The Life of Hon. William F. Cody | Page 2

about himself, I did not think much
of him, till I had proved him. He is a natural gentleman in his manners
as well as in character, and has none of the roughness of the typical
frontiersman. He can take his own part when required, but I have never
heard of his using a knife or a pistol, or engaging in a quarrel where it
could be avoided. His personal strength and activity are such that he
can hardly meet a man whom he cannot handle, and his temper and
disposition are so good that no one has reason to quarrel with him.
"His eye-sight is better than a good field glass; he is the best trailer I
ever heard of; and also the best judge of the 'lay of country,'--that is, he
is able to tell what kind of country is ahead, so as to know how to act.
He is a perfect judge of distance, and always ready to tell correctly how
many miles it is to water, or to any place, or how many miles have been
marched.
"Mr. Cody seemed never to tire and was always ready to go, in the
darkest night or the worst weather, and usually volunteered, knowing
what the emergency required. His trailing, when following Indians or
looking for stray animals or game, is simply wonderful. He is a most
extraordinary hunter. I could not believe that a man could be certain to
shoot antelope running till I had seen him do it so often.
"In a fight Mr. Cody is never noisy, obstreperous or excited. In fact, I
never hardly noticed him in a fight, unless I happened to want him, or
he had something to report, when he was always in the right place, and
his information was always valuable and reliable.
"During the winter of 1868, we encountered hardships and exposure in
terrific snow storms, sleet, etc., etc. On one occasion, that winter, Mr.
Cody showed his quality by quietly offering to go with some dispatches
to General Sheridan, across a dangerous region, where another
principal scout was reluctant to risk himself.
"On the 13th of May, 1869, he was in the fight at Elephant Rock,
Kansas, and trailed the Indians till the 16th, when we got another fight
out of them on Spring Creek, in Nebraska, and scattered them after

following them one hundred and fifty miles in three days. It was at
Spring Creek where Cody was ahead of the command about three miles,
with the advance guard of forty men, when two hundred Indians
suddenly surrounded them. Our men, dismounted and formed in a
circle, holding their horses, firing and slowly retreating. They all, to
this day, speak of Cody's coolness and bravery. This was the Dog
Soldier band which captured Mrs. Alderdice and Mrs. Weichel in
Kansas. They strangled Mrs. Alderdice's baby, killed Mrs. Weichel's
husband, and took a great deal of property and stock from different
persons. We got on their trail again, June 28th, and followed it nearly
two hundred miles, till we struck the Indians on Sunday, July 11th,
1869, at Summit Spring. The Indians, as soon as they saw us coming,
killed Mrs. Alderdice with a hatchet, and shot Mrs. Weichel, but
fortunately not fatally, and she was saved.
"Mr. Cody has since served with me as post guide and scout at Fort
McPherson, where he frequently distinguished himself.
"In the summer of 1876, Cody went with me to the Black Hills region
where he killed Yellow-Hand. Afterwards he was with the Big Horn
and Yellowstone expedition. I consider that his services to the country
and the army by trailing, finding and fighting Indians, and thus
protecting the frontier settlers, and by guiding commands over the best
and most practicable routes, have been far beyond the compensation he
has received. His friends of the Fifth Cavalry are all glad that he is in a
lucrative business, and hope that he may live long and prosper.
Personally, I feel under obligations to him for assistance in my
campaigns which no other man could, or would, have rendered. Of
course I wish him, and his, every success."
E. A. CARR, Lt. Col. 5th Cav., Brev. Maj. Gen'l U. S. Army. FORT
McPHERSON, NEBRASKA, July 3d, 1878
* * * * *
Buffalo Bill is now an actor, and is meeting with success. He owns a
large and valuable farm adjoining the town of North Platte, Nebraska,
and there his family live in ease and comfort. He has also an extensive

cattle ranch on the Dismal river, sixty-five miles north of North Platte,
his partner being Major Frank North, the old commander of the
celebrated Pawnee scouts. While many events of his career are known
to the public, yet the reader will find in this narrative