Initially,

          the buffalo soldiers'

             primary task

           was to fight

               the Native Americans

                  in the Indian Wars

                 of the late 1800s.

     During the Indian Wars,

         approximately 20 percent

             of the U.S. troops

                were African Americans.

     They fought

            in more than 177 battles.

     After the Indian Wars,

           the buffalo soldiers

               fought

                  in the Spanish-American War.