The story is a mix of fact and fiction. Wild Bill Hickock was a real person, a famous lawman and gunfighter in the American West. However, the specific stories about him and the white buffalo often have elements of legend and exaggeration added over time.
The fact is that Wild Bill Hickock was a real person. The fiction might be the specific details about his encounter with the white buffalo. There's no conclusive evidence that such an encounter happened exactly as told in the story.
Wild Bill Hickock was involved in several skirmishes during the Civil War. In one instance, he and his unit were ambushed. But he managed to turn the tables with his quick thinking and marksmanship. He led his comrades to safety while fending off the attackers. His reputation grew even more after this event, and he became a symbol of courage and tenacity for his side in the war.
Yes, some of the Buffalo Bill stories were fictionalized. Buffalo Bill Cody was a real person, but his tales were often embellished for entertainment purposes in the dime novels and shows that made him famous.
Buffalo Bill is typically not based on a real-life person or event. It's more likely a creation of imagination or inspired by various fictional elements rather than being tied to true events.