April 9, 2024
Cathay Williams William Cathay woman Buffalo Soldier custom 11" figure old West
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This is a custom 11" figure commemorating a real American hero of the old West, Cathay Williams. Cathay Williams was a Buffalo Soldier with company A of the 38th US Infantry Regiment. The US Army formed the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry which were made up of Negro soldiers shortly after the Civil War. Also formed after the Civil War were the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry Regiments which also consisted of Negro soldiers. These units served with distinction in multiple locations in the west. The Buffalo soldiers fought Indians, bandits, rustlers, horse thieves, whiskey peddlers, gun runners, brutal weather, lousy equipment, tired horses, poor food, and boredom to carve out a nitch in history. With all of the hardships these units faced they had the lowest desertion rate in the army. Cathay Williams has the unique distinction of being the first woman to serve in the regular US Army. There had previously been nurses, cooks, seamstresses, etc. connected with the Army but no female soldiers. Women were prohibited from serving in the military. Williams pulled off this amazing feat by posing as a man, named William Cathay. When Williams enlisted in the Army on 11-15-1866 the only two people that shared her secret were a cousin and a friend both of whom were fellow soldiers. Williams was able to carry off her secret for almost two years despite
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