 Matthews was born in Greenville , Alabama and grew up in Mansfield , Ohio . His horse riding career began early , when he would deliver newspapers on the back of a pony . When he was only 15 years old , he met members of the 10th Cavalry , the original Buffalo Soldier unit , while tending to horses on a racetrack in Lexington , Kentucky . Although there is disagreement as to the origins of the name " Buffalo Soldiers , " it referred to several segregated units within the United States army . Although the legal age of recruitment was 17 at the time , documents were forged and Matthews signed up to join the army in Columbus , Ohio . 
