# General Penrose — The Life of Buffalo Bill character guide

> General Penrose in The Life of Buffalo Bill by William F. Cody.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Penrose

**First appearance:** 0023-xxi-a-military-expedition

## Snapshot

A military officer who leads expeditions against Native Americans and counts on Cody's scouting to keep his columns alive.

## Who they are

Penrose belongs to the network of generals—Sheridan, Carr, Crook, Terry—whose Western campaigns Cody served as scout and guide. His expeditions place him in the grinding, dangerous work of pursuing Native fighters across hard country, where a guide's judgment can mean the difference between success and disaster. He matters because his reliance on Cody underscores how the scout's reputation was built through service to many commanders.

## In the story

### [A Tough Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se/chapters/xix-a-tough-time)

Commanded an earlier expedition that ran out of rations; his trail is followed by Carr's command.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se/characters/general_penrose
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_life_of_buffalo_bill_se/characters