Life for the soldiers in the 9th and 10th cavalry was harsh but not different
than that of their white counterparts. During the 1860s and 70s, the frontier
forts resembled little more than rundown villages, and the enlisted men's
barracks were often poorly ventilated, vermin infested hovels. The bathing
facilities consisted of the local creek. As a result, diseases such as
dysentery, diarrhea, bronchitis, and tuberculosis were a common problem. Rations
throughout the Indian campaigns consisted mainly of beef or bacon, potatoes,
beans, fresh vegetables from the post garden, and sometimes fruit or jam. The
work week was seven days, with the exception of the fourth of July and
Christmas. The monthly pay for a private was a paltry $13. (reduced from $16 in
1871) While in
the field, both the troopers and their horses faced not only hostile Indians and
outlaws, but also extended patrols of up to six months and covering more than
1,000 miles. Adding to their ordeal was the scarcity of water and the extremes
of weather common to the southwest.
Many Afro-American troops made themselves available for schooling during off hours. Schools were sponsored by assigned Chaplains and helped to alleviate rampant illiteracy that was mandated under the slavery policy. By 1866 the use of Chaplains as educators in black regiments was an accepted practice. During the early years of reconstruction, the development of an education program for freed blacks was sponsored by educational societies, religious denominations, and other benevolent groups under supervision of the Freedmen's Bureau. In some areas of the South, army chaplains were detailed as assistant superintendents of education for the Freedmen's Bureau. It was because of the role Chaplains played in the education of black soldiers in the Civil War, the Army made the assignment of a regimental chaplain mandatory for all black regiments.
When
not on patrol, the Buffalo Soldiers were engaged in drills, parades, and
inspections. At Fort Davis in 1877 a dress parade complete with the post band,
was held each evening except for Saturdays. The black infantry regiments
developed a strong esprit de corps and there was a strong desire among them to
prove to the Army, society, and themselves that they could soldier as well as
white troops. In contrast to their white counterparts, the African-American
cavalry and infantry regiments had one- third fewer desertions (the most serious
problem that faced the Army during the Indian War) and lower rates of alcoholism.
Read about the remarkable story of Cathay Williams, America's first and only female Buffalo Soldier, at: http://www.femalebuffalosoldier.org/index.html