▁in ▁J unction ▁City , ▁Kansas , ▁then ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁sc out . ▁C ody ▁en list ed ▁as ▁a ▁sc out ▁himself ▁at ▁Fort ▁El sw orth ▁and ▁sc out ed ▁between ▁there ▁and ▁Fort ▁F let cher ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁Fort ▁H ays ). ▁He ▁was ▁attached ▁as ▁a ▁sc out , ▁various ly , ▁to ▁Captain ▁George ▁August us ▁Ar mes ▁( B attle ▁of ▁the ▁Sal ine ▁River ) ▁and ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁George ▁Arm strong ▁C uster ▁( guide ▁and ▁imp rom pt u ▁horse ▁race ▁to ▁Fort ▁L arn ed ). ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁this ▁service ▁at ▁Fort ▁El sw orth ▁that ▁he ▁met ▁William ▁Rose , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁would ▁found ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁settlement ▁of ▁Rome . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁with ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Kansas ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁comple ting ▁through ▁H ays ▁City ▁and ▁Rome , ▁C ody ▁was ▁granted ▁leave ▁of ▁absence ▁to ▁h unt ▁buff alo ▁to ▁supply ▁rail road ▁construction ▁workers ▁with ▁meat . ▁This ▁ende avor ▁continued ▁into ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁which ▁saw ▁his ▁hunting ▁contest ▁with ▁William ▁Com stock . ▁ ▁C ody ▁returned ▁to ▁Army ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁From ▁his ▁post ▁in ▁Fort ▁L arn ed , ▁he ▁performed ▁an ▁exception al ▁fe at ▁of ▁r iding ▁as ▁a ▁l one ▁dispatch ▁cou rier ▁from ▁Fort ▁L arn ed ▁to ▁Fort ▁Zar ah ▁( es cap ing ▁capture ), ▁Fort