10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Memorial

The 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army was one of the original African-American units known as the “Buffalo Soliders.” There were two cavalry and two infantry regiments established in 1866. When war boke out in Spain on April 25, 1898, all four African-American regiments were recalled from the West where they had been involved in campaigns against American Indian tribes in an area from Montana in the Northwest to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

When they weren’t fighting the Indians they built forts, roads, installed telegraph lines, located water holes, escorted wagon trains and cattle drives, rode “shotgun” on stagecoach and mail runs and protected settlers from Indian attacts, outlaws, and Mexican revolutionaries.

They were sent to Cuba and participated in the battles of Las Guasimas, El Caney and San Juan Hill. During these conflicts they won six medals of honor for gallantry in action.

After the war three regiments remained on occupation duty while the 10th United States Cavalry was ordered to New York, then to Camp Albert G. Forse in Huntsville, AL. They were there until January 1899, hence Cavalry Hills.

10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers — *A stagecoach guarded by African American soldiers, who were known as Buffalo Soldiers, circa 1869.*(History.com) – Photo: *MPI/Getty Images*

This regiment also served in the Philippine-American War. Here the Philippine people were fighting for independence from the colonization of the United States. The war was “over” in 1902 but independence didn’t get granted to the Philippines until after WWII.

It was the only African-American unit under American command that fought Grenman soldiers (advisors) in WWI. The regiment was trained as a combat untie but was later relegated to non-combat duty and served in that capacity in WWII until it was deactivated in 1944.

Reactivation of 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers

The 10th Cavalry was reactived as an integrated combat unit in 1958. Some of the soldiers have served in fronflicts franging from Vietnam to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The current structure is by squadron with the 1st, 4th, and 7th Squadrons assisgned to three brigades of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colorado.

Location:

Academy for Academics & Arts, Poplar Ave. at University & Pulaski Pike, Huntsville, AL

Featured Image: https://www.huntsville.org/