Did You Know? US Army Soldiers protected our National Parks until 1914. In 1903 Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, led by Captain Charles Young, were garrisoned at the Presidio of San Francisco. Among other duties, they were stewards of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. They rested in Los Banos on day 7 of their 16 day journey by horseback from the Presidio to Sequoia.
When I first learned this book was fictional I was momentarily disappointed because Shelton has brought to light the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in Yosemite. Once I opened the cover my disappointment left me and I was transported into the life and soul of Elijah Yancey. It’s not an experience I shall soon forget. A master of words and imagery, Shelton describes life and the internal uncurrents running within us all so well that my soul ached right along with Elijah’s.
Positively magnificent and parts of it historically true! The day after I finished the book I read some newspaper articles from 1903; I was amazed to learn Elijah’s retelling of an incident in a bar in Raymond was factual!
Treat yourself with this book.
2 Comments
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I haven’t yet had the opportunity to watch him perform except in the Ken Burns fim on our National Parks. He also developed an informative and interesting website about the Buffalo Soldiers at Yosemite. If you haven’t already, do visit http://shadowsoldier.wilderness.net
Be sure to click on each link at the bottom and read the Letter to Dead Soldiers. It’s one of the things that really touched my heart two and a half years ago when I learned of Buffalo Soldier presence in Los Banos and our National Parks. He is a gifted storyteller, in person and in print. -
I was able to see Range Shelton Johnson perform at the Allensworth Centennial Celebration at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in October 2008. If you ever have the chance to see him perform as Elijah Yancey please do not pass it up.
He has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 Pacific West Region Freeman Tilden Award for his work with the Ken Burn’s film The National Parks: America’s Best Idea and his original research into the role the Buffalo Soldiers played in Yosemite National Park’s history.
Stephen Hill, Sr.
Friends of Allensworth San Diego Chapter No 12
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