9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry

Five Facts You Need to Know about the Buffalo Soldiers

In 1866, through an act of Congress, legislation was adopted to create six all African-American Army units. The units were identified as the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry regiments. The four infantry regiments were later reorganized to form the 24th and 25th Infantry regiments. These fighting men represented the first Black professional soldiers in a peacetime army. The recruits came from varied backgrounds including former slaves and veterans from service in the Civil War. The nickname Buffalo Soldiers began with Cheyenne warriors in 1867. The actual Cheyenne translation was Wild Buffalo. The nickname