TEX. HISTORICAL COMM. OKS BUFFALO SOLDIERS' MARKER AT FT. BROWN; THC OKS 4 HISTORICAL MARKERS FOR B'VILLE

Narrative to application for Texas Historical Commission marker at Ft. Brown for Buffalo Soldiers. At the local level applications are handled by Gene Fernandez, Commissioner and Chairman of the Texas State Historical Marker Program:

(First of 4 parts)

The reason for the commemoration of the “Buffalo Soldiers”, through their involvement with Fort Brown and the South Texas environs throughout the second half of the 19th Century and the first decade of the 20th Century, is abundantly meaningful. This honorable recognition is claimed, based upon facts of numerous actual ties that occurred to connect the soldiers and their fort intrinsically together.

Extending beyond the realm of Historians, and into the consciousness of open society, the fame of the legendary Buffalo Soldiers is far and wide among us.

Since their initial formulation in 1866, as a grouping of African American-based regiments of cavalry and infantry, they accumulated a notable heritage which is firmly seated within the annals of American military history. 

The theaters of operation include such historical episodes as the Indian Wars of the Great Plains, Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, Mexican Border War, World War I, World War II.

To accurately track the specific regiments which followed the original lineage of these soldiers, One must center on certain “companies” of the following regiments: (United States Army) 9th Cavalry, 10th Cavalry, 24th Cavalry, 25th Infanytry. 

In the broad range of events, all of these regiments were composed of almost exclusively African Americans, with the exception of a White officer corps. Absolute evidence of the presence of Black soldiers (U. S. Colored Troops, “USCT, or USC”), can be observed, sadly enough, in the roster of those who were buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Brown. 

It is well understood that combat fatalities were not that great in South Texas throughout the period of the Civil War, in particular, whereas the primary cause of death was attributed to pestilence and other health-related causes. The poor living conditions on this Border outpost, abundantly documented, surely contributed largely as well. 

The ravages of the cholera epidemic of 1866, and the yellow fever scourges of 1867, 1882, and 1883 took heavy toll of soldier and citizen alike.

Another monumental accounting which establishes the presence of colored troops in the area comes from the rolls of the famous 25th Infantry, Companies B, C, and D, who were involved in the infamous “Brownsville Affair” of 1906. These troops followed an interesting, if not illustrious path that took in assignments ranging from the Spanish-American War service in Cuba, under Theodore Roosevelt, to obvious Indian engagement in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and then on to Brownsville.

Of those regiments, and the companies thereof, conforming with what were known to be legitimately “Buffalo Soldiers”, having seen direct military action in the Indian Wars of the Great Plains, there is direct evidence to support the claim that there were elements of troops which went on to receive assignments at Fort Brown. 

The period of greatest direct tie to these veterans having spent time in South Texas ran from 1870 through 1880, according to general accounting of research on these regiments, understanding that the entire period of the Native American Indian conflicts ran from 1866 through the 1890’s.

The acts of bravery attributed to the formidable warrior spirit of these soldiers, is resident in legend and history. From the origins of the actual name which was given to them by Native American Indians, they were said to have “fought like a cornered buffalo”, which lends an allegorical realism to their image. 

Speaking for this bravery, there were twenty-six Medal of Honor recipients from the ranks of their regiments from 1866 through 1918. This is not taking into account the continuance of their line as it yielded its metal into World War II. 

Their indomitable courage has impacted music, television series, movies, novels, and artworks throughout their active range, and shall continue to do so well into the future.

For this and all other noble reasoning, Fort Brown needs to extend its arms in homage to these worthy military men, at long last.