From this man’s life, deeds, and successes others may glean lessons of endurance and courage in days of trial, of hope in moments of despair, and of gentleness and generosity in the hour of triumph.
With the earnest wish that such results may accrue from a perusal of these pages, let us first recall Buffalo Bill’s record as a gallant and trusty scout.
THE RESULT OF BAD GUIDING.
CHAPTER II.
THE SCOUT.
Gen. Richard Irving Dodge, General Sherman’s chief of staff, correctly states, in his “Thirty Years Among Our Wild Indians”:
“The success of every expedition against Indians depends, to a degree, on the skill, fidelity, and intelligence of the men employed as scouts and guides, for not only is the command habitually dependent on them for good routes and comfortable camps, but the officer in command must rely on their knowledge of the position and movements of the enemy.”