▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁board ▁am ended ▁C ody ' s ▁record ▁to ▁make ▁him ▁an ▁en list ed ▁soldier ▁so ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁fall ▁within ▁the ▁legal ▁requirements , ▁and ▁did ▁the ▁same ▁for ▁four ▁other ▁civil ian ▁gu ides ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁had ▁their ▁med als ▁res c ind ed . ▁In ▁doing ▁so , ▁the ▁board ▁over look ed ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁C ody ▁was ▁a ▁civil ian ▁guide ▁with ▁far ▁greater ▁employ ment ▁flex ibility ▁than ▁a ▁soldier , ▁including ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁res ign ▁at ▁will . ▁ ▁Nick name ▁▁ ▁C ody ▁received ▁the ▁nick name ▁" B uff alo ▁Bill " ▁after ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁when ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁supply ▁Kansas ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁workers ▁with ▁buff alo ▁( American ▁b ison ) ▁meat . ▁C ody ▁is ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁have ▁killed ▁ 4 , 2 8 2 ▁buff alo ▁in ▁eigh teen ▁months ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁C ody ▁and ▁another ▁h unter , ▁Bill ▁Com stock , ▁competed ▁in ▁an ▁eight - hour ▁buff alo - sh oot ing ▁match ▁over ▁the ▁exclusive ▁right ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁name , ▁which ▁C ody ▁won ▁by ▁killing ▁ 6 8 ▁animals ▁to ▁Com stock ' s ▁ 4 8 . ▁Com stock , ▁part ▁Che y enne ▁and ▁a ▁noted ▁h unter , ▁sc out , ▁and ▁interpreter , ▁used ▁a ▁fast - sh oot ing ▁Henry ▁repeating ▁rif le ,