Buffalo Soldiers in formation in Cuba ... and the cavalrymen adopted the buffalo on their coat of arms as well as the nickname. In 1866, an enlistee by the name of William Cathay joined the ...

One theory was that Native American warriors they fought against reportedly said the curly hair of the African soldiers resembled a buffalo’s coat. “There are all sorts of debates about the ...

During the Civil War nearly 180,000 Blacks (10 percent of the total Union Army) plus 19,000 in the Navy, were engaged in the fight to eliminate slavery — though generally not in combat positions.