Fort to mark 150th anniversary of Kansas’ first Buffalo Soldiers

Fort Larned is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Buffalo Soldier in Kansas this Saturday.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jay Clark will interpret the lives of Buffalo Soldiers at the fort. At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Clark will give a talk and be available to discuss the history of the soldiers and his work as a living historian. His sister Esther Clark will join him in the role of a company laundress.

Jay Clark is a member of the Nicodemus Buffalo Soldier Foundation.

In 1866, African-American men were given full military status by Congress, and the Army designated the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalries as all-African-American regiments known as Buffalo Soldiers.

“Buffalo Soldier” was the nickname frontier-era Indians gave to the black enlisted men. Fort Leavenworth served as the headquarters for the 10th U.S. Cavalry. The soldiers also served at other Kansas forts, including Hays, Larned and Dodge City.

By the end of the Indian Wars, 18 Buffalo Soldiers had been awarded the Medal of Honor, more than any Army unit. Despite lower pay, poorer equipment and harsher duties than those of white soldiers, the Buffalo Soldiers had the lowest desertion rate of any Army unit.

At Fort Larned, the men of Company A, 10th U.S. Cavalry arrived at the fort 150 years ago this April.

Fort Larned National Historic Site is 6 miles west of Larned on K-156.

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 8:32 PM with the headline "Fort to mark 150th anniversary of Kansas’ first Buffalo Soldiers."