"Buffalo Soldiers" is the seventeenth episode of season 2 of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
A troop of black "Buffalo" Soldiers rides into town intending to kill Native American Dog Soldiers who, because the railroad trespasses on their hunting grounds, have been sabotaging it. Mike manages to thwart the Buffalo Soldiers' mission by warning the Native Americans, thereby committing an act of civil disobedience. Meanwhile in the school exam, 1st prize of which is a trip to Washington D.C, Brian sees Colleen cheat on her exam, which she wins. When Brian confronts her, she denies it. Rather than refusing to help the soldiers, Michaela decides to put up the soldiers in the clinic, and on Cloud Dancing's advice Sully decides to help the army scout out the Native American camp, both in order to help thwart the army's mission, and learn information. Dr. Mike tells the sergeant his men have Scurvy but he ignores her advice. When she overhears the army's plans to attack the Native American camp, Michaela rides out to warn them, and when a battle ensues and many die on each side, Michaela admits that she committed an act of treason and is imprisoned. Colleen goes to Dorothy and admits that she cheated on the exam. Sully takes Sergeant Zachary Carver to the Native American camp to talk with Black Kettle and the Sergeant realizes that he cannot in good conscience kill them. When ordered to prepare to kill them, the Sergeant refuses and is imprisoned to be court martialed. Rather than see him go to court to be executed, Michaela fakes a surgery and gives him a drug that makes him appear dead. The army is convinced and they give him a funeral, but afterward he awakens and, with the help of Sully, Robert E, and Michaela, runs away free.
This episode provides examples of:
- Faking the Dead: Michaela fakes a surgery on Sergeant Carver, then gives him a drug that makes him appear dead.
- I'll Pretend I Didn't Hear That: When Mike is treating Sergeant Carver, he asks her how she knew where to find them. She admits that she came to warn the Cheyenne. He angrily declares that that's treason and pointedly states, "No, you must have come out here to see a patient." She reaffirms that she came to warn the Cheyenne and he proceeds to arrest her.
- The Mole: Dr. Mike puts up the soldiers in the clinic, and Sully helps the army scout out the Native American camp, but they ultimately work to undermine the army's efforts.
- Railroad Plot: The Dog Soldiers have been sabotaging the railroad, which trespasses on their hunting grounds.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: Jake, Hank, and Loren wonder why a white officer would be assigned to lead black troops, them snark that he must be unintelligent or incompetent and been given the regiment as some kind of punishment.
- Starting a New Life: Sergeant Carver runs away free after he awakens.
- Title Drop: An injured Cheyenne girl hysterically screams when she sees the black troops, calling them "buffalo soldiers".
- Worthy Opponent: The Cheyenne chief tells Sergeant Carver, "You fight with great courage. You have the spirit of the buffalo. We honor your bravery." Sergeant Carver responds in kind.
