Buffalo Bill (Part 1)


The white men snuck off while they were occupied. The men built a raft so that they could put their weapons and the wounded man on it. They walked about 35 miles before finally reaching Fort Kearney. After resting up, Billy returned home with another outfit going back to Leavenworth.

His next trip would be with the Simpson wagon train bound for Utah. They had a mishap just a few days out. There was a large band of buffalo on the trail. On the other side of the buffalo were some wagons and horsemen heading east. The horsemen rode into the buffalo, stampeding them straight into the Simpson wagon train. The frightened oxen overturned several wagons and damaged several others. They were delayed while repairs were made and freight was repacked. After a few uneventful weeks they arrived at Fort Laramie. Billy had a great time there and met the famous Thomas FitzPatrick and Kit Carson. In a few days, they continued on.

While taking the oxen to water, Simpson, Billy, and a few others were accosted by some men led by Joe Smith. The Simpson trains was now in Mormon territory. The Mormons had declared that they were not subject to the laws of the U.S. They were taking anything that belonged to the army. They burned all the wagons and freight. They took all the livestock, except for a few oxen they left with Simpson. They had no choice but to walk back to Fort Bridger. There were others there who had suffered the same fate. But it was too late in the year to turn back. Billy and his friends had to winter at the fort.

In the Spring, Billy, Simpson, and George Woods were attached to a train heading back to Leavenworth. They decided to take a slight detour in hopes of finding better graze for the animals. They were attacked by Indians instead. They shot their mules and used them as a barricade. This served them well and only Woods got a slight shoulder wound. But the Indians didn't leave. But then the wagon train appeared to rescue them and the Indians fled.

Billy returned home, but the following Spring he was on the trail again. At Laramie he met Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, and other famous scouts and trappers. He spent the winter trying his hand at fur trapping, but barely made enough to survive. He returned home just

The copyright of the article Buffalo Bill (Part 1) in The Old West is owned by Elizabeth Gibson. Permission to republish Buffalo Bill (Part 1) in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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