Cathy Williams First Female Buffalo Soldier

Cathy Williams was born into slavery in September of 1844. Her mother was Martha Williams. Her father is unknown, although he could have been a freedman. Marriage between her parents would have been illegal, if this were the case because of their different social statuses. She was born in or around Independence, Missouri, on a plantation owned by William Johnson. Mr. Johnson, his family, and servants, including Cathy, would move to Jefferson City, Missouri, around 1850. This is where she would grow up. Cathy w

On June 6, 1868, Cathy and Company A were ordered to report to Ft. Bayard, New Mexico. The Fort was right in the middle of Apache territory, and there was always a chance for a raid on the fort.

On Sept. 9, 1891, Cathy went to a Trinidad physician, hired by the Pension Bureau to exam her based on her claims. He did not make note of any of her three ailments she filed her claim upon, only her amputated toes. He concluded that her overall health was good. He declared a "nil" for her disability rating. He didn't even look into her medical records as Pvt. William Cathay. They denied her pension in Feb. of 1892. No official record was available to prove she was a laundress for the 8th Indiana Regiment, so she could not file based on her years of service there. So even though she had served her country from 1861 to 1868, she couldn't get help when she desperately needed it.

Cathy must have moved from Trinidad because the 1885 census had no listing for a Cathy Williams. It was rumored that she opened a boardinghouse in Raton, New Mexico. We do not know if it is true because there is no paperwork to validate this. Cathy may have been educated by the Army Reorganization Act of 1866 and this could be how she was able to be a successful business woman. Raton was an ever growing town which had become home to many African Americans. In the mid 1880's, Cathy left Raton and returned to Trinidad. Maybe she left because her boardinghouse went under or burned down. This could be why there is no paperwork. She once again worked as a laundress and seamstress. She also lived on her own again.

Cathy remained a good soldier. She was never in trouble and this could be so that she could keep her sex hidden. Her duties at Ft. Cummings were guard duty, work details, and occasional scouting and patrolling the surrounding areas. The Buffalo Soldier's were faced with a lot of racism. It is not known if Cathy was involved, but in December of 1867, racial tensions were very high among the black soldiers and white officers. When a Lt. Leggett accused his laundress Mattie of stealing, she was searched by the white officers and even though the money wasn't found on her, she was barred from the fort. Being in Apache territory, she would surely have been killed. The soldiers did not think this was fair so they stood up to say it was wrong. Eventually, she would be escorted to safety. Thirteen soldiers would be charged with mutiny, but only seven were convicted. Cathy was not one of them.

On April 10, 1867, Cathy was admitted to the Ft. Riley Infirmary for the "itch," which was usually body lice or scabies. By April 30, she was officially listed as sick. She would remain there until May 14. She was given orders to Ft. Harker, Kansas. They would arrive in Ft. Harker on May 17th just 3 days after her release from the infirmary. Her company would travel a lot. At the end of June 1867, her company would receive orders to Ft. Union, New Mexico. At this time, many Westerners had contracted Cholera. It was rumored that the Black soldiers were the carriers. So they would have to stay in camps outside of the forts.

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Approximate Word count = 3109
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)