[Ads-l] "Buffalo Soldier" Not in OED

[John Baker]

This is not the same meaning but may be relevant to the development of the term. 

[1868 _Hillsdale Standard_ (Hillsdale, Mich.) (Aug. 25) [NewspaperArchive]:  We left Ft. Kearney, and on the second day out, joined the Pawnee Indians on their regular summer [Buffalo] hunt. . . . At the head of the command was what they call Buffalo soldiers, carrying a long stick trimmed with fancy feathers, ribbons, cloths, &c., called the “Buffalo stick,” and no one is allowed to go ahead of that. . . . Soon we reached the river flat, then the Buffalo soldiers gave the word, the Buffalo stick gave away, and off we went on a dead run for a five thousand Buffalo herd.]


John Baker



> On Jan 15, 2025, at 4:35 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 1870 _ N. Y. Dispatch_ (Jan. 16) 6 {GenealogyBank]:  By An Army
> Officer...The Indians...have ...supreme contempt for them [sc. civilian
> Texans], as soldiers or fighters. They call them "buffalo soldiers,"
> meaning they are fit to hunt buffalo only, and not to take the war-path.
> 
> 1872 _Dallas Herald_ (May 11) [unp.] [GenealogyBank]:  His regiment of
> mounted negroes, whom, we are told, are called "buffalo soldiers" by the
> noble sons of the forest. It is said the Indians have a great contempt for
> these.
> 
> 1873 _Morning Oregonian_ (Portland) (Apr. 2) 2 [GenealogyBank]:  [The 10th
> U.S. Cavalry] is composed of what the Indians call "Buffalo soldiers," they
> being dark-skinned and curly-headed.
> 
> JL
> 
>> On Wed, Jan 15, 2025 at 3:15 PM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>> 
>> The term "Buffalo soldier," denoting U.S. Army soldiers in African
>> American regiments, does not appear in OED.  The oldest citation I have
>> found is the following:
>> 
>> 1879 Helena Weekly Independent 16 Oct. 2/3 (Newspapers.com)
>> 
>> The Laramie Times says:  The Indians call the colored troops buffalo
>> soldiers, on account of their kinky hair.
>> 
>> Fred Shapiro
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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