Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail
The Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail is a statewide heritage tourism initiative that recognizes and celebrates the significant role of the Buffalo Soldiers in Texas history.
These soldiers, primarily African American, served in the US Army, particularly in the West, and the trail highlights their contributions through various sites and events.
The Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail Corridors
The Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail extends from Brownsville in south Texas to the Red River in north Texas to the Panhandle Plains and west to El Paso. The trail follows the military and civilian routes in Texas during the 19th century. The Trail includes the routes from Louisiana to Texas by Steamers. The Heritage Trail is arranged in 15 trail corridors. Each trail corridor is approximately 50 to 100-miles wide. The last two, "On Campaign" and "Duties on the Frontier", are included as supplements that identify other historical sites and places outside the corridors, and then link them to the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in Texas.
Explore the Historic Trails of the Buffalo Soldiers
The history of Texas is very rich and diverse. The Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trails explores the heritage of Texas during the 1800’s, based on natural and cultural history. The trails follow the military and civilian routes in Texas during the 1800's. These same trails became the many highways and interstates we know today. Along these routes are also most of the state parks and state historical sites important to Texas. Meshing the stories of all those sites with the stories of the Texas Buffalo Soldier Heritage Trails lets us truly tell the full “Story of Texas.”
Explore the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail Corridors
The Move to Texas: New Orleans to Indianola and Brownsville
After forming in New Orleans, Louisiana, the 9th Cavalry and the 41st Infantry moved to Texas. They travelled by Morgan Line steamers.
The Old Indianola Trail: Indianola to San Antonio
From soldiers to stagecoaches, all made their way into the interior of Texas on this trail from Indianola to San Antonio.
Out to the Forts: San Antonio to Fort Clark
After completing military instruction and training, the 9th Regiment U.S. Cavalry head to the forts of west Texas. In the latter part of April 1867, the regiment received orders for permanent station: six companies to Fort Davis; headquarters and four companies to Camp Stockton, and two companies to Brownsville.
The Scouts: Fort Clark to Fort Stockton
The Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts fought valiantly for the United States and were one of the toughest units in the Army. They were honest, tough, daring, excellent hunters, splendid fighters and a highly mobile strike force. Soldiers were selected for their frontier skills, superior marksmanship, and first-rate horsemanship.
The Rio Bravo: Brownsville to Fort Inge
The roads along the Rio Bravo have a rich natural and cultural heritage. This trail featured prominently during the Indian Wars.
The Davis Mountains: Fort Stockton to Fort Davis
Mescalero Apaches roamed the Davis Mountains, the Spanish explored them, and early pioneers settled them. The Davis Mountains were also a focal point of military activity on the Texas frontier.
The Chihuahuan Desert: Fort Davis to Fort Bliss
The rugged mountains of West Texas offer everything from lush spring-filled canyons to the salt flats of the dry deserts. Military duty in this area of Texas was hard on both man and animal.
Escort Duty: Austin to Fort McKavett
The soldiers, both infantry and cavalry, stayed busy rebuilding posts, building roads and telegraph lines, scouting, surveying and making maps, protecting crews building railroads, escorting trains and stages, and guarding the mail stations to the north and west. A diary of an officer’s wife from Fort Davis described this route.
The First Battle: Fort McKavett to Fort Lancaster
The first major test of the 9th Cavalry was at Fort Lancaster on Dec. 26, 1867. This engagement gave Company K their first opportunity to face their foe "toe to toe." At Fort Lancaster Company K, a squad of 70 men and two women faced a force of approximately 1000 Native Americans, Mexican Bandits, and other renegades.
Red River Country: Denison to Fort Richardson
A nineteenth century government report once described this area as "uninhabitable to man or beast." Native American Indians and hardy pioneer settlers proved this report wrong.
Fort Griffin Town on the Clearfork: Fort Richardson to Abilene
Water and game were plentiful in this area making it a popular destination for hunters, settlers and travelers. Living here however, was dangerous and required a military presence for protection.
Concho to the Pecos: Abilene to Fort Davis
The Concho and the Pecos Rivers were magnets for settlement in this area of Texas. Many stories and legends arose from these rivers. And, although the Pecos River provided much-needed water, it also proved to a formidable foe to man.
Trails of the Living Waters: Out on the Staked Plains
Panhandle Plains Region, sometimes known as the Staked Plains encompasses a vast amount of Texas history. Historical trails and trade routes crisscrossed these plains, traced by the earliest Native American inhabitants, Spanish explorers, buffalo hunters, the U.S. Cavalry and other guardians of the vast west Texas frontier. This was where “Nolan’s Lost Expedition of 1877” took place.
Makenzie's Trail: Red River Wars
During the summer of 1874, the U. S. Army launched a campaign to remove the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indian tribes from the Southern Plains and relocate them to reservations in Indian Territory. Led by Colonel Ranald Mackenzie the Army attacked the tribes on the Staked Plains from Fort Griffin, Fort Concho, Fort Richardson, Fort Sill, Fort Union, and Camp Supply. Buffalo Soldiers under the command of Colonel Buell were a part of this new offensive to force the tribes of the Southern Plains onto their reservations once and for all. The offensive culminated in the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon.
After the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon the Army established Fort Elliott to help keep the peace in Northwest Texas and Indian Territory. Lieutenant Henry Flipper, the first African American to graduate from West Point, served as the Adjutant Officer at Fort Elliott. While stationed at Fort Elliott, Lt. Flipper oversees the construction of telegraph lines across the Canadian River.
El Camino de Real and The Old Spanish Trail: The Road Home
Built in the 1700’s to link all the Spanish missions in Texas, the “El Camino Real” has been a major route for anyone coming from and going to Texas. The El Camino Real started in Mexico City and stretches from Laredo to San Antonio, up through the Pineywoods to Nacogdoches and then on into Louisiana. The Old Spanish Trail stretched from El Paso to Beaumont through San Antonio and Houston. This trail eventually became the route of the southern transcontinental railroad. Later these trails were called “The Old San Antonio Trail” and it was used by the military and civilians. “When on leave visiting their families back east or moving their families out west, the Buffalo Soldiers travelled this highway as well.
On Campaign: Outposts, Patrols & Battles
Campaign duty for the cavalry and infantry led them many times into the Staked Plains of Texas. The soldiers had to accomplish many difficult duties in this seemingly empty area of Texas.
Duties on the Frontier: From Enslavement to Glory
Events before and during the Civil War set the stage for the success of the United States Colored Troops, later known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Many duties were routine and uneventful. Many others were dangerous and life threatening. The Medal of Honor, our nation's highest tribute, was awarded to 11 soldiers and four officers of the 9th Cavalry during the Indian Wars.
About the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trail
Learn more about how this project was created, and about the important people who made it happen.