Following the Civil War there were a great number of armed men
roaming the country. This presented an opportunity for Law
Enforcement positions as well as Criminal opportunities,
depending on the disposition of the men. Several mail
stagecoach/carrier/courier companies were created to move
valuables and payrolls from town to town and the need for armed
(honest?) men flourished. This helped two firearm manufacturers
in general: Colt and Winchester. The Wells Fargo stagecoach
guards were armed with both Winchester rifles and shotguns but
it was the Colt .45 Peacemaker that became their preferred
sidearm. Colt also supplied arms to the Adams Express Company
(and countless smaller companies). Adams ordered the .45 Single
Action Army in large numbers. It must be noted that the end of
the Civil War was not the end of armed military conflict in the
United States. Starting in 1861 eastern American Indian tribes
began being displaced by settlers and were pushed west.
Reservations were formed and the government tried t