Ask the Marshall

How did wagon trains keep law and order on the trail? Alan Shope Shippensburg, Pennsylvania The wagon master was the man in charge.  He knew the trails and had experience getting through the trials and travails of the trail safely. In addition, most wagon train groups elected a council that held court for breaches of discipline. Usually, the wagon master acted as judge, but it might fall to someone else of character or position (like a preacher). The cases they considered varied. But the c