On the third day of August, 1866, Gen. Phillip Sheridan, commander of the military division of the Gulf of Mexico, was assigned the duty of creating a regiment of "colored" cavalry. This would be designated the 9th regiment, and would be the beginning of a storied history involving the Buffalo Soldiers.
             The buffalo soldiers were African-American men and women, fighting for our country during the vulnerable times when it was needed it most. No doubt is the fact that serving one's country and giving one's life is the ultimate sacrifice to make. The question is, why did African-Americans put their lives on the line in and for a country that denied them every opportunity. That inquiry still isn't clearly answered, but one thing is for sure. Without the Buffalo Soldiers, the American military would've been lacking heart, strength and remarkable fighting skills. They stood up to the resilience of not only their opponents, but many of their own countrymen due to the issue of skin color. The Buffalo Soldiers dealt with life in rundown villages and poorly ventilated, vermin infested hovels. Due to these conditions, crippling diseases such as dysentery, diarrhea, bronchitis, and tuberculosis were a common problem. In this essay, I will attempt to give the reader an inside look, and a clearer view on the history surrounding the Buffalo Soldiers. Hopefully, it will affect the reader the same way it affected me as the researcher.
             I must admit, the first time I was truly intrigued by the story of the Buffalo Soldiers was at a time when I didn't expect to be captivated by their story. I was on vacation, down in Myrtle Beach, and having just purchased the "Bob Marley Greatest Hits" compact disc, that's all that I listened to for two weeks. One song, however, caught my attention more than the others. The title of the track was "Buffalo Soldier", and it gave an
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