Service in the West

Members of the 9th Cavalry pose for a group shot.  Two Medal of Honor recipients can be seen wearing their medals, center front and right rear. c.1890

U.S. Army

After the creation of the Buffalo Soldiers from the Army Reorganization Act of 1866, many of the regiments were garrisoned on the western frontier where settlers were forging new paths and homesteads. Encouraged by the prevailing belief of "manifest destiny," settlers trekked west to claim lands in Indian territories. With that came the need for security, which ultimately was provided by the U.S. Army and its western frontier regiments, including the Buffalo Soldiers. In addition to providing security to settlers, the Buffalo Soldiers would spend countless hours training and helping to build some of the infrastructure in the plains at the time. Here you'll find the stories of these men and their time in the west.

Read more about the story of the Buffalo Soldiers On the Western Frontier.