Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877

Dramatis Personae

 
 Dramatis Personae Sources: John R. Cook, The Border and the Buffalo (Topeka, Kans.: Crane & Co., ); Registers of Enlistments in the United States Army,–,Volumes –,–, Roll , Microcopy No. ; Records of United States Army Commands, Record Group, , National Archives.  : “  ” Jim Harvey—captain of the bison hunter group; veteran of the Fourth Cavalry Bill Benson—stayed with buffalo soldiers; went ninety-six hours without water; later a wolf hunter in New Mexico Harry Burns—Scotsman, poet; hunters thought him related to the poet Robert Burns Harold Bradstreet—Englishman Samuel Carr—big, stout fellow; excellent horse trainer John R. Cook—assistant guide and interpreter; historian of the “Forlorn Hope” George Cornett—a Texan, “raised on the northern frontier”; excellent tracker; one of the “Johnny Rebs” Henry Deacon—a bison-hunting partner of Hi Bickerdyke Charles “Squirrel-eye” Emory—a Texan and former Confederate soldier; his left eye was clouded over Joe Freed—third in command in the Yellow House Canyon fight Jim Foley—former Union soldier; rode out to greet the soldiers on July  at the Bull Creek camp site Powderface Hudson—a good singer     Mortimer N.“Wild Bill”Kress—big, generous, warm-hearted; was judge at the July  celebration at CasasAmarillas; went to  Philadelphia world fair with Sol Rees Louis Keyes—part-Cherokee,part-Mexican,part-Anglo;troopers called him “a Mexican guide”; served as interpreter John “Jack” Mathias—humorous, cheerful; a “clarion voice” Frank Perry—lost his horse and with Kress, Harvey, and Williams on July  drifted southeast, nearly missing Casas Amarillas Solomon“Sol”Rees—in charge of medical supplies;excellent Indian tracker; later became a successful rancher; went to the  Philadelphia world fair with Bill Kress Tom Sherman—a young, lovesick “womanizer” José Piedad Tafoya—guide and former comanchero who knew the Llano Estacado’s trails and waterholes Alfred “Alt”Waite—tall, thin Dick Wilkinson—the chief packer, in charge of the mules George Williams—lost his horse, drifted southeast Hiram“Hi”Bickerdyke—remained at supply camp along Bull Creek to guard the wagons and supplies Billy Devins—remained at the supply camp with Bickerdyke and twenty black regulars led by Sergeant Thomas Allsup   Black regulars of Troop A, Tenth Cavalry, known to be members of the fortyman troop that left Bull Creek supply camp on July . Noncommissioned Officers First Sergeant William L. Umbles—court-martialed Acting First Sergeant James Thompson—on last night out, led six other men away from command to Double Lakes Corporal William H.Barney—one of the straggling soldiers on the night of July  Corporal Charles H.Gilmore—court-martialed,went withWilliam Umbles to Fort Concho Corporal Elias Roberts—one of the straggling soldiers on the night of July  Lance Corporal George W. Fremont—court-martialed  
 Privates Stephen Baldwin—one of the troopers who got sick on the night of July  and later left the command with Private Cox John H. Bonds—died Blacksmith Carson—on water detail, with Henry Miller brought water to bison hunters Harvey, Kress, Perry, and Williams, thereby perhaps saving their lives Walter D.Cox—rode away from command with Private Baldwin and joined Umbles at Punta del Agua William Davis—deserted in  Isaac Derwin—died after leaving command with Corporal Fremont and Private Gaddie William A. Dobbin—later promoted to corporal William Fletcher—“very good” character Stephen Floyd—blacksmith; straggled on night of July  Jerry R. Freeman—on water detail; thirty-six years old, but a recent recruit to the Tenth Cavalry John A. Gaddie—one of the chief packers; one of the soldiers who fell behind on the night of July ; later left the command with Private Derwin and Corporal Fremont John T. Gordon—died Johnson Graves—one of many soldiers who suffered from sunstroke; his life perhaps saved by Private James Jackson Higgins—one of many soldiers who suffered from sunstroke John Isaacs—died James Jackson—blacksmith; may have been the hero who rallied the men and officers on the last leg of the expedition Dover Johnson Smith Johnson—led water detail; had been on Llano Estacado in ; went with William Umbles to Fort Concho William Johnson—thirty-three years old when he joined Tenth in  Pierce Kuston—on water detail Henry C. Miller—on water detail; with Blacksmith Carson provided water to bison hunters Harvey,Kress,Perry,andWilliams,thereby perhaps saving their lives Frank Neal Jerry Nichols Alexander Nolan—court-martialed; bugler     John Peterson—on water detail; may have split off with...