The Buffalo Soldiers

The Buffalo Soldiers. Written by Anna Maria Crum.

水牛士兵。 作者：安娜·玛丽亚·克拉姆。

A New Army Black soldiers have a long history in the United States. During the Civil War, 1861 to 1865, for instance, more than 170 ,000 black soldiers fought for the North to end slavery in the South. After the Civil War ended in 1865, the U .S. Army formed the first peacetime regiments of black soldiers. These regiments would come to be known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Former soldiers, former slaves, and other black men joined. The Army presented them with new opportunities. As former farmer Charles Creek said, I got tired of looking mules in the face from sunrise to sunset.

新建军队 黑人士兵在美国拥有悠久的历史。 举例来说，1861至1865年内战期间，有超过17万名黑人士兵为北方作战，想要终结南方的奴隶制。 1865年内战结束后，美国陆军组建了和平时期第一支黑人士兵团。 这些兵团后来被人们称为水牛士兵。 退伍士兵、获得自由的奴隶和其他黑人都加入了进来。 军队给他们带来了全新的机会。 正如曾经当过农民的查尔斯·克里克所说：我从日出到日落对着骡子，早就看腻了。

Although the Civil War ended slavery in the United States, black people still faced discrimination. It was hard for them to find work. When they did, they were often paid less than white workers or weren't paid at all. Black people often weren't allowed to live in the same places as white people. It was also hard for black people to gain an education. In 1866, the army paid black soldiers the same as white soldiers, $13 per month. Black soldiers needed to write messages and understand orders and maps. Those who couldn't were taught to read and write. The Army provided them with food, clothes, shelter, work, and the chance for adventure. Most of these men were being sent to the western frontier, the Great Plains, deserts, and mountains west of the Mississippi.

尽管内战废除了美国的奴隶制，黑人仍然遭受着歧视。 他们很难找到工作。 就算找到了工作，薪水也往往比白人工人少，甚至根本拿不到工钱。 黑人通常不被允许和白人居住在同一个区域。 黑人也很难获得受教育的机会。 1866年，军队给黑人士兵发放和白人士兵相同的薪水，每月13美元。 黑人士兵需要书写文书、读懂命令和地图。 不会读写的人会得到识字写字的教学。 军队为他们提供食物、衣物、住所、工作，还有冒险的机会。 这些士兵大多被派往西部边境，也就是密西西比河以西的大平原、沙漠和山区。

The Original Buffalo Soldiers Two of the Black units formed in 1866 were the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry Regiments. Many historians consider the Tenth to be the Original Buffalo Soldiers. Like the other Black regiments, the Tenth Cavalry faced many challenges. Many white soldiers and officers didn't think black soldiers should serve in the army. They gave the black soldiers old or lame horses as well as poor or damaged supplies. The food that black soldiers received was never as good as the food for white soldiers. If a white soldier stole from or hurt a black soldier, the white soldier often went free.

初代水牛士兵 1866年组建的黑人部队中，包含第九和第十骑兵团。 许多历史学家认为第十骑兵团就是初代水牛士兵。 和其他黑人兵团一样，第十骑兵团也面临诸多困境。 许多白人士兵和军官都认为黑人士兵不该在军队服役。 他们分给黑人士兵的不是老马就是瘸马，补给也都是劣质或是破损的。 黑人士兵拿到的食物，从来都比不上白人士兵的好。 如果白人士兵偷了黑人士兵的东西或是伤害他们，往往不会受到任何惩罚。

Despite such treatment, the 10th Cavalry and the other regiments of Black soldiers continued to perform their duties. Their regiments were often praised for their work and conduct. Black soldiers were also much less likely to quit.

尽管受到这样不公的对待，第十骑兵团和其他黑人兵团仍然坚守职责。 他们的团队常常因为工作表现和品行受到赞誉。 而且黑人士兵的离职率也低得多。

Out West. The West was a wild place during the late 1800s. More and more settlers were moving into the area. Outlaws often stole cattle and horses. They also robbed banks as well as stage coaches, which provided important supplies and mail to the settlers.

在西部。 19世纪末的西部还是一片蛮荒之地。 越来越多的拓荒者迁居到这片区域。 不法之徒经常偷牛盗马。 他们还会抢劫银行和驿站马车，驿站马车会给拓荒者送来重要的补给和邮件。