Name: Buffalo Soldier 10th U.S. Calvary First Sergeant 1870s
Made by and When: Dog Soldiers, 2002
Material: Soft vinyl head, rigid plastic articulated body
Height: 12 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Sculpted black hair, painted brown eyes, closed mouth with a painted mustache
Clothes: Wears a replica of an 1870s Buffalo Soldier uniform (hat, shirt, trousers with suspenders, boots with removable spurs, and coat with brass buttons)
Accessories: Include standard cavalry sword belt with a noncommissioned officer buckle; a holster, two ammunition pouches, and a knife sheath are on the belt. A generic Bowie knife fits in the hard plastic sheath. The Colt Army revolver fits nicely in the holster. The Springfield rifle has a movable hammer. Also includes a crotch stand.
Other: The colorful box was illustrated by Michael G. Gauldin, the creator of the Dog Soldiers brand.
Buffalo soldiers were African American soldiers who mainly served on the Western frontier following the American Civil War. The inside box flap provides a detailed history of the Buffalo Soldiers.
“The 10th Cavalry was formed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1866. Very high standards of recruitment were set by the regiment’s [White] commander. By the end of July 1867, eight companies of enlisted men had been recruited. This was the beginning of the 10th Cavalry Regiment later to be named ‘Buffalo Soldiers.’” With pride and dignity, they upheld their “Ready and Forward” motto.
Details from the box flap continue. “Black units received the worst food, clothing, horses, and equipment available. They faced prejudice and hostility from local communities and some of their own officers. Still, the African American units on the frontier had the lowest desertion rates in the Army. No Black units were involved in massacres of Indian villages or other atrocities. Twenty Black troopers and three White officers of the 9th and 10th received the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in the face of enemy fire.
“The name ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ seems first to have been applied to troopers of the 10th Cavalry by their Cheyenne and Comanche opponents. The Indians likened the dark skin and wiry hair of the troopers, as well as their courage and fighting spirit, to that of the sacred buffalo. ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ soon became the official nickname of the 10th Cavalry; the name was quickly adopted with pride by all Black units.”
About the Creator of Dog Soldiers: Michael G. Gauldin, was a press secretary for then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. He later went to Washington to work in public affairs after Clinton was inaugurated as president. Mr. Gauldin died at age 55 on July 22, 2010. According to his obituary, “Mr. Gauldin was a freelance commercial artist and cartoonist. His clients included newspapers, corporations and the last three secretaries of the Department of Interior. He also made American history action figures, including Native Americans and African American Buffalo Soldiers, and sold them online.” https://www.serendipit-e.com/blog/2010/07/washington-post-obituary-for-mike-gauldin.html
Gallery
See more pictures at mwctoys.com, the site from which the clothing and accessories details were referenced.
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