Treasures from Our West: William F. Cody’s Congressional Medal of Honor

Originally published in Points West magazine in Fall 2007

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Congressional Medal of Honor

Only a handful of civilian scouts were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Buffalo Bill Cody won his in a skirmish with Sioux Indians while scouting for a troop of the Third Cavalry of the U.S. Army. In 1916, Congress rewrote the rules for awarding the Medal, limiting it to “officers and enlisted men.” For no other reason than that he was a civilian scout at the time of the action, Cody’s name was stricken from the Medal of Honor Roll in 1917.

In 1989, Cody and four other civilian scouts were restored to the Medal of Honor Roll by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records.

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Congressional Medal of Honor. Engraved on reverse: The Congress to William F. Cody Guide for GALLANTRY at Platte River Nebr. Apr. 26/1872. 1.69.2036

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