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25th Infantry Bicycle Corps

Album Description

In 1896, the 25th made its first sojourn from Fort Missoula to Yellowstone National Park, tackling roughly 800 miles, including the return journey. A year later, Moss, along with another white officer, assistant surgeon James Kennedy, would travel with their now 20 black compatriots on a 1,900 mile expedition to St. Louis, Missouri.

“The chosen route closely followed the Northern Pacific Railroad from the corps headquarters at Fort Missoula to Billings, Montana,” HistoryNet reported. “From there it paralleled the Burlington Northern Railroad through Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Missouri.”

  Military   25th Infantry   Buffalo Soldiers   Bikes   Bicycles   Social Studies/History 

1896 Army Bicycle Corp

Teaching Notes

The 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps was a unit of black soldiers commanded by a white officer, Lt. James A. Moss, which was formed in 1896 to test the combat viability of bicycle-mounted troops by riding from Missoula, Montana to Saint Louis, Missouri.  Black Soldiers    Buffalo Soldiers    Bicycles    Lt James Moss  

Photo - 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps

Teaching Notes

United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 25th. Bicycle Corps
Fort Missoula (Mont.)
Bicycles
Soldiers

Digitized at the University of Montana Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. Scanned as a master TIFF using Epson Expression 10000XL at 800 ppi, 24-bit color. Used Adobe Photoshop CS to create JPG derivative, 570 pixels along the long edge.  bicycle corps    Black soldiers    25th Infantry  

25th Infantry Bicycle Corps in a field

Teaching Notes

1896; 1897; 1898
Date (unknown or estimated) Circa 1897
Subject (LCSH)

Soldiers
Bicycles
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 25th. Bicycle Corps
African American soldiers 

  Social Studies/History  

  Civil Rights  

  Black Soldiers  

The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume], October 20, 1897, Page 2, Image 2

Teaching Notes

Report of the Trip from Missoula to St Louis. 

Social Studies/History 25th Infantry Buffalo Soldiers Black Soldiers  

Reference note

Newspaper: The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1897-10-20/ed-1/seq-2
Image provided by: University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047084/1897-10-20/ed-1/seq-2.pdf

Bicycles in the Army

Reference note

Newspaper: The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064111/1897-06-05/ed-1/seq-3
Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064111/1897-06-05/ed-1/seq-3.pdf

Fort Missoula Soldiers Preparing to Make an Experiment

Teaching Notes

The Anaconda standard. [volume], July 12, 1896, Page 10, Image 10 

Black Soldiers 25th Infantry Bicycle s Social Studies/History  

Reference note

Newspaper: The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84036012/1896-07-12/ed-1/seq-10
Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84036012/1896-07-12/ed-1/seq-10.pdf

Miles Idea of a Regiment of Military Wheelmen

Teaching Notes

Tactics

  Bicycles  

  Black Soldiers    Buffalo Soldiers    25th Infantry  

Reference note

Newspaper: The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042461/1898-07-31/ed-1/seq-21
Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042461/1898-07-31/ed-1/seq-21.pdf

Corps Will Make A Practical Test Trip over Rough Western Roads Under Lieutenant Moss

Teaching Notes

The Lafayette gazette. [volume], June 05, 1897, Image 3

  Lieutenant Moss    Social Studies/History    Black Soldiers    Bicycles  

Reference note

Newspaper: The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064111/1897-06-05/ed-1/seq-3
Image provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064111/1897-06-05/ed-1/seq-3.pdf

25TH INFANTRY BICYCLE CORPS (1896-97)

Teaching Notes

The 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps was a unit of black soldiers commanded by a white officer, Lt. James A. Moss, which was formed in 1896 to test the combat viability of bicycle-mounted troops by riding from Missoula, Montana to Saint Louis, Missouri. Moss, a West Point graduate and avid cyclist who held his black enlisted men in high regard, wrote Major General Nelson Miles about his interest in the use of the bicycle in warfare.

  Bicycles    Black Soldiers    25th Infantry  

Bicycle Corps: America's Black Army on Wheels

Teaching Notes

This program tells the story of the 25th Infantry's bicycle trip from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri in 1897. The African American infantry took the trip to test a theory that the bicycle would replace the horse in transporting men for the army. The program also examines the life of the African American soldier at the turn of the century, in particular First Sergeant Mingo Sanders. 

Social Studies/History  

  25th Infantry    Black Soldiers    Bicycles  

'City Corner - Buffalo Soldiers & Bicycles'

Reference note

'City Corner - Buffalo Soldiers & Bicycles
Host: Steve Potter
May 2017

Guest: Angela de Silva, Black Tourism Network
Guest: Anne Milford - Great Rivers Greenway

A discussion with Angela da Silva and Anne Milford about this year's Mary Meachum Celebration and the upcoming event "Buffalo Soldiers & Bicycles." The Montana to St. Louis bike ride pays tribute to a 41-day bicycle ride in 1887 when soldiers from the 25th Colored Infantry made that same trip.

For more information, visit http://www.greatriversgreenway.org and http://www.marymeachum.org.



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'\"The Bicycle Corps: America\'s Black Army On Wheels\" (2000)'

Reference note

'Directed by Gus Chambers
The story of the 25th Infantry's bicycle trip from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri in 1897. The African American infantry took the trip to test a theory that the bicycle would replace the horse in transporting men for the army. The program also examines the life of the African American soldier at the turn of the century, in particular First Sergeant Mingo Sanders. Produced my Montana PBS.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Gus Chambers has produced award-winning films for MontanaPBS for over twenty years. Chambers makes films about the rich history and culture of Montana.

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