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thomasr.buecker OneSoldier’sService caleb benson in the ninth and tenth cavalry, 1875–1908 In 1866 African Americans were allowed for the first time to serve in the regular U.S. military establishment. Six new regiments, including the Ninth and Tenth U.S. Cavalry, were organized. The new units were to be composed solely of black enlisted men, and so, in the post–Civil War years, recently freed slaves and other young blacks enlisted in the two cavalryregimentssoontookontheirfamousnickname ,the“buffalosoldiers.”1 After being organized, both cavalry regiments were sent to western duty, as the Plains Indian wars riveted the nation’s attention for the next quarter century. Although the duty was hard, many soldiers chose to make a permanent career in the army. Many began their service in southwestern deserts, and then later saw duty on the northern plains. The close of the century saw the western frontier army transformed to one of empire, with overseas duties in the Caribbean and the Philippines. In later years some soldiers returned to the plains states to homestead or to retire. One such professional soldier was Caleb Benson, who followed this full route between the Civil War and World War I. Information on Caleb Benson’s early life is sketchy. According to his obituary, he was born on June 25, 1861, but other dates in June 1860 or 1861 appear in his record.2 His birthplace is listed as Aiken, South Carolina, on his first army enlistment application, but he recorded Jacksonville, Florida, on subsequent forms. His father’s name was Jacob; his mother’s name is unknown. There were also several sisters in the family. When Benson was six years old, the family moved to Charleston, South Carolina. After both parents died, the teenaged Benson followed the example of many young men at the time and decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. On February 2, 1875, at Columbia, South Carolina, he filled out enlistment papers before 1st Lt. William H. Beck, Tenth Cavalry.3 At this time twenty-one was the legal age for enlistment. In the case of minors, a parent or someone responsible filled out the “consent in case of minor” portion of the application. With both parents deceased, this part of Benson’s paper was not used. When he signed up, declaring that “I am 21 years and 7 months of age, and know of no impediment to my serving honestly and faithfully as a soldier,” he was actually only fourteen or fifteen years old. At the time recruit quotas had to be filled and recruiting officers were not overly inquisitive. Caleb signed the papers before a witness with an “X,” unable to write his name until years later. He enlisted for five years, the standard cavalry term throughout most of the post–Civil War years. Enlistment records provide a description of the new recruit. He was five feet, four inches tall, of slight build, weighing about 135 pounds. He listed his previous occupation as a waiter. Caleb Benson’s long career in the military had begun.4 Benson was assigned to the Ninth Cavalry, which was then stationed at posts in Texas. On May 6 he joined Company D, commanded by Francis S. Dodge, at Fort Clark as part of a draft of nineteen recruits.5 The regiment received eighty-six new recruits that month. In Texas the Ninth Cavalry protected stage and mail lines from marauding Indians and helped establish law and order. Shortly after his arrival Benson got a taste of army life on the frontier. On June 8 his company went into the field on a scouting patrol, which lasted until June 26. While on scout the company covered 357 miles.6 During the winter of 1875–76 the Ninth Cavalry was ordered to the District of New Mexico. On February 26, 1876, the men of Company D left Fort Clark en route to Santa Fe. They arrived on April 30 and were immediately assigned to Fort Union, arriving at that post May 5.7 In July Benson’s company was sent north into Colorado; however, Caleb was at that time held in confinement and remained behind. He remained at Fort Union on detached duty for a year while Company D was in Colorado and later at Fort Wallace, Kansas. In July he rejoined his company, which was detached to Ojo Caliente, scouting and guarding the Apache reservation there.8 In March 1878 Benson’s company was ordered back to Colorado...

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