▁for ▁its ▁parent ▁company , ▁the ▁transport ▁firm ▁of ▁Russell , ▁Maj ors , ▁and ▁W add ell . ▁In ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁advent ur ous ▁r ides , ▁hundreds ▁of ▁miles ▁long , ▁that ▁he ▁rec ount ed ▁in ▁the ▁press , ▁his ▁real ▁job ▁was ▁to ▁carry ▁messages ▁on ▁horse back ▁from ▁the ▁firm ' s ▁office ▁in ▁Le aven worth ▁to ▁the ▁te legraph ▁station ▁three ▁miles ▁away . ▁ ▁Military ▁services ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁mother ▁recovered , ▁C ody ▁wanted ▁to ▁en list ▁as ▁a ▁soldier ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁Army ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁but ▁was ▁refused ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁young ▁age . ▁He ▁began ▁working ▁with ▁a ▁fre ight ▁car avan ▁that ▁delivered ▁supplies ▁to ▁Fort ▁Lar am ie ▁in ▁present - day ▁Wy oming . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 7 , ▁he ▁en list ed ▁as ▁a ▁team ster ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁private ▁in ▁Company ▁H , ▁ 7 th ▁Kansas ▁Caval ry , ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁dis charg ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁year , ▁C ody ▁married ▁Louis a ▁Freder ici . ▁They ▁had ▁four ▁children . ▁Two ▁died ▁young , ▁while ▁the ▁family ▁was ▁living ▁in ▁Ro chester , ▁New ▁York . ▁They ▁and ▁a ▁third ▁child ▁are ▁buried ▁in ▁Mount ▁Hope ▁C emetery , ▁in ▁Ro chester . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁he ▁reun ited ▁with ▁his ▁old ▁friend ▁Wild ▁Bill ▁H ick ok