Stagecoach travel in the Old West

[scribblesiece]

Upon arrival at one's destination in a stagecoach, would the driver get down and open the door to let the passengers out? Or would that be the one "riding shotgun" - yes, I know that term was not contemporary. Who would get the luggage off the back: again, driver, shotgun, or the individual passengers

Comments

[reapermum]

What do you mean, riding shotgun was not contemporary? What do you think the man with the shotgun next to the driver was doing?

[scribblesiece]

The _term_ was not contemporary. The earliest references to "riding shotgun" came along much later.

[reapermum]

I wonder what they called it then. It's the only term I remember from watching the Westerns on TV in the 50s.

[nuranar]

Just "guard"? Or "the messenger," or "the shotgun messenger" all come to mind. I'm not sure from where, though. Interesting...

[reapermum]

Guard is feasible, I believe it's what they were called in the UK. It was then extended to the guard in a train.

[nuranar]

Hmm, that might be why it came to mind first. Too much Georgette Heyer recently, and too little Louis L'Amour. ;)