The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill, the Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide An Autobiography

The scouts at Fort Larned, when I arrived there, were commanded by Dick Curtis--an old guide, frontiersman and Indian interpreter. There were some three hundred lodges of Kiowa...

During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and father continued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly a day passed without a social visit...

As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of the mountains; and to the mountains I determined to go. After engaging a man to take care of the farm, I proce...

General Carr, at my request, kindly granted me one month's leave of absence to visit my family in St. Louis, and ordered Captain Hays, our quartermaster, to let me ride my mule...

On returning to Fort McPherson we found that Brevet Major General W.H. Emory, Colonel of the Fifth Cavalry, and Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Duncan, Lieutenant Colonel of the...

In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors & Waddell were sending a great many trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for General Johnston's army. Men were in great dem...

We closed our theatrical season earlier than usual in the spring of 1876, because I was anxious to take part in the Sioux war which was then breaking out. Colonel Hills had writ...

On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or three companies of cavalry, under the command...

Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were coming out to the post to have a gran...

A day or two after my return to Fort Lyon, the Fifth Cavalry were ordered to the Department of the Platte, and took up their line of march for Fort McPherson, Nebraska. We laid...

Texas Jack and I spent several weeks in hunting in the western part of Nebraska, and at the end of our vacation we felt greatly re-invigorated and ready for another theatrical c...

As it was getting very late in the fall, we were compelled to winter at Fort Bridger; and a long, tedious winter it was. There were a great many troops there, and about four hun...

Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to Fort Harker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, about three miles west of Fort Hark...

On the third day of October the Fifth Cavalry arrived at Fort Hays, and I at once began making the acquaintance of the different officers of the regiment. I was introduced by Ge...

About the first of January, 1872, General Forsyth and Dr. Asch, of Sheridan's staff came out to Fort McPherson to make preparations for a big buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Ale...

General Harney was in command at Fort Leavenworth at the time of our visit, and a regiment of cavalry was stationed there. They were having a dress parade when we rode up, and a...

In July, 1856, the people living in the vicinity of our home--feeling the necessity of more extensive educational facilities for their children than they had yet had--started a...

During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from Ned Buntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent my own character. "There's money in...

My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very long, and in November, after the recovery of my mother, I went up the Republican River and its tributaries...

My _début_ upon the world's stage occurred on February 26th, 1845. The scene of this first important event in my adventurous career, being in Scott county, in the State of Iowa....

One evening while we were in camp on the Yellowstone at the mouth of Powder river, I was informed that the commanding officers had selected Louis Richard, a half breed, and myse...

It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service at military headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with a young lady named Louisa Frederici, w...

General Carr soon received orders from General Sheridan that he was to make a winter's campaign in the Canadian river country, and that we were to proceed to Fort Lyon, on the A...

In the fall of 1861 I made a trip to Fort Larned, Kansas, carrying military dispatches, and in the winter I accompanied George Long through the country, and assisted him in buyi...

Shortly after the adventures mentioned in the preceding chapter, I had my celebrated buffalo hunt with Billy Comstock, a noted scout, guide and interpreter, who was then chief o...

It was about this time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was in the heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing about twelve hundred men in the constructi...

General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and who had been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to at Fort McPherson, and I accepted his i...

Upon reaching Fort McPherson, I found that the Third Cavalry, commanded by General Reynolds, had arrived from Arizona, in which Territory they had been on duty for some time, an...

Having been away from home nearly a year, and having occasionally heard of my mother's poor health, I determined to make her a visit; so procuring a pass over the road, I went t...

General Sheridan highly complimented me for what I had done, and informed me that I need not report back to General Hazen, as he had more important work for me to do. He told me...

It was in the spring of 1861, while I was at Horseshoe, that the eastern-bound coach came in one day loaded down with passengers and baggage, and stopped for dinner; Horseshoe b...

The word "round-up" is derived from the fact that during the winter months the cattle become scattered over a vast tract of land, and the ranchmen assemble together in the sprin...

Pawnees _vs_. Siouxs--We strike a Large Trail--The Print of a Woman's Shoe--The Summit Springs Fight--A Successful Charge--Capture of the Indian Village--Rescue of a White Woman...

My Indian Acquaintances--An Indian Barbecue--Beginning of the Kansas Troubles--An Indiscreet Speech by my Father, who is Stabbed for his Boldness--Persecutions at the Hands of t...

A Dreary Winter At Fort Bridger--Short Rations--Mule Steaks--Homeward Bound in the Spring--A Square Meal--Corraled by Indians--A Mule Barricade--We Hold the Fort--Home Again--Of...

Arrival of the Fifth Cavalry at Fort Hays--Out on a Scout--A little Skirmish with Indians--A Buffalo Hunt--A False Alarm in camp--A Scout on the Beaver--The Supply Camp is Surpr...

At School--My First Love Scrape--I Punish my Rival, and then Run Away--My First Trip Across the Plains--Steve Gobel and I are Friends once more--Death of my Father--I Start for...

Scouting--Captured by Indians--A Strategic Escape--A Hot Pursuit--The Indians led into an Ambush--Old Satanta's Tricks and Threats--Excitement at Fort Larned--Herders and Wood-C...

Introduction to Alf. Slade--He Employs me as a Pony Express Rider--I Make a Long Ride--Indians Attack an Overland Stage Coach--Wild Bill Leads a Successful Expedition against th...

Scouting against the Indians in the Kiowa and Comanche country--The Red-Legged Scouts--A Trip to Denver--Death of my Mother--I Awake one Morning to Find myself a Soldier--I am p...

I Fall in Love--A Successful Courting Expedition--I am Married--The Happiest Event of my Life--Our Trip up the Missouri River--The Bushwhackers Come after me--I become Landlord...

I make my Home at Fort McPherson--Arrival of my Family--Hunting and Horse Racing--An Indian Raid--Powder Face Stolen--A Lively Chase--An Expedition to the Republican River Count...

Trapping on Prairie Dog Creek--An Accident whereby we Lose one of our Oxen--I Fall and Break my Leg--Left Alone in Camp--Unwelcome Visitors--A Party of Hostile Sioux Call upon m...

The Theatrical Season of 1873-74--Wild Bill and his Tricks--He Leaves us at Rochester--He becomes a "Star"--A Bogus "Wild Bill "--A Hunt with Thomas P. Medley, an English gentle...

A Difficulty with a Quartermaster's Agent--I give him a Severe Pounding--Stormy Interview with General Bankhead and Captain Laufer--I put another "Head" on the Quartermaster's A...

The Grand Hunt of General Sheridan, James Gordon Bennett, and other Distinguished Gentlemen--From Fort McPherson to Fort Hays--Incidents of the Trip--"Ten Days on the Plains"--G...

The Grand Duke Alexis Hunt--Selection of a Camp--I Visit Spotted Tail's Camp--The Grand Duke and Party arrive at Camp Alexis--Spotted Tail's Indians give a Dance--The Hunt--Alex...

The Fifth Cavalry is Ordered to the Department of the Platte--Liquids _vs._ Solids--A Skirmish with the Indians--Arrival at Fort McPherson--Appointed Chief of Scouts--Major Fran...

My Visit in the East--Reception in Chicago--Arrival in New York--I am well Entertained by my old Hunting Friends--I View the Sights of the Metropolis--Ned Buntline--The Play of...

A Cattle "Round-up"--A Visit to My Family in our New Home--A Visit from my Sisters--I go to Denver--Buying more Cattle--Pawnee and Nez-Perces Indians Engaged for a Theatrical To...

A Winter's Campaign in the Canadian River Country--Searching for Penrose's Command--A Heavy Snow-Storm--Taking the Wagon Train down a Mountain Side--Camp Turkey--Darkey Deserter...

Scouting on a Steamboat--Captain Grant Marsh--A Trip down the Yellowstone River--Acting as Dispatch Carrier--I Return East and open my Theatrical Season with a New Play--Immense...

Hunting for the Kansas Pacific--How I got my Name of "Buffalo Bill"--The Indians give me a Lively Chase--They get a Dose of their own Medicine--Another Adventure--Scotty and mys...

Dress Parade at Fort Leavenworth--The Beautiful Salt Creek Valley--The Mormon Emigrants--The Wagon Trains--The Cholera--A Lively Scene--My First Sight of Indians--"Dolly" and "P...

My Second Trip Across the Plains--The Salt Lake Trail--Wild Bill--He Protects me from the Assault of a Bully--A Buffalo Hunt--Our Wagon Train Stampeded by Buffaloes--We are Take...

The Sioux Campaign of 1876--I am appointed Guide and Chief of Scouts of the Fifth Cavalry--An Engagement with eight hundred Cheyennes--A Duel with Yellow Hand--Generals Terry an...

A Town Lot Speculation--"A Big Thing"--I become Half-Owner of a City--Corner Lots Reserved--Rome's Rapid Rise--We consider ourselves Millionaires--Dr. Webb--Hays City--We Regard...

The Civil War--Jayhawking--Wild Bill's Fight with the McCandless Gang of Desperadoes--I become Wild Bill's Assistant Wagon-Master--We Lose our Last Dollar on a Horse Race--He be...

Arrival of the Third Cavalry at Fort McPherson--A Scout after Indians--A Desperate Fight with Thirteen Indians--A Hunt with the Earl of Dunraven--A Hunt with a Chicago Party--Mi...

A Buffalo Killing Match with Billy Comstock--An Excursion party from St. Louis come out to Witness the Sport--I win the Match, and am declared the Champion Buffalo Killer of the...

I resolve to go upon the Stage--I resign my Seat in the Legislature--Texas Jack--"The Scouts of the Plains"--A Crowded House--A Happy Thought--A Brilliant _Début_--A Tour of the...