There are many heroic efforts and trials which mark the Americans who founded America. One of the most unique was undertaken in 1868 by William F. Cody aka Buffalo Bill.
It should be noted and ever forgotten as it has never been replicated ever in history before or since. In it Col. Cody carried dispatches for 58 hours, most of it in the saddle with little sleep.
He rode through Indian terrorist infested country, coming under fire from Indians and chased by them when he rode through one camp in the darkness.
Buffalo Bill rode in that time 365 miles. 35 miles of that was on foot, as an Army Mule decided it did not like to be ridden and kept at a trot out of reach of Bill, who promptly shot the damn thing when in sight of the fort.
At one point, Bill was in the saddle contiuously for 24 hours and rode 140 miles. His average rate of travel in that period was 6 miles per hour.
This is a most remarkable feat, as General George Custer was known to ride off 100 miles when the need arose, but Buffalo Bill literally rode across an area the size of Kansas length wise in a little over two days, in a trip that would take most people over 18 days.
It is an amazing thing that this 15 year old pony express rider never had his kidneys or inerds knocked loose by wild horses or killed by wilder Indians.
It must be noted that some of the best Scouts never survived in Billy Comstock, yet somehow Bill Cody when no one else would, in fact other Scouts had been murdered previously on this very ride which Bill Cody ran successfully.
I would that everyone was more aware of Americans like Buffalo Bill, beyond his legend, because he was a remarkable man beyond remarkable men, and belonged with the likes of Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett and Kit Carson.
nuff said
agtG
