The Buffalo Soldier Concept: An indepth analysis

The road to the Buffalo Soldier 

Figure 1: Buffalo Soldiers on a mission

The American Civil War began in 1861 when the Confederate army attacked Fort Sumter, a bastion of the Union Army. It was this war which saw the entry of African Americans into the American military ranks. The black soldiers were to play a pivotal role in the Civil War although they weren’t initially allowed in either side’s army. The first side to allow black people into their rank and file was the Union army. 


Initially the blacks were used as cooks, labourers, and teamsters. But when the Union army suffered several military setbacks and was on the verge of losing the war, it decided to enlist blacks as soldiers. Controversy ensued over the use of black soldiers in the war. But finally, the Congress intervened and allowed the Black soldiers to participate in the Armed forces in the Militia Act of 17 July 1862.  The Black soldiers did so well in the war so that more and more blacks were recruited into the Union Army with passage of time.

However, although they did so well in many battles, the Black Soldiers remained victims of a deep-rooted racist stereotype. They were treated as inferior to whites. For instance, they were paid $10 regardless of their rank while the lowest paid white soldier got $13. The black soldiers later got identical pay as whites after a lengthy debate over the discriminatory pay issue. The Civil War ended in 1865 with the defeat of the Confederate army. The Confederate army only enlisted blacks at the end of the war.

The birth of the Buffalo Soldier concept

The name Buffalo Soldier was given to African American soldiers by Indians during the military campaigns, which the African American soldiers were forced to wage against these fellow oppressed people. These Native American conflicts began in 1866 soon after the Civil War. In 1867, there were four black regiments: the 9^th and 10^th Cavalry Units and the 24^th and 25^th Infantry Units. The first black regiment to get the name of the Buffalo Soldiers was the 10^th Cavalry Unit but eventually all the other black army regiments got this name.

The reason why this nickname came about has been illusive to this day. Some say it was because the Indians saw a resemblance between the black soldier’s short curly hair and the buffalo’s shaggy coat. Others argue that many black soldiers wore the long buffalo-robe coats, hence the name. It has also been pointed out that the physical strength, bravery, tenaciousness and dexterity inspired the Indians to call them “Buffalo Soldiers”. Others argue that the name was coined because the black soldiers appeared to have the spirit of an animal.

Figure 2: Buffalo Soldiers crossing mountains

Who exactly were the Buffalo Soldiers and what did they do?

The Buffalo Soldiers comprised slaves and free African Americans. They were generally charged with the responsibility of escorting settlers, cattle herds, and railroad crews. The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry Regiments also conducted campaigns against American Indian tribes on a western frontier that extended from Montana in the Northwest to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona in the South West. They are believed to have fought over 177 engagements. It was the 10^th regiment, which chased the famous Apache chief, Geronimo, from Arizona.

In later years, the Buffalo Soldiers also participated in several other military campaigns: The Spanish American War, The Philippines Insurrection, The Mexican Expedition, World War I, World War II and the Korean Civil War. However, it was in the Spanish American War that the Buffalo Soldiers got most of the respect they deserved.

The Spanish American War was fought to attain Cuba’s independence from Spain. The United States of America gave Spain an ultimatum but the Spaniards were uncooperative. Consequently, the USA dispatched the 9^th and 10^th Cavalries and the 24^th and 25^th Regiments to fight alongside the Cubans. The Buffalo Soldiers fought courageously in the war and helped the Cubans win the war and their independence. Some Buffalo Soldiers even won Congressional Medals of Honour.

Tracing the roots of the Buffalo Soldier

The Buffalo soldiers were black people who originally came from Africa. They went to via the Middle Passage America courtesy of the horrible Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. These Africans were captured from Africa and auctioned like trade commodities in the United States of America in a period of 239 years, between 1619 and 1858. The auction sale itself was a very dehumanizing and traumatizing experience. The slaves were naked and in chains as they went to the auction podium. Potential buyers were allowed to prod their bellies, poke fingers in their mouths to check their teeth, as well as taste their sweat in order to gauge their health.  

When first ship carrying 20 African slaves from the West African Coast arrived at James Town, Virginia, in 1619, what followed was a trade in Africans and their exploitation of an epic scale. Henceforth, Slaves became Africa’s chief export to the USA until 1858 when the very last slave ship offloaded 450 African slaves near Brunswick, Georgia. Millions of Africans were exported in cargo fashion during these 239 years. Most of these slaves went to work in sugar plantations where they were overworked such that many died within five to ten years. It is these unfortunate souls or their descendants who went on to become the Buffalo Soldiers.

The Buffalo Soldier in popular culture

The Buffalo Soldier concept has enjoyed some limelight in popular culture. Several books have been written and songs sung on this topic. For instance, in 1993 Robert O’Connor wrote a novel titled Buffalo Soldiers. In 2001, O’connor’s novel was turned into a film directed by Gregor Jordan and produced by Rainer Grupe and Ariane Moody. However, the events portrayed in O’connor’s novel and Jordan’s film have nothing to do with the American civil war and the activities of African American soldiers since its setting is West German during 1989 when the fall of Berlin Wall is imminent.

Bob Marley and the Buffalo Soldier Concept

 Figure 3: Bob Marley of the Buffalo Soldier fame

The Buffalo Soldier concept was popularized worldwide by the song “Buffalo Soldier” written by Bob Marley and Noel Williams in 1980. This reggae smash hit was released on Bob Marley’s bestselling “Legend” album in 1984, three years after the death of the legendary King of Reggae. The song was very popular so much so that the name Buffalo Soldier almost became Bob Marley’s patent even though the legend had succumbed to cancer. The song addresses several issues pertinent to Black History in general and African American History in particular. Major themes in the song include slave trade, slavery and racism

In the first verse, Marley’s song talks about how Africans were taken to America against their will, during the Slave Trade era, where they had to fight to survive from the very moment they stepped their foot on the new continent. Initially, Marley argues, they fought just to stay alive but later on, they were forced to fight the war for America and kill the Native American people who were another oppressed lot:

Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta:
There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America,
Stolen from Africa, brought to America,
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival.

In this monster hit, Bob Marley also rises to the occasion to speak for millions of African Americans who are treated as second class citizens in a country they helped to build with their own toil, sweat and blood. He addresses this issue in the fourth verse where he says: “Then you wouldn’t have to ask me, who the ‘eck do I think Iam”. This is an attempt to remind the racist Americans and the world at large that African Americans were instrumental in building America at the time it mattered most:

If you know your history,
Then you would know where you coming from,
Then you wouldn't have to ask me,
Who the 'eck do I think I am.

I'm just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America,
Stolen from Africa, brought to America,
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival;
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America.

Controversy over the Buffalo Soldier Legacy 

Figure 4: A bronze statue dedicated to the memory of the Buffalo Soldiers

The controversy over the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers comes in the wake of the fact that two schools of thought that have emerged as regards the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers. While some people have taken the Buffalo Soldier as a Medal of Honour, some view it with disgust. So while some would like to throw the Buffalo Soldier legacy into the dust bin where they think it belongs, others will go an extra mile to preserve what they believe is such an inspiring story.

The first school of thought views the work of the Buffalo Soldiers as recommendable and something to one should be proud of. Proponents of this school thought, many of whom are African Americans, contend that the Buffalo Soldiers were a symbol of hope for a better future to many black citizens. It is argued that at the turn of the 20^th Century, African Americans had very little to help give them confidence and self belief except the pride they took in the Buffalo Soldiers. According to the proponents of this school, it is the Buffalo Soldiers that have inspired the road to success for many black people in America in the 19^th and 20^th Century. These people rejoice at the mention of the name Emanuel Stance, a former slave from Louisiana who became the first Buffalo Soldier to receive a Medal of Honour; they will smile at the mention of Retired 1^st Sgt. Mark Matthews the Buffalo Soldier who lived the longest and died on 6^th September 2005 at the age of 111.

However, another school of thought views the establishment and activities of the Buffalo Soldiers as a shameful story and a grave mistake that should not be repeated. Proponents of this school of thought, many of whom are descendants of the Native American Indians, argue that it was morally wrong to use the Buffalo Soldiers to fight and kill the Native American Indians who were defending their lands against the then American government and the white settlers. These people argue that it was wrong to give oppressed people (Africans) guns and send them out to kill other oppressed people (Native American Indians).  The end result was that these African Americans committed horrible acts and terrible crimes against an innocent people who had done nothing to them. Some of these Buffalo Soldiers lost their lives altogether in these trivial campaigns.

However, we cannot also rule out a neutral school of thought which does not defend or condemn the Buffalo Soldier legacy. However, the proponents of such a school have not come out clearly on their stand. So while Bob Marley and the Wailers gave us a very good song, he also gave us a topic to debate on: “The Buffalo Soldier”. Unfortunately, we may never know the school to which the Reggae Music maestro belonged because it was released after his death as already alluded to before. You will agree with me that listening to Bob Marley’s song it is difficult to gauge his stance as regards to the Buffalo Solder Legacy controversy.