<P> At the War's close, Etheridge, now a Regimental Commissary Sergeant, and the black troops of the Army of the James were regrouped into the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry and sent to Texas . These units would become known as the "Buffalo Soldiers ." Instances of abuse against blacks soldiers were rife in the period immediately following the fighting between the States . The men were due ten months back - pay, had had their rations cut in half, and were unruly over the continued reports of mistreatment that were coming from their families back home . </P> <P> In December 1866, Etheridge left the service at Brazos Santiago, Texas . He returned to the Outer Banks, where he married . Etheridge made his living fishing and serving in the newly formed Life - Saving Service, first at Oregon Inlet in 1875, then at Bodie Island . </P> <P> In the early years, nepotism and political cronyism tainted many Life - Saving Service appointments . A series of highly publicized maritime disasters off the North Carolina coast appeared to be leading to the annexation of the LSS into the Navy . In two months, 188 lives and more than a half million dollars in property was lost off the Outer Banks, within sight and with little or inexpert assistance from the lifesavers on shore . The New York World reported, "It begins to be painfully clear that the terrible loss of Human life...on the North Carolina coast...must be attributed directly to the inefficiency of the Life - Saving Service ." </P> <P> In 1879, the commander of the Pea Island station (called a "keeper") was a white man and he had a crew of both white and black men . A rescue effort in November 1879 was bungled, and the keeper and some of the crew were held responsible . The Revenue Cutter Service investigated the situation, fired the white keeper, and appointed in his place Richard Etheridge, one of the best surfmen on the North Carolina coast, to serve as keeper . </P>

When was the pea island lifesaving station built