The regiment was authorized on 28 July 1866 to become the 9th United States Cavalry Regiment.
On 3 August 1866, Major General Philip H. Sheridan, commanding the Military Division of the Gulf, was "authorized to raise, among others, one regiment of colored (African-American) cavalry to be designated the 9th Regiment of U.S. Cavalry".

The regiment was formally organized on 21 September 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and mustered between September 1866 and 31 March 1867.
Its first commanding officer was Colonel Edward Hatch.
The men enlisted for the usual term of five years and privates received $13 per month, plus room, board, and clothing.
They soon gained the nickname of "Buffalo Soldiers".
The regiment's motto is "We Can, We Will".

The mustering, organized by Maj.
Francis Moore, 65th U. S. Colored Infantry, formed the nucleus of the enlisted strength, and was obtained from New Orleans and its vicinity.
In the autumn of 1866 recruiting began in Kentucky, and all the men of the 9th were obtained from that state and Louisiana.
The horses were obtained at St. Louis, Missouri.
About the middle of September all recruits were assembled in New Orleans, where empty cotton presses were used as barracks.
An epidemic of cholera caused 29 soldiers' deaths between October and December, with 46 other soldiers deserting by the end of March 1867.
The camp was moved to Carrollton, a suburb of New Orleans.
Officer positions did not begin to be fully staffed until February 1867.
By the end of March 1867, the 9th Cavalry was at nearly full strength with a total of 885 enlisted men, or an average of over 70 to a Troop, and was ordered to San Antonio, Texas, where it arrived early in April for three months of training.
However, Troops L and M went directly to their duty station at Brownsville, Texas.

In April 1867, violent altercations between officers and soldiers occurred in Lieutenant Edward Heyl's Troop E and Lieutenant Fred Smith's Troop K near San Antonio as a result of poor morale and poor leadership.
Sergeant Harrison Bradford and Lieutenant Seth E. Griffin died and 10 soldiers deserted from E Troop.
The soldiers at this point still had not been introduced to the Articles of War, and so two soldiers convicted to death were pardoned and restored to duty.
The regiment was authorized on 28 July 1866 to become the 9th United States Cavalry Regiment. On 3 August 1866, Major General Philip H. Sheridan, commanding the Military Division of the Gulf, was "authorized to raise, among others, one regiment of colored (African-American) cavalry to be designated the 9th Regiment of U.S. Cavalry".
The regiment was formally organized on 21 September 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and mustered between September 1866 and 31 March 1867. Its first commanding officer was Colonel Edward Hatch. The men enlisted for the usual term of five years and privates received $13 per month, plus room, board, and clothing. They soon gained the nickname of "Buffalo Soldiers". The regiment's motto is "We Can, We Will".
The mustering, organized by Maj. Francis Moore, 65th U. S. Colored Infantry, formed the nucleus of the enlisted strength, and was obtained from New Orleans and its vicinity. In the autumn of 1866 recruiting began in Kentucky, and all the men of the 9th were obtained from that state and Louisiana. The horses were obtained at St. Louis, Missouri. About the middle of September all recruits were assembled in New Orleans, where empty cotton presses were used as barracks. An epidemic of cholera caused 29 soldiers' deaths between October and December, with 46 other soldiers deserting by the end of March 1867. The camp was moved to Carrollton, a suburb of New Orleans. Officer positions did not begin to be fully staffed until February 1867. By the end of March 1867, the 9th Cavalry was at nearly full strength with a total of 885 enlisted men, or an average of over 70 to a Troop, and was ordered to San Antonio, Texas, where it arrived early in April for three months of training. However, Troops L and M went directly to their duty station at Brownsville, Texas.
In April 1867, violent altercations between officers and soldiers occurred in Lieutenant Edward Heyl's Troop E and Lieutenant Fred Smith's Troop K near San Antonio as a result of poor morale and poor leadership. Sergeant Harrison Bradford and Lieutenant Seth E. Griffin died and 10 soldiers deserted from E Troop. The soldiers at this point still had not been introduced to the Articles of War, and so two soldiers convicted to death were pardoned and restored to duty.
9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)