BUFFALO BILL’S BOYHOOD.
Having in the preceding pages given the scenes, conditions,
surroundings, and types of characters that made up the theater of
action in which Buffalo Bill bore so prominent a part, with the letters
from gallant commanders stamping his career with the brand of truth, it
is fitting to start my hero from the threshold of boyhood, and follow
him through his most adventurous and phenomenal life up to the present
day, where he stands unchallenged as the Chevalier Bayard of American
bordermen.
Buffalo Bill made his debut upon the stage of life in a little log
cabin situated in the backwoods of Scott County, Iowa. His father and
mother were good honest people, poor in this world’s goods, but rich
in hope, faith in each other and the result of their efforts, and
confidence in the future.
While struggling for success as a farmer Isaac Cody became seriously
affected by the California gold fever that raged at that time; a party
was organized, an outfit provided, and a start was made. A failure
resulted, and all comprising the party returned to their respective
homes at La Clair.
Bill was sent to school, where he familiarized himself with the
alphabet; but further progress was arrested by a suddenly developed
love for boating on the Mississippi, which occupied so much of his time
that he found no convenient opportunity for attendance at school, his
parents, however, not having the slightest idea of his self-imposed
employment as a boatman.
Shortly after his removal to La Clair Mr. Cody was chosen justice of
the peace, then was elected to the Legislature, positions which he held
with honor but without profit.
A natural pioneer, he hunted for new fields of adventure, and following
his inclination he disposed of a small ranch he owned, packed his
possessions in one carriage and three wagons, and started for the
plains of Kansas. Mr. Cody had a brother living at Weston, near the
Kansas line, a well-to-do merchant of that place, with whom he stopped
until he could decide upon a more desirable location for his family.
It was on this trip that Buffalo Bill had his first sight of a negro,
of whom he stood in great awe. It was also while on this expedition
he ate his first wheat bread, something he had never heard of before,
corn-dodgers being the chief staff of life at that time.
Mr. Cody remained but a short while at Weston, when he went to the
Kickapoo Agency in Leavenworth, Kan. He established a trading-post at
Salt Creek Valley, while he settled his family upon a ranch near by. At
that time Kickapoo was occupied by numerous tribes of Indians, who were
settled upon the reservations, and through the territory ran the great
highway of California and Salt Lake City. In addition to the thousands
of gold-seekers who were passing through by way of Fort Leavenworth,
there were many Mormons going westward, and this extensive travel made
trade profitable. With these caravans were those fractious elements of
adventurous pioneering, the typical Westerner, with white sombrero,
buckskin clothes, long hair, moccasined feet, and a belt full of
murderous bowies and long pistols. Instead of impressing him, however,
with trepidation, they inspired in him an ambition to become likewise.
Their skillful feats of horsemanship, which he witnessed, bred in him
a desire to become an expert rider, and when, at seven years of age,
his father gave him a pony the measure of his happiness was filled to
overflowing. Thenceforth his occupation was horseback-riding, and he
made himself useful to his father in many ways.
During his early life at this post Buffalo Bill spent much of his time
with the Indians, who taught him how to shoot with bow and arrow, and
he joined in their other sports, soon learning the Kickapoo language
more readily than he had his alphabet. Being friendly with the Indians
Mr. Cody at times gave them barbecues, at which they indulged in their
fantastic war-dances, the sight of which excited admiration in the
youthful William. It was at this time that Buffalo Bill first met his
friend Alexander Majors of the freighting firm of Russell & Majors, and
he has since then been his lifelong friend.
Writers of American history are familiar with the disorders which
followed upon the heels of the Enabling Act. The western boundary
of Missouri was ablaze with the camp-fires of intending settlers.
Thousands of families were sheltered under the canvas of the ox-wagons,
awaiting the announcement of the opening of the Territory; and when the
news was heralded they poured over the boundary-line and deluged the
new domain. Those who came from Missouri were intent upon extending
slavery into the Territory, while those who came from Illinois, Iowa,
and Indiana were opposed to bringing slaves into the new Territory. It
was over this question that the border warfare began; men were shot
down in their homes, by the fireside, in the furrows behind the plow;
widows and orphans multiplied; the arm of industry was paralyzed. The
incendiary torch lit up the prairie, burning homes and destroying
their storehouses and granaries. Anguish sat on every threshold, pity
had no abiding-place, and for several years the besom of destruction
rendered every heart on the borderland sad and despondent. In this war
of vengeance the Cody family did not escape. One night a body of armed
men surrounded the Cody home. Knowing what they had come for, Mr. Cody
disguised himself and walked out of the house and managed to escape.
Discovering this, the band carried off all the valuables in the house
and about the premises, drove off the horses, and Bill’s pony among
them; but the pony escaped and came back to his young master. Learning
that another attempt was to be made to capture Mr. Cody, having
learned of his hiding-place, Mrs. Cody started Bill off on his pony
to give warning to his father of his danger. The boy had ridden only
a few miles when he came upon a party of men camped at the crossing
of Stranger Creek. Hearing one of them call out, “That is Cody’s son,
catch him,” the brave lad instantly started to dash through them,
knowing that it was a matter of life and death to his father. He was
instantly pursued, but eluded capture, joined his father, and warned
him of his danger. From that time on Mr. Cody’s visits to his home were
made secretly, and soon after it was that he lost his life, dying from
the effects of a wound he received.
After the death of his father, though a mere boy, Buffalo Bill applied
for employment to Mr. Alexander Majors of the firm of Majors & Russell,
overland freighters. Mr. Majors said to him:
“Billy, my boy, I will give you $25 a month as messenger, and this sum
is what I pay a man for the same work.”
Bill gladly accepted the offer, and at ten years of age began work.
For two months, mounted on a little gray mule, Bill’s duties were to
herd cattle. At the end of that time he was paid his $50 in one-half
dollar pieces, and, putting the bright silver coins into a sack, he
started for home, feeling himself a millionaire. Every dollar of that
money he gave to his mother. Thus began his services for the firm of
Majors & Russell, afterward Russell, Majors & Waddell, in whose employ
he spent seven years in different capacities, such as messenger,
wagon-master, pony-express rider, and stage-driver.
[Illustration: LITTLE EMMA, DAUGHTER OF LONG WOLF.]