Area
[ Home ] [ Origin ] [ Mission ] [ Area ] [ Lifestyle ] [ Accomplishments ]

    Originally the four infantry regiments were split up, with two staying in the south and the other two moving to the frontier.  In 1869, Congress passed an Army reorganization bill which provided for the consolidation of the four regiments into two. The two regiments in the south, 40th and 39th, were consolidated into the 25th infantry and were to remain in Louisiana while the 38th Infantry from New Mexico and the 41st were combined into the 24th Infantry and was stationed at Fort Mckavitt, Texas. The 25th would be ordered to join the 24th in protecting the southwestern edge of the Texas Frontier the year following consolidation.

    The 25th would be ordered to service in the Dakota territory in 1880 and then repositioned into Montana Territory in 1888. In 1880, the 24th also received orders to reposition, this time to Oklahoma where it was to occupy three major army posts, Fort Reno, Fort Sill, and Fort Supply.

    The 9th Cavalry Regiment was activated at Greenville, Louisiana and the 10th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Both the 9th and 10th served on the frontier from Montana to Texas, along the Rio Grande in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and in the Dakotas.

    On March 3, 1877, Captain Samuel M. Whiteside and two companies of the 6^th United States Calvary established a camp at the mouth of the Huachuca Canyon. This isolated camp had two missions: protect settlers in the area and stop Apache raiding parties from escaping into Mexico. The camp had fresh running water, excellent observation and critical high ground for defense. It was designated a permanent post in 1882. After Geronimo was imprisoned in 1886, the Army closed more than 50 camps and forts in the area, Fort Huachuca was kept to fight renegade Indians, bandits and outlaws. The all-Black 24^th Infantry was the first entire regiment stationed at the fort. The all-Black 10^th Cavalry arrived in 1913, served in the expedition against Pancho Villa in 1916, and helped guard the U.S. –Mexican border until 1931. In 1941, the two regiments formed the 4th Cavalry Brigade, commanded by General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., at Camp Funston, Kansas. In 1944, the end came to the horse cavalry regiments and the curtain was lowered on the long and glorious past of "The Buffalo Soldiers."

                                           (Photo of the Buffalo Soldier Statue
                                            and plaque located at
                                            Ft Huachuca, AZ).