2 2 0 ▁brick ▁buildings ▁were ▁ere cted ; ▁most ▁of ▁them ▁remain ▁in ▁use ▁today . ▁The ▁last ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁base ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁when ▁large ▁bar ra cks ▁along ▁Rand all ▁Avenue ▁were ▁constructed . ▁The ▁base ▁maintain s ▁the ▁historic ▁exterior ▁of ▁each ▁building ▁with ▁interior ▁modifications ▁for ▁today ' s ▁living ▁and ▁working ▁environment . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁Congress ▁formed ▁four ▁black ▁reg iments : ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁and ▁ 1 0 th ▁Caval ry ▁and ▁ 2 4 th ▁and ▁ 2 5 th ▁Infantry . ▁The ▁ 2 5 th ▁Infantry ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁unit ▁that ▁didn ' t ▁serve ▁at ▁Fort ▁D . ▁A . ▁Russell . ▁Black ▁soldiers ▁were ▁called ▁" B uff alo ▁Sold iers ," ▁a ▁title ▁origin ating ▁from ▁Native ▁Americans ▁who ▁li ken ed ▁the ▁soldiers ▁to ▁the ▁spiritual ▁buff alo . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁renew ed ▁importance ▁to ▁the ▁post . ▁So on ▁after ▁President ▁McK in ley ▁sent ▁a ▁message ▁to ▁Congress , ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Infantry ▁left ▁Fort ▁D . ▁A . ▁Russell ▁for ▁Cuba . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁the ▁Wy oming ▁National ▁Guard ▁must ered ▁into ▁service ▁at ▁the ▁post ▁and ▁depart ed ▁for ▁duty ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁In ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Man ila ▁( 1 8 9 8 ), ▁the ▁Guard ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁batt alion ▁to ▁reach ▁the