Who was Cathay Williams?
Cathay Williams was born into slavery in Missouri in the early-to-mid 1840s, but the life she eventually created for herself would take her into a part of American history where Black women were rarely recognized at all.
During the Civil War, Union forces took control of the region where she lived, and Williams became attached to the army, working as a cook and washerwoman. Those years gave her an unusual opportunity to observe military life closely, including the routines, responsibilities, and conditions experienced by soldiers.
How did she become a Buffalo Soldier?
After the Civil War, Williams made a remarkable decision. On November 15, 1866, she disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the U.S. Army under the name William Cathay. She joined Company A of the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment, one of the all-Black regular army units that became part of the history of the Buffalo Soldiers.
At a time when Black men were only beginning to gain a permanent place in the regular U.S. military, Williams secretly entered an institution that did not officially permit her to serve as a soldier.
For nearly two years, she served at military posts including Jefferson Barracks and forts in the New Mexico Territory.
Military service and illness
Life on the frontier was difficult. Soldiers faced disease, extreme weather, exhausting duties, inadequate supplies, and difficult living conditions. Black soldiers also dealt with racial discrimination and unequal treatment despite serving a country that had only recently abolished slavery. Williams endured these conditions while keeping her identity hidden.
Discharge and the struggle for a pension
Her secret survived multiple hospital visits until an army surgeon eventually discovered that she was a woman. She was discharged in October 1868 on a medical certificate of disability. Years later, Williams attempted to obtain a military pension because of illnesses she believed were connected to her service. Her application was denied in the early 1890s. After that, much of her life disappears from the historical record, and the exact date and circumstances of her death remain unknown.
Why Cathay Williams matters
Cathay Williams is important not only because she became the only documented Black woman known to have served as a Buffalo Soldier, but because her story reveals how many contributions by Black women were left outside the official historical record.
She was a formerly enslaved woman who entered the military at a time when society placed enormous restrictions on both her race and her gender. Her decision to enlist required courage, determination, and an extraordinary willingness to challenge the boundaries placed around her life.
Cathay Williams timeline
1861: Union forces occupied Jefferson City; Williams worked in military support roles.
15 November 1866: She enlisted under the name William Cathay.
October 1868: She received a disability discharge.
1890s: Her pension claim was denied; the date of her death remains uncertain.
Sources & Further Reading
National Park Service — Cathay Williams: enlistment, service and later life
Fort Union National Monument — The Strange Case of Private William Cathay
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