10th Cavalry Regiment (United States)

10th Cavalry Regiment
10th Cavalry coat of arms
Active	1866–1944, 1958–
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Cavalry
Size	Regiment
Nickname(s)	"Buffalo Soldiers"
Motto(s)	Ready and Forward
Engagements	Indian Wars Spanish–American War Philippine–American War Mexican Expedition World War I era combat on US-Mexican border World War II Vietnam War Iraq War Afghan War
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation (2) Valorous Unit Award (1st Squadron) Valorous Unit Award (1st BCT) Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm (2) Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class Army Superior Unit Award (selected units)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Benjamin H. Grierson Guy V. Henry Samuel Whitside George Grunert
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 10th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. Formed as a segregated African-American unit, the 10th Cavalry was one of the original "Buffalo Soldier" regiments in the post-Civil War Regular Army. It served in combat during the Indian Wars in the western United States, the Spanish–American War in Cuba and in the Philippine–American War. The regiment was trained as a combat unit but later relegated to non-combat duty and served in that capacity in World War II until its deactivation in 1944.

The 10th Cavalry was reactivated as an integrated combat unit in 1958. Portions of the regiment have served in conflicts ranging from the Vietnam War to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The current structure is by squadron, but with the 1st and 7th Squadrons recently deactivated, the 4th Squadron is the only 10th Cavalry Regiment unit in active service. It is assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division at Ft Carson, Colorado.

The following story is one of many how the Buffalo Soldiers got their name.

In September 1867, Private John Randall of Troop G of the 10th Cavalry Regiment was assigned to escort two civilians on a hunting trip. A band of 70 Cheyenne warriors swept down on them. The two civilians quickly fell in the initial attack and Randall's horse was shot out from beneath him. Randall scrambled to safety behind a washout under the railroad tracks, where he fended off the attack with only his pistol until help from the nearby camp arrived. The Indians quickly retreated, leaving behind 13 dead warriors. Private Randall suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder and 11 lance wounds, but recovered. The Cheyenne quickly spread word of this new type of soldier, "who had fought like a cornered buffalo; who like a buffalo had suffered wound after wound, yet had not died; and who like a buffalo had a thick and shaggy mane of hair."