Green".

As he crosses 'The Green' he finds an old canteen, a single

spur, and a carbine sling. Continuing on the road he comes to a

field camp where he finds all the troopers who have gone

before him, with their campfires, tents and picket lines neatly laid out.

All other branches of the military must continue to march without pause.

Cavalrymen though are authorized to dismount, unsaddle and stay in

Fiddler's Green... their canteens ever full... the grass always green,

and enjoy the companionship and reminisce with old friends.

Trooper Royal Carter joins others at Fiddler's Green

2009-01-24T23:43:00.000-08:00

On January 17th, 2009, Trooper Royal E. Carter II joined the other troopers who have gone before him in Fiddler's Green.

Trooper Carter was born October 11th, 1920, in Topeka, Kansas, the first child of Royal E. Carter Sr. and Izene Carter. He spent his early childhood in Detroit and returned to Kansas at age twelve, where he graduated from high school, joined the Civilian Conservation Corp and the United States Army.

At age twenty-one he came to California, where he got married and decided that California was where he wanted to live. He settled in Los Angeles for twenty years where he fathered two girls, went to school, obtained Certificates in Accounting and Real Estate and went to work for the U.S. Navy Purchasing Office and eventually the U.S. Department of State. In 1974 he officially retired from Government service.

Like the seeds of wild flowers carried by the wind, Royal traveled far and wide during his lifetime. His work and travels took him to North Africa, Italy, France, Germany, Finland, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Far East.

Royal spent the last year in Phoenix, Arizona with his loving daughter Toylana.

Royal was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Tillie Carter, a brother, Edwin Carter, and two sisters, Wavie T. Santiago and Madeline Earles. He is survived by daughters, Ethelyn Martin and Toylana Brown, son-in-law, Ron Brown, step-daughter, Terry Scott, sister, Maxine Gauff, Albert Gauff "the best brother-in-law a man ever had", five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Fiddler's Green

When a cavalryman dies, he begins a long march

to his ultimate destination. About half-way along

the road he enters a broad meadow dotted with trees

and crossed by many streams, known as "Fiddler's Green".

As he crosses 'The Green' he finds an old canteen, a single

spur, and a carbine sling. Continuing on the road he comes to a

field camp where he finds all the troopers who have gone

before him, with their campfires, tents and picket lines neatly laid out.

All other branches of the military must continue to march without pause.

Cavalrymen though are authorized to dismount, unsaddle and stay in

Fiddler's Green... their canteens ever full... the grass always green,

and enjoy the companionship and reminisce with old friends.

The Da Vinci Code and the Buffalo Soldier.

2008-07-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Did other codes left by Leonardo foretell the coming of a specific Buffalo Soldier? Let's take a look at the facts.

Fact: Leonardo was Catholic and my father, Trooper Frederic Douglass Jones, was Catholic.

Fact: Leonardo spoke Italian and Trooper Jones taught himself to speak Italian and was his squadron's interrupter when he served with the 92nd Infantry Division in Italy during WWII.

Fact: Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa in the early 1500's and Trooper Jones finished his painting of the Mona Lisa exactly 450 years later.

Fact: Leonardo Da Vinci is an anagram. If you rearrange the letters and then take a few of them out and add others, you get, Fred of Cincinnati, FACT!

Leonardo epitomized the 'Renaissance Man' because he excelled in the arts and sciences. Any of us who knew Trooper Jones knows that he also excelled in the arts and sciences and was without a doubt, a 'Renaissance Man.'

Fact: Leonardo died at the age of 66. In 1866 the Buffalo Soldiers were created by an act of Congress.

Trooper Jones was born in 1923. If you add 19 and 23 you get 42. Now add 4 plus 2 and you get 6. If you hold the number 6 next to a mirror you'll see two sixes, the one you're holding and the one in the mirror. Now, everyone knows that Leonardo practiced 'Mirror Writing,' so the clue here (with one of the 6's reversed in the mirror) is leading us back to Leonardo at the age of his death, which was, 66, FACT!

Not only that, but this clue is also telling us what year in the 1800's the Buffalo Soldiers would be organized, which of course was 1866, FACT!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We have had a little fun here at the expense of the "DA VINCI CODE." With all the hype that was going on around the movie and the book, we just wanted to show you that Dan Brown isn't the only one who can have fun playing with the FACTS!

Trooper Jones was not unique among WWII Buffalo Soldiers. Just talk to Trooper Eugene Lewis, Trooper Waldo Henderson, Trooper Bruce Dennis, or Trooper Fred Cartha; have a chat with Trooper Andrew Isaacs, Trooper Royal Carter, Trooper Robert McDaniel, or Trooper James Cooper; sit down with Trooper Harold Cole, Trooper Ernest Collier, Trooper Henry Phillips, Trooper Alfred Evans, Trooper Robert Joyce Jr or any of the other surviving WWII, and Korean War Buffalo Soldiers. You will find that all of these men were ahead of their time, true 'Renaissance Men." How far could they have truly gone, in life, if not for the color of their skin?

Fact: Desertions among White regiments were roughly three times greater than those among the Buffalo Soldier units, during the Indian Wars. Also, both Black Cavalry and Infantry regiments had lower rates of alcoholism than their White counterparts.

Fact: The 9^th and 10^th Cavalries’ service in subduing Mexican revolutionaries, hostile Native Americans, outlaws, comancheros, and rustlers was as invaluable as it was unrecognized. It was also accomplished over some of the most rugged and inhospitable country in North America. A list of their adversaries – Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Victorio, Lone Wolf, Billy the Kid, and Pancho Villa – reads like a “Who’s Who” of the American West.

Fact: Lesser known, but equally important, the Buffalo Soldiers explored and mapped vast areas of the southwest and strung hundreds of miles of telegraph lines. They built and repaired frontier outposts around which future towns and cities sprang to life. Without the protection provided by the 9^th and 10^th Cavalries, crews building the ever expanding railroads were at the mercy of outlaws and hostile Indians. The Buffalo Soldiers consistently received some of the worst assignments the Army had to offer. They also faced fierce prejudice to both the colors of their Union uniforms and their skin by many of the citizens of the post-war frontier towns. Despite this, the troopers of the 9^th and 10^th Cavalries developed into two of the most distinguished fighting units in the Army.

Fact: Their 30 years of uninterrupted service in the western territories and frontier is the longest by any military unit in the history of the U.S. Army.

Imagine the protest that would be organized today if we left four regiments of the 1^st Cavalry Division in Iraq for the next 30 years, with the same men who had little or no chance for reassignment because they could only be reassigned to another segregated regiment and those regiments were in Iraq already.

Can you imagine?

Walking in the Footsteps of a Buffalo Soldier

2008-07-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

The Campo Valley is about half way between San Diego and El Centro, California. Just 12 miles to the West of Interstate 8, you take Exit 51, the State Route S1 exit in San Diego County. The drive from Los Angeles to Camp Lockett was 180 miles by my odometer, but the trip took me 65 years back in time. It was around March of ’43 when a new recruit named Fred Jones boarded a troop train at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. 10 days later he found himself at Camp Lockett, in California. When dad stepped off the train he saw Black Troopers on horseback and he asked, "Where am I?" One of the troopers replied, "This is the 10th Cavalry, son." Dad was very familiar with the Black men who served this country in the segregated units of the 9th and 10th mounted cavalry, nicknamed "Buffalo Soldiers" by the Native Americans during the Indian Wars. In fact, he was continuing the family legacy that started with his uncle, Trooper John Powell, who served in the 10th cavalry during World War I. Camp Lockett was the new home of the 10th and the newly formed 28th cavalry regiments. Dad and many young men from the mid-west would make of the bulk of the new regiment.

I don't believe the Campo Valley has changed much in the past 65 years. Outside of a few new ranch homes here and there and a freshly paved highway that leads to Cameron's Corners and on to the base, the topology hasn't changed much. Rolling hills and open pastures are dotted by hugh boulders that seemed as though they were dropped by some over loaded boulder hauling space craft that flew over the area on its way back to its home planet. It's very easy to let your imagination drift back to a time when this area was overrun with Troopers perfecting their skills as premier horsemen. They protected the railways, reservoirs, bridges and tunnels in the area. They were this country's first line of defense for any enemy that attempted to attack the United States from the South and they along with other Buffalo Soldier regiments in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, patrolled the US - Mexico border until all the regiments were shipped out to North Africa in 1944.

During my drive down to Camp Lockett, I was reminded of the last time I drove on State Route S1. It was in 2002. Dad and I were coming down for a rededication ceremony of a monument to the Virgin Mary, built by Italian prisoners-of-war who were held on the base after the 10th and 28th Regiments had shipped out to North Africa. Dad told me the regiments used to do 24 mile force-marches on Route S1 from the base to where I-8 is today and then back to the base. The marches were done at night, leaving Camp Lockett around 22:00 and returning the next morning by 06:00.

During one of these night maneuvers a trooper thought he would make a little money by selling whiskey to the other troopers while they were out on the road. Leave it to some enterprising young trooper to try to earn some extra cash on the side. His plan was to fill his canteen with whiskey and after they've been out for a few hours he'd start selling capfuls, of the Devil's brew, at whatever price the market would bear. There is an old saying in the desert, "water is more precious than gold." After a few hours had gone by and no sales were being made the young trooper started to get thirsty. It seems that alcohol doesn't satisfy ones thirst like water does; in fact it makes it a lot worse. A lesson the young trooper learned the hard way. He eventually ended up pouring out the whiskey and then begging his fellow troopers for water. (the best laid plans of mice and men...)

I didn't do Dad's story much justice here. Dad was a great storyteller! I guess, when you walk in the footsteps of a Buffalo Soldier, you'd best be prepared to fill some might big boots.

Camp Lockett's site was chosen for a cavalry post as far back as 1878 when sixteen troopers wearing the Blue uniform of the US Cavalry bivouacked for several months in this small mexican border valley. At that time it took a week to get to San Diego, the choicest acres of bottomland sold for $5 an acre: smugglers, cattle wrestlers and bandits were a constant problem.

Ground was broken for the present camp on June 23rd, 1941. The surrounding terrain offers unparalleled opportunities to test man, beast and mechanized carriers over a wide variety of terrain that includes heavily wooded underbrush, desert sand, miles of barren, rocky wastelands, streams to be forded and other geographic hazards identical to those which confront cavalry troopers in battle conditions.

Climatically this is a region of extremes. There is summer heat of 115 degrees and freezing temperatures in the winter. Long dry spells alternate with cloudburst. The Campo Valley is known as an area having one of the longest thermometers (meaning temperature swings) in the country.

Today, at the southern edge of Camp Lockett stands a 10-foot tall corrugated wall that runs as far as the eye can see. It represents the US-Mexico border. In the early 1940's, when the Buffalo Soldiers patrolled this area, no such wall existed.

In 1942, the 10th Cavalry Regiment (the famed Buffalo Soldiers) moved into Camp Lockett to replace the 11th Cavalry Regiment, which had been converted into an armored unit. In 1943 the 28th Cavalry Regiment made up of inductees joined the 10th to form the 4th Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Cavalry Division (Horse).

From Fort Leavenworth to Camp Lockett: two military reservations separated by 1600 miles and 78 years of Buffalo Soldier History. If their story began at Fort Leavenworth, then history will record that it ended at Camp Lockett. What happened in between is the responsibility of every abel-bodied member of the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association to tell.

Sincerely,

Trooper Ron Jones

Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter - 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association

bik4lif@ca.rr.com

Col Charles Young in Sequoia National Park

2008-07-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

105 years ago, then captain, Charles Young and a Company of Buffalo Soldiers from the 9th Cavalry Regiment spent the summer working in Sequoia National Park, building the roads that opened the top of the mountain to tourism. On August 28, 2004 a Giant Sequoia Redwood was dedicated in the name of the Black Cavalry Officer.

During a very private ceremony guest from the National Park Service, the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, Vision Quest Buffalo Soldiers from youth camps in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and the Fred D. Jones Youth Center in Hesperia, California along with Buffalo Soldier reenactors from Northern California, stood in silence as descendants of Col. Charles Young thanked park officials and unveiled the wooden plaque located at the base of a mighty Sequoia Redwood.

The tree is located on Bear Hill Trail, just off the main road to Moro Rock. The same road built by Col. Young and the Buffalo Soldiers so many years ago. As you park your car, near the famous “Auto Log,” and head towards the trail, his tree is just out of sight. The footpath has an uphill grade and Col. Young’s tree is about 200 yards away at the end of the walk. The mountain air has a fresh clean smell and the scent of pine is everywhere. The path is covered with a light dusting of fine dirt and the canopy from the surrounding Ponderosa Pines and Douglas Ferns provides a blanket of shading that keeps the air temperature comfortable. As you make your way up the trail it takes a slight dogleg turn to the right and then you see it. At the end of the path stands a mature Sequoia Redwood. The symbolism is unmistakable. A solitary Sequoia Redwood, surrounded by many other tall pine trees …one cannot help but think of Col. Charles Young and his Troopers from the 9th Cavalry Regiment. Buffalo Soldiers one and all. They were true Trailblazers,

in every sense of the word.

Eagle Court of Honor

2008-07-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

An Eagle Scout!

By Trooper Ron Jones

What goes into making an Eagle Scout? Take two heaping cups of a father’s guidance and a mother’s love. Add in, support from his family, his school and his community. Mix in a Scout Master’s leadership with the right amount of goals to help the scout learn responsibility, planning, and organizational skills and then reinforce, in him, a strong belief in God and Country. Wrap all of this with the twelve points of the Scout’s Law: A Scout is – Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. Lastly, since a man is only as good as his word, ask him to take the following oath:

“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

Simmer over time with patience, tolerance, love and understanding. If you did everything just right, you might end up with an Eagle Scout. The worst thing that can happen... you’ll end up with a well-rounded young man.

It is a rare individual who has the dedication, the drive and the work ethic necessary to become an Eagle Scout. We, (members of the Los Angeles Chapter, of the 9th & 10th Horse Cavalry Association) had the distinct honor and privilege to be among the many VIP guests who were present at an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony for Matthew T. Seymour, as he received the Eagle Scout - Badge and Medal.

Clifford and Varnessa Seymour got it right when it came to their son Matthew. They deserve to be very proud of their son and his accomplishment. But when you know that Matthew’s grandfather is Trooper Andrew Aaron, one of the last of the surviving WWII Buffalo Soldiers, you almost want to say, ...should we expect anything less!

The next time you see a Scout, please, give him some words of encouragement.

Congratulations, Matthew! You and young men like you, give me a positive feeling about our future.

There was one other thing that I wanted to mention about the Boy Scouts. If you want to know what kind of a man a Boy Scout grows up to be, you don’t have to look any further than to the men in our own organization. Here are just a few: Trooper Andrew Isaacs - Boy Scout, Trooper Bobby McDonald - Boy Scout, Trooper Andrew Aaron - Boy Scout, Trooper Lennister Williams - Boy Scout, Trooper Fred Cartha - Boy Scout and my father, Trooper Frederick Douglass Jones was a Boy Scout. A childhood friend of my father’s and also a Boy Scout was John Fox. On December 26th 1944, in Italy, Lieutenant Fox (92nd INF. DIV.) was 29 years old when he called artillery fire on his own position that was being overran with Germans. His actions, while saving his regiment, cost him his life and he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1982. After further review, Lt. Fox had his medal upgraded, in January 1997, to the Congressional Medal of Honor. What type of a man does a Boy Scout grow up to be? A Buffalo Soldier. It’s not just coincidental that both groups’ initials are ‘B’ and ‘S’.

NAACP CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF DR. WILLIAM HENRY WADDELL IV

2007-02-22T22:11:00.000-08:00

Source: HTTP://WWW.NAACP.ORG/NEWS/PRESS/2007-02-09/INDEX.HTML

Feb. 9, 2007

Dr. William Henry Waddell IV

The NAACP celebrates the life of Dr. William Henry Waddell IV, the nation’s second-oldest known Buffalo Soldier, a pioneer in the field of veterinary medicine and a lifetime NAACP member. He died January 30 in Hawaii at the age of 98.

A man of many “firsts,” Waddell was born in South Richmond, Va. in 1908. He studied veterinary medicine at Lincoln University and passed the Pennsylvania State Board of Veterinary Medicine in 1935, becoming the first licensed black veterinarian in the state. Waddell later co-founded the Tuskegee Institute School of Veterinary Medicine, where he served as the school’s first faculty member and worked with George Washington Carver on peanut oil therapy. Waddell was also the first black member of the American Veterinary Medicine Association and the first black veterinarian to practice in West Virginia.

From 1941 to 1946 Waddell served the U.S. 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments of the United States Army as a Buffalo Soldier. The Buffalo Soldiers were originally established by Congress as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the United States Army, but later operated during wartime. Waddell served abroad during the Italian campaign of World War II and was later wounded in action in North Africa.
Waddell was the second oldest of two surviving Buffalo Soldiers, and the last member of the 9th and 10th Calvary Regiments. He continued to attend Buffalo Soldier reunions each year up until his death. Joe Barnes of San Francisco is said to be the oldest known and sole remaining Buffalo Soldier.

After the war, Waddell opened a veterinary clinic in Tuskegee, Ala. and continued his affiliation with Tuskegee University. He was honored for his contributions to the veterinary school in 2004.

Among his many honors, Waddell received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Lincoln University and a lifetime achievement award at the National Veterinary Association meeting in Honolulu last year. An annual scholarship named in his honor was recently instituted by the NAACP Honolulu Branch.
Waddell is remembered as a wise and exceptionally kind man who encouraged youth to seek knowledge and education. He is survived by a host of loving relatives and family friends and will be sorely missed.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

Photo: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7pfhi/ribuffalosoldiersmc/

1908-2007 William Waddell, Buffalo Soldier

2007-02-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

By Will Hoover, Advertiser Staff Writer

William Henry Waddell — one of only two surviving Buffalo Soldiers — died at age 98 Tuesday evening at his home in Ka'a'awa.

Waddell, who retired in Hawai'i in 1972 with his wife Lottie, served from 1941 through 1946 with the 9th and 10th Cavalry during the Italian campaign of World War II.

The term "Buffalo Soldier" is one of pride that harks back to the period immediately following the Civil War when depleted Union troops were, by act of Congress, strengthened for the first time to include six regiments of black soldiers.

The term became synonymous with all black regiments that served during subsequent conflicts including the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War, after which the unit was discontinued.

But Waddell had been a trailblazer before entering the war. In 1935, he made history by becoming the first black to be granted a license to practice veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania after he passed the State Board of Veterinary Medicine.

Waddell, who was born in South Richmond, Va., in 1908, also was the first black to practice veterinary medicine in West Virginia and the first black member of the American Veterinary Medicine Association. He was further honored in 2003 as a co-founder of the historic Tuskegee Institute School of Veterinary Medicine.

"I think he was a great humanitarian," said his daughter Kathryn Waddell Takara, a professor at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. "He had a kind heart.

"He was a terribly hard worker who came up from nothing. He's my hero."

In 2004 ,Waddell was awarded a doctor of science honorary degree from the Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Through it all, Waddell remained a man of warmth and humor. His autobiography, "People are the Funniest Animals," was published in 1978. He also authored several other books.

"He was a grand, grand man," said retired UH professor Miles Jackson, a neighbor of Waddell's. "We all looked upon him as a sage. He had always had positive words of wisdom to share with people.

"He had a fantastic memory. We really enjoyed his company."

To those who knew him, he was an inspiration who will be greatly missed.

"The sad state of affairs is that we began February, Black History Month, with the loss of a national treasure," said Alphonso Braggs, president of Hawai'i NAACP.

"He's the reason that many of us are able to pursue our goals, our dreams and our aspirations. And right up to the end, he was still being that inspirational leader and mentor that he is very well known for.

"The irony is that at this time last year, Dr. Waddell was going around the Island bases with us celebrating Black History Month. So there's going to be that absence this year."

Yet, Braggs and Jackson both praised Waddell for giving those who follow in his footsteps the courage and motivation to continue to carry the message of inspiration and hope forward.
"We can only hope that we are able to live long enough to leave a legacy as great as what he's left us," Braggs said.

At a time when many young people are having trouble understanding the civil rights struggles of the '50s and '60s, he said Waddell's legacy stands as a beacon of light.

Already that legacy has grown. On Jan. 13 — less than a month before his death — the Honolulu Hawai'i branch of the NAACP awarded its first scholarship in Waddell's name, Braggs said.

"We really want to perpetuate what he has done. And that's one way to remind folks," Braggs said.

His wife preceded him in death. Aside from his daughter, survivors include two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Photo from the Buffalo Soldier Research Museum
http://buffalosoldiersresearchmuseum.org/research/books/waddell.htm

This article was published on February 4, 2007

A New Play about the Buffalo Soldiers

2007-02-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

Buffalo Soldiers, A Tale Lost

Please note: For tickets to the Berkeley shows at the Julia Morgan Center (Feb 15 - 17), please call the CBON Ticket Line at (925) 798 -1300. See below for other ticket information.

A powerful, eighteen hundred period theatrical release: Buffalo Soldiers, A Tale Lost triangles the lives, struggles, and conflicts of the Negro Cavalry, Army Officials, and fearless Indian Warriors, while a lone courageous soldier risks his life to convince his comrades that fighting in a war where there are no victors is wrong.

This classy, new, original production breathes life into a forgotten, but crucial chapter in American history. Through dramatic encounters and action filled plots; Buffalo Soldiers, A Tale Lost, displays a clash between three cultures... The White Officers, who are steadfast in their superiority, the Indians, who are vibrant in their refusal to sign a peace treaty, and the Negro soldiers, whose complexities range from house slave to field slave, from heroes to killers, from proud service to insubordination.

The characters in the play comprise an all-male cast that consists of sixteen different roles. Derived from actual events. It's intense, it's original, it's powerful, Buffalo Soldiers, A Tale Lost seeks to break new ground in American theatre.

Dates:
February 15, 2007 - 8:00 PM
February 16, 2007 - 8:00 PM
February 17, 2007 - 8:00 PM

Location:

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts2640 College Ave., Berkeley, CA Adults $30, Children $15, Student and Senior $25Call the CBON Ticket Line: (925) 798-1300

Dates:

February 21, 2007 - 8:00 PM Through
February 24, 2007 - 8:00 PM

Location:

Montgomery Theater 271 S. Market Street, San Jose, CA

Breaking bread together for the Holidays

2006-12-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

Members of the Los Angeles Chapter of the 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, gather for their annual Buffalo Soldier informal luncheon and family get-to-gather.

Pictured above, from left to right seated, are: Trooper Robert McDaniel, World War II veteran who served with the 9th Cavalry regiment stationed at Fort Riley and for a time was a member of headquarter staff and worked for Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr., Trooper Alfred Evans, WWII veteran who served with the 10th Cavalry regiment, Trooper John Tull, WWII veteran who served with the 10th Cavalry regiment, Trooper Andrew Isaacs, WWII veteran with the 10th Cavalry regiment and is the newly elected President of the L.A. Chapter, Trooper Eugene Lewis, WWII veteran, 28th Cavalry regiment 'C' Troop, stationed at Camp Lockett in California and outgoing L.A. Chapter President, Trooper Andrew Aaron, Korean War veteran and a member of the 24th Infantry regiment.

Second row: Nathaniel Hosea, WWII veteran and a member of the Mondfort Point Marines, Retired U.S. Army Colonel Franklin Henderson, past National President of the 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, Trooper Fred Cartha, WWII veteran, served with the 10th Cavalry regiment and is this year's recipient of the Los Angeles Chapter Buffalo Soldier "Trooper of the Year" award, Trooper Phillip Wilkes Fixico, descendant of the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts, Trooper Jean Lewis, US Army veteran of the Cold War era, Trooper Gwen Jones.

The back five: Trooper Charles Allen, Korean War veteran and a member of the 24th Infantry regiment, Trooper Erich Hicks, Vietnam War veteran, Trooper James Cooper, WWII veteran, served in the 24th Infantry regiment and was a driver in Patton's Red Ball Express, Trooper Walter Brady, Iraqi War veteran, Trooper Lennister Williams, Vietnam War veteran and retired Sgt. Maj U.S. Army.

During WWII and the Korean War, the Buffalo Soldier regiments consisted of the 24th and 25th Infantries and the 9th, 10th, 27th and 28th Cavalries. The cavalry regiments made up the 2nd Cavalry Division which was deactivated in 1944. When President Truman's Executive Order 9981 was fully implemented in 1951, bringing an end to segregation in the arm forces, it closed the door on the history that was the Buffalo Soldiers of the segregated U.S. Army. These men represent the last of the original Buffalo Soldiers who served in those segregated regiments.

Recent 2006 Veterans Day Buffalo Soldier Public Appearances

2006-11-21T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hollywood Forest Lawn 2006 Veterans Day Program. Seated from left to right are: Trooper Phil Wilkes Fixico, Trooper Lennister Williams, Trooper Charles Allen, Trooper Andrew Aaron and 90 year old, Trooper Robert McDaniel.

Trooper Andrew Aaron (24th Infantry - Korean War vetran) is interviewed by a local news station.

Trooper Lennister Williams with local Los Angeles News Anchor, Stan Chambers, who was this years Master of Ceremony for the Veterans Day program.

Trooper Robert McDaniel (9th Cavalry WWII veteran) with Stan Chambers

Los Angeles Chapter 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association members with local area scouts and scout leaders

Trooper Andrew Isaacs and Trooper Fred Cartha (both 10th Cavalry - WWII veterans) with the Mayor of Palm Springs, Ron Oden just before the start of the Palm Springs Veterans Day parade.

Trooper Fred Cartha with the mounted unit from Ft Irwin

Troopers Carth and Isaacs with Pearl Harbor survivors

Spectators at the Palm Springs Veterans Day parade were treated by a flyover of a F-17 Night Hawk stealth fighter.

Looking down the parade route in Palm Springs just before the start of the parade.

89 Year Old WWII Buffalo Soldier Willie Jones Prepares to Retire Again

2006-11-20T20:15:00.000-08:00

Photo By: Lui Kit Wong/The News Tribune

William Jones, better known as Mr. Jones, spent 22 years in the Army as a Buffalo Soldier before retiring as a master sergeant. After 54 years in Tacoma as the man who has everything, he’s ready to retire again.

I came across an article on Mr. Jones while doing some research on the Buffalo Soldiers. In the article a phone number was listed so I called it. What a pleasant surprise it was when I heard a voice answer, "Mr. Jones!" After I explained that my name was Jones too, and that I am a member of the 9th 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association in Los Angeles, I spent a very pleasant time talking with Mr. Jones and his daughter Lia.

Mr. Jones is looking forward to retiring, but he'll keep busy with his 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Museum. He has one of the country's largest collection of out of print books about the Buffalo Soldiers.

Mr. Jones served in the 10th Cavalry at Camp Lockett and possible knew my father along with Trooper George Poston (deceased) and our current Chapter PresidentTrooper Eugene Lewis.

To find out more about Trooper Willie Jones click on this link:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/columnists/merryman/story/6216720p-5431158c.html

Buffalo Soldier National Museum Acquires Historic Colletion

2006-11-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Soldier Museum in Houston, Texas recently received a substantial donation of military uniforms, weapons, pictures and diaries that tells the story of black soldiers from the end of the Civil War to World War I. The collection belonged to Anthony Powell, a historian who lives in California's Bay Area. Mr. Powell packed up his collection and drove a Budget rental truck 2,000 miles to deliver 13 crates of military memorabilia to the Buffalo Soldier National Museum.

Pictured here is Trooper PJ Matthews, the museum curator.

For more information about Mr. Powell's donation click on this link:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4318493.html

...pray for our soldiers who live In Harm’s Way!

2006-11-20T01:48:00.000-08:00

As we move into the Holiday Season, I would like to change the subject from all things Buffalo Soldiers, to our men and women now serving in the arm forces around the world. A couple of years ago I came across a poem that was written by a Marine stationed in Japan. Unfortunately I do not know his name for I would like to acknowledge him and the message it reflects.

I am not too proud to say that it brings a tear to my eye every time I read it.

Twas the night before Christmas...

‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give, and to see just who in this home did live. I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stocking by the mantle, just boots filled with sand, on the wall hung many pictures of distance lands. With medals and badges, awards of all kinds, a sober thought came through, from the depths of my mind. For this house was different, it was dark and dreary; I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly. The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone, curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home. The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder, not how I pictured a home for a United States Soldier. Was this the hero of whom I’d just read? Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed? I realized the families that I saw this night, owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight. Soon round the world the children would play, and grown-ups would celebrate a bright Christmas Day. They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year, because of the soldiers, like the one lying here. I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home. The very thought brought a tear to my eye, I dropped to my knees and started to cry. The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice, “Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice; I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more, my life is my God, my Country, my Corps.” The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep, I couldn’t control it I continued to weep. I kept watch for hours, so silent and still and we both shivered from the cold night’s chill. I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark, night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight. Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure, whispered, “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all is secure.” One look at my watch, and I knew he was right. “Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.”

The preceding was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.

The Freedoms we enjoy, they all seem so nice, but were purchased by soldiers who paid the ultimate price. Before you turn-in at the end of each day, please say a prayer for our soldiers who live In Harm’s Way!

Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Trooper Ronald R Jones

A reflection on July 28, 1866

2006-11-19T03:35:00.000-08:00

During July of this year (2006) as our organization prepared to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the formation for the Buffalo Soldier rgiments, I found myself thinking that during the early weeks of the month of July, 140 years ago, Black men were very concerned about their future. For well over 200 years in this country Blacks were held in servitude. In that time the country had gone through a Revolution, created a nation, endured a Civil War and emancipated the slaves. Over 180,000 Black men fought in the Civil War, on both sides, and over 140,000 of them lived to see the end of the war and the freedom they all fought so hard for to achieve. But freedom is truly a relative term. Reconstruction, in the South, was progressing but with it came the Black Codes.

A Republican controlled Congress was concerned about the safety of their American citizens, or so they say, who were venturing out into the Western Territories. And so, an Act was drafted and presented to Congress on July 28th, 1866. It offered 6,000 Black men, some veterans of the Civil War, a chance to earn $13.00 a month. Sure there was training and education, room and board, three squares-a-day and a paymaster at the end of each month, and there was segregation, racism, prejudice, inferior equipment and terrible duty assignments. But there was also an intangible component associated with what the government was offering these Black men. Something that no one could predict or even ascertain the effect of …and that was an opportunity. Give a man, any man, self-determination. Let him feel he has some control of his destiny, let him feel he is free to decide his fate and determine his future; let him feel he is a Man, provide him an opportunity and then step back and watch great things happen . On July 28th, 1866 young Black men pondered their future, seized an opportunity and the rest, as they say, is history.

Trooper Ron Jones

23 Names Every Trooper Should Know!

2006-11-19T03:18:00.000-08:00

The Bravest of the Brave

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is awarded "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." Since it was first awarded during the Civil War, the medal has been awarded 3,460 times, most recently in 2005. There were 23 Medal of Honor awarded to the Buffalo Soldiers during the Indian and the Spanish-American Wars.

9th Cavalry Medal of Honor Recipients

1. Sgt. Thomas Boyne – C Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
2. Pvt. John Denny – C Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
3. Cpl. Clinton Greaves – C Troop; Apache Campaign, 1877
4. Pvt. Henry Johnson – K Troop; Ute Campaign, 1879
5. Sgt. George Jordan – K Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
6. Sgt. Thomas Shaw – K Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881
7. Sgt. Emanuel Stance – F Troop; Texas, 1870
8. Sgt. Augustus Walley – E Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881
9. 1st Sgt. Moses Williams – I Troop; Apache Campaign, 1890
10. Cpl. William O. Wilson – I Troop; Pine Ridge Campaign, 1890
11. Sgt. Brent Woods – B Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881

10th Cavalry Medal of Honor Recipients

12. Sgt. Mjr. Edward L. Baker, Jr. – Spanish-American War, 1898
13. Pvt. Dennis Bell – H Troop; Spanish-American War, 1898
14. Pvt. Fitz Lee – M Troop; Spanish-American War, 1898
15. Sgt. William McBryar – K Troop; Apache Campaign, 1890
16. Cpl. William Tompkins – B Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889
17. Pvt. George H. Wanton – M Troop; Spanish-American War 1898

24th Infantry Medal of Honor Recipients

18. Sgt. Benjamin Brown – C Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889
19. Cpl. Isaiah Mays – B Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889

Seminole Negro Indian Scouts Medal of Honor Recipients

20. Pvt. Pompey Factor – 24th Infantry; Staked Plans Expedition, 1875
21. Pvt. Adam Paine – 24th Infantry; Comanche Campaign, 1874
22. Trumpeter Isaac Payne – 24th Infantry; Staked Plans Expedition, 1875
23. Sgt. John Ward – 24th Infantry; Staked Plains Expedition, 1875

There are four other names that every Trooper should know. They may not be Medal of Honor recipients but many would consider them just as deserving for what they had to endure. Thirteen Black cadets matriculated at West Point between 1865 and 1915. Only three of them graduated. They were not so much hazed as ostracized. The treatment they received at West Point was shameful. After the first three had graduated from West Point, it would not be until 1936 that another Black cadet would graduate from the military academy.

They were:

• Lt. Henry O. Flipper – Graduated 1877
• Lt James H. Alexander – Graduated 1887
• Lt. Charles Young – Graduated 1889
• Lt. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. – Graduated 1936

For more information on these Medal of Honor recipients refer to Frank N. Schubert’s book “Black Valor – Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor, 1870 – 1898.”

Trooper Ron Jones

Formation of the Buffalo Soldier Regiments

2006-11-19T02:06:00.000-08:00

I guess the best place to start would be at the beginning.

On July 28, 1866 the Thirty-Ninth Congress passed into law a provision that allowed Black men to serve in the United States Army during peace time. This was the first time in our nation’s history that such a thing was even possible. “An Act to increase and fix the Military Peace establishment of the United States” made it all possible. It reads as follows:

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the military peace establishment of the United States shall hereafter consist of five regiments of artillery, ten regiments of cavalry, forty-five regiments of infantry, the professors and corps of cadets of the United States Military Academy, and such other forces as shall be provided for by this act, to be known as the Army of the United States.”

Section Three of the act went on to say: “And be it further enacted, That to the six regiments of cavalry now in service there shall be added four regiments, two of which shall be composed of "Colored" men, having the same organization as is now provided by law for cavalry regiments…” Those four additional cavalry regiments were the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th regiments. It was the 9th and 10th cavalries that were “composed of Colored men” and who spent the next 30 years serving in the Western territories where they were named Buffalo Soldiers by the Plaines Indians who engaged them in battle.

Section Four of the act outlined the infantry as follows: “And be it further enacted, That the forty-five regiments of infantry provided for by this act shall consist of the first ten regiments, of ten companies each, now in service; of twenty-seven regiments, of ten companies each, to be formed by adding two companies to each battalion of the remaining nine regiments; and of eight new regiments, of ten companies each, four regiments of which shall be composed of "Colored" men and four regiments of ten companies each to be raised and officered as hereinafter provided for...” The four infantry regiments that were "composed of Colored men" were the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st regiments. In 1869 the 38th and 41st infantry regiments were reorganized to form the 24th infantry regiment and the 39th and 40th infantry regiments were reorganized to form the 25th infantry regiment, together all four regiments (the 9th & 10th Cavalries and the 24th & 25th Infantries) made a name for themselves while serving out west.

The general view at the time, of these “Colored” troops, was best captured by Lt. Grothe Hutcheson Adjutant 9th U.S. Cavalry. “The men knew nothing, and the non-commissioned officers but little more. From the very circumstances of their preceding life it could not be otherwise. They had no independence, no self-reliance, not a thought except for the present, and were filled with superstition. To make soldiers of, such material was, at that time, considered more of an experiment than as a fixed principle.” An experiment… That’s exactly what it was, but an experiment that exceeded all expectations. With their Seminole Negro Indian Scouts included these “Colored” regiments had 23 individuals earn the Medal of Honor. While the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments made up just 20% of the mounted regiments in the U.S. Army, and were often stationed at very remote locations, they managed to be involved in over 140 Indian engagements.

On July 28th, 2006 we celebrated the 140th Anniversary of the formation of the United States Army‘s six Black Regiments, who were nicknamed Buffalo Soldiers. I’d like to add that every minority serving in the military today, including women, owe a vote of thanks to the Buffalo Soldiers, who were the first and who opened the ‘door of opportunity’ so the rest of us could serve in the U.S. military.

Thank You – Buffalo Soldiers!
Trooper Ron Jones – Vietnam Vet – 12 years U.S. Navy,
Submarine Service (Nuclear)

Buffalo Soldiers

2006-11-19T01:42:00.000-08:00

This Blog will be used to educate, inform and entertain you with information about the little known history of a group of U.S. Army regiments who were nicknamed, "Buffalo Soldiers." Who these men were and what their contributions to the growth and expansion of the United States was, will be highlighted in future Blogs.

For now, I'm just trying to settle into the Blogging concept and hope I can do these gentlemen's contribution to America's History proper justice.

Trooper Ron Jones