Forward: It is important to know and not forget "from whence you came". I developed the following web pages to enlighten my family (the Hogan's West's, Joiner's, Newton's, Justice's and Chenualt's) of the magnificent and significant contributions our ancestors made during the period 1865 to 1900 which help mold the United States into the great and wealthy country it is today. Our family for the most part lived in the Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.
Webmaster - Frank Hogan
QUESTION: Do you know who settled the majority of the western plains of the United States, prevailed in some of the fiercest fighting with native inhabitants, ushered in the country's period of unprecedented expansion and settlement of land, and led the fight for law and order in the early west?
Most people assume the west was won by people who looked like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, or fictitious characters like the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers. Read below and learn who the real heroes were, i.e., who really lead the fight for law and order in the old west?
ANSWER: THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS
Immediately after the civil war, which ended in 1865, up through the year 1900 one (1) out of every five (5) US Cavalry Soldiers was African American. These African Americans were known as the Buffalo Soldiers. The Buffalo Soldiers fought (alone / single handedly for the United State) in 85 percent of all battles waged against the American Indians; keep that in mind the next time you watch John Wayne lead the cavalry to the rescue on TBS movie.
Revised: Sep 20, 2008