2013 - 2014: Day 6 - Buffalo Soldiers and Gold Miners

Searching out a little local color and history was on the agenda for Nov 18. Our first stop, Ft Bayard Nat’l Historical Landmark where we learned about Buffalo Soldiers who originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866. This nickname was given to the "Negro Cavalry" (which reportedly included one female black soldier) by the Native American tribes they fought. "We called them 'buffalo soldiers,' because they had curly, kinky hair...like bisons.” Some sources assert that the nickname was given out of respect for the fierce fighting ability of the 10th Cavalry.

Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers. It is now used for U.S. Army units that trace their direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry units whose service earned them an honored place in U.S. history.

Other events included a visit to the National Cemetery and a trip thru the old mining community of Pinos Altos (Tall Pines), which was the location of a mini-gold rush era and plenty of Apache skirmishes. The ore was discovered by three 49ers returning from California. Hearst also had a mine in the area and some of it’s gold was shipped to San Clemente CA to become part of his famous California Hearst Castle. Mines in the Pinos Altos region recovered about 8 million dollars worth of ore before their demise in the early 1900’s.

For more details, check out http://southernnewmexico.com/Articles/Southwest/Grant/PinosAltosthenandnow.html

Our afternoon ended with a late Mexican lunch at “Nancy’s Silver Cafe” in downtown “old town” Silver City NM, and Don managed to sneak in a few geocaches also (4).