Walter H. Bryson is possibly Henderson County’s only  “Buffalo Soldier.”
The “Buffalo Soldiers” were established by Congress after the Civil War as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the regular U.S. Army. They are famous for fighting in cavalry regiments in the West in the Indian Wars.
They are also famous for fighting alongside Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders at the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba.
Bryson was not old enough to fight in the Indian Wars in the West, but he was likely in Cuba. His first date of enlistment into the 9^th Cavalry has not yet been confirmed.
He also most likely fought in Mexico against Pancho Villa, and he definitely was with the 9^th Cavalry when they served as the nation’s first “park rangers.”
Bryson was born between 1876 and 1878 in Henderson County, N.C., the son of Myra or Martha Bryson (based on death certificate).  His father was not listed on his death certificate. Bryson never married.
He died in 1917 after serving 18 years in the Army.
Research to this point confirms that he was at Sullivan’s Island, S.C., on Feb. 24, 1900, the return date for the 9^th Cavalry from Cuba. Based on 18 years of service and the date of his death, it is highly likely that his first enlistment was prior to this date.
If so, this would make Bryson the only soldier from Henderson County to have participated in the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.
In 1898, the 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment fought alongside Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders at the battles of Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill, and also fought at the battles of Las Guasimas and Santiago.
Lt. John J. Pershing wrote, “They fought their way into the hearts of the American people.”
Theodore Roosevelt commented “… no one can tell whether it was the Rough Riders or the men of the 9th who came forward with the greater courage to offer their lives in the service of their country.”
Bryson is documented in 1900 at Fort Huachuca in Arizona. Geronimo surrendered in 1886. “However, the Apaches continued to fight white and Mexican settlers as late as 1900.”
He re-enlisted in 1903 and 1906.
1903 (California) The Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to patrol the National Parks in California, including Yosemite, General Grant, Sequoia and the Presidio. The 9^th Cavalry was stationed at the Presidio.
May 3, 1903 (California) The 9th Cavalry, which served with Theodore Roosevelt in Cuba, was designated as his Honor Guard escort during a rare visit, as President, to the Presidio. This was the first time black regular cavalry soldiers had served as an escort for a President of the United States.
In 1904 the 9th Cavalry patrolled Yosemite National Park joining other cavalry and infantry as the first “rangers” of the park system.
1907 (West Point) a detachment of the 9th Cavalry was assigned to West Point to assist in Cadet riding instruction and mounted drill, which was conducted on the ground now called Buffalo Soldier Field, formerly known as the Cavalry Plain.
Bryson had been promoted to sergeant prior to 1907. But in 1907 he re-enlisted again, related to his assignment to West Point. All the black soldiers assigned to West Point enlisted again as privates.
“On 23 March 1907, the U.S. Military Academy Detachment of Cavalry was changed to a ‘colored’ unit. It had been proposed in 1897 at the ‘Cavalry and Light Artillery School’ at Fort Riley, Kansas, that West Point cadets learn their riding skills from the black non-commissioned officers who were considered the best. The 100 man detachment from the 9th Cavalry served to teach future officers at West Point riding instruction, mounted drill and cavalry tactics.”
Military records confirm that Walter H. Bryson was at West Point, N.Y., from 1907 to 1908.
In 1908 he was assigned to the 24^th Infantry, Co. E, as a private and sent to the Philippine Islands to join this infantry unit.
The unit left the Philippines in 1910. But, Bryson did not leave with the 24th. He was “left sick in hospital on departure” at Fort Stotsenburg, Pampanga, Philippine Islands, on January 1910. In February he was transferred to the post in Manila. In March 1910 he is at Division Hospital, Manila, Philippine Islands, Camp Dewey.
In 1910 he re-enlisted and was assigned to Co. H, 10^th Cavalry. He remained in the 10^th Cavalry through 1913.
The 10^th Cavalry had left the Philippine Islands and was stationed in Vermont from 1910 to 1913 on garrison duty.
“This short stint in the East allowed time to formalize their regimental coat of arms in 1911, allowed them to show off their horsemanship to amazed civilians, members of Congress, statesmen from many lands and even President Wilson. “F Troop” of the 10th Cavalry Regiment was recognized as the premier demonstration unit in the entire US Army.”
No military records were found for Bryson after 1913.
If he continued to serve, based on the fact that he served 18 years, he most likely participated in the following:
In 1914, the 9^th Cavalry, the 10^th Cavalry and the 24^th Infantry were sent to Fort Huachuca in Arizona and to forts in New Mexico to guard the Mexican border.
All three units fought under Gen. John J. Pershing in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in Mexico in 1916 “in response to Villa’s attack on Columbus, New Mexico, on 9 March 1916. The Expedition, which first crossed into Mexico on 18 March 1916 eventually was to consist of some 5,000 soldiers and was primarily composed of five cavalry regiments, four infantry regiments and two field artillery battalions.”
“By January 1917 the expedition began withdrawing north to the border after a diplomatic agreement between the two nations for the US forces to withdraw.”
Bryson died in Hendersonville on July 11, 1917.
His grave site is located at Oakdale Cemetery (black section) in Hendersonville. The tombstone reads as follows: “18 years in U.S. Army, died a Sgt. in Troop F, 9^th Cavalry, Statsenburg, PI” (this should read Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands)
The tombstone is misleading. Bryson did not die at Fort Stotsenburg. He was based there during the Philippine-American War. He died in Hendersonville. According to his death certificate: “found dead, unknown causes.”