That year, Civil War broke out in the east. Most of the frontier soldiers went back to fight. The Pony Express line became unprotected and the Indians were especially troublesome. One time, they chased Billy most of his run. They were always running off the horses. They attacked stagecoaches and wagon trains.
About this time, Billy met Wild Bill Hickok. He was leading a group to go out and steal back some horses. Billy went with him. The raid was successful and the white men got all their horses back, plus some Indian ponies. Another time, Billy was almost captured by an outlaw band. But a clever trick allowed him to escape. But he lost his horse and had to walk back to the station.
Shortly afterward, he was called home to helping his ailing mother. When he arrived he found that there were constant skirmishes between the freestaters of Kansas and the pro-slavery Missourians. Cody joined the Kansas men and became a Jayhawker. That didn't last long, as his mother was against it. So for awhile, he became a messenger for the army, carrying dispatches between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Larned, Kansas. In the winter, he scouted for the army against Indian and white outlaw gangs.
Just before he turned 18, Cody enlisted in the 7th Kansas Regiment. He acted as scout and for a time scouted with Hickok. During his time in the army, he spent some time in St. Louis. While there he met Louisa Frederici. After the war was over, Billy returned there and asked her to marry him. She agreed, but only if he gave up his life on the plains. Bill agreed, but first he'd have to make them some money. He drove stages for a year. Then he returned to St. Louis. They were married on March 6, 1866. Then he returned to Kansas, where Cody re-opened his mother's hotel. But he was not a very good businessman. He had to sell the hotel.
