On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier: Biographies of African Americans in the U.S. Army, 1866-1917 [Hardcover]

Frank N. Schubert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0842024824 | ISBN-13: 978-0842024822

On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier presents carefully documented biographical information on thousands of black servicemen, giving the researcher not only glimpses of individual lives but also documentation of the variety of African-American experiences within and outside the army.

Dr. Frank N. Schubert has combed both official military reports and unofficial documents in seeking information on 'buffalo soldiers' (as African Americans who served in the U.S. Army were commonly called). His sources include annual reports of the secretary of war, weekly papers serving black audiences, the journal of the NAACP, and Veterans Administration files. The data he uncovered for this work include dates and places of birth, details of service and retirement, occupations prior to and following military service, commendations for bravery, 'character,' unusual causes of death, and circumstances prior to emancipation.

The entries are here arranged in alphabetical order by the soldiers' last names, with sources cited throughout. They range in length from a brief statement documenting an individual's sole appearance in written records to several pages of text on a better-documented figure. Also included are an essay on the sources and the kinds of information they contain, a bibliography of sources used, and a list of abbreviations.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The compiler, a historian for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spent over 20 years searching military records and ephemera for biographical information on "buffalo soldiers," or African Americans in military service. This term, considered complimentary, was coined by Native Americans when black army regiments were sent to the Western frontier. The biographical sketches cover nearly 8000 of the soldiers who served during the Civil War through World War I. (Bear in mind that about 180,000 blacks served in the Civil War alone.) Entries are alphabetical by surname, with information ranging from one line to a column or more for those such as Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis, "first colored man to pass examination for regular Army commission." Sources are provided in nearly all cases. For longer entries, chronologically arranged data provide some understanding of the problems, lifestyles, and flavor of the period, but information is sketchy for most and may be limited to an isolated positive or negative event. An introduction, appendixes, and extensive bibliography of sources are included. Recommended for libraries supporting researchers in African American genealogy and military history.
Stanley P. Hodge, Ball State Univ. Libs., Muncie, Ind.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Four African American army regiments served through almost the entire period of the segregated army, the Ninth and Tenth until 1944 and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth until 1951 and 1949, respectively. In the course of the Tenth Cavalry's early clashes with the tribes of the southern plains, the men of the regiment came to be called "buffalo soliders." The name apparently originated with the Indians, who may have seen a similarity between the hair and skin of the soldiers and the buffalo. Most writers on the subject contend that the name reflected the respect that the Indian warriors had for the African American soldiers. The buffalo became a prominent element of the Tenth's regimental crest and, before long, the Ninth's troopers also became known as buffalo soldiers and ultimately infantrymen as well.

This book provides biographical information on about 8,000 African American soldiers who served in the army in the 50 years between the Civil War and World War I, a little-known group that contributed significantly to the nation's development. The entries, arranged in alphabetical order, range from virtually complete life histories to fragments of data, depending on how much information researchers were able to find. Entries include a wide range of personal information, as well as details of military service, while illuminating the range of sources available to historians and genealogists. A bibliography of sources consulted is followed by a number of appendixes that list the number of blacks in the four regiments from 1867 to 1916, the number of soldiers killed in action, those that received the Medal of Honor, and the locations of regimental headquarters.

This is a special resource for all major historical collections that support African American studies programs. It is recommended for universities, colleges, and large public libraries.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 519 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0842024824
• ISBN-13: 978-0842024822
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,678,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ONTHETRAILOFTHEBUFFALOSOLIDERBIOGRAFHIESOFA.A./USARMY, June 12, 2000

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DARYL ANN GRAMBY (BALTIMORE,MARYLAND) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier: Biographies of African Americans in the U.S. Army, 1866-1917 (Hardcover)

THIS BOOK IS JUST WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. IT'S THE START OF MY GREAT QUEST.