But Prof. Bill O'Neal cites just five incidents in his Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. After this, which cemented his reputation as one of the most murderous figures of his day, Allison went on to participate in a number of gunfights against fellow gunslingers. In 1877, he was deputized during the so-called Lincoln County War and rode with lawmen who were seeking to arrest a group of corrupt businessman responsible for the murder of an innocent rancher. Finally, he shot many more. In 1865, Hickok and David Tutt had several disagreements, culminating in a shootout in which Hickok killed Tutt with a single bullet from 75 yards away. [9] Wild Bill Hickok popularized the butt-forward holster type, which worked better on horseback. I love the sitebut wish to heaven I could correct it's many SPELLING errors. He entered the council hall and dared the councilors to try to take his guns or his job, at which point they immediately changed their mind, saying he could keep his job. When in the 1920s he was approached by Author Sturat Lake who wrote the ficionalized book, Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal. Hickok was born on May 27, 1837, to William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok in Illinois. The first story of the shootout was detailed in an article in Harper's Magazine in 1867 and became a staple of the gunslinger legend. While played five-card-draw poker in Deadwood, South Dakota, on August 2, 1876, Hickok was shot point blank by Jack McCall as revenge for a perceived insult. Famed lawman Wyatt Earp is perhaps the most storied figure of the Old West, but he was also an accomplished gunslinger who was greatly feared by the bandits of the time. In the end the fight lasted only 30 seconds or so, with at least 20 shots being fired Billy Clanton and both McLaury brothers died. Tops, Masterson said, is a steely will and the ability to use that to your advantage. [citation needed], It is often difficult to separate lawmen of the Old West from outlaws of the Old West. Stoudenmire got involved in a feud with members of the Manning family, which ended when he and three of the Manning brothers got into a gunfight. So when they went to arrest the Cowboys at about 3 p.m., they expected the Cowboys to be unarmed. Wyatt Earp has no business on this list whatsoever. It is this ailment that many historians have said explains his shockingly brutal actions, which included once beheading a man he suspected of murder and carrying the head into his favorite bar. [33], The most famous and well-recorded duel occurred on 21 July 1865, in Springfield, Missouri. Id say anybody whos ever stared down an armed man face to face and drawn his weapon win or lose is a badass to me. Tom Horn spent a good portion of his life legitimately employed both as a lawman and a detective, but in actuality he was one of the most cold-blooded killers of the Old West. The shooting started when Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury cocked their pistols. Both parties simultaneously drew their guns, which added to the confusion about who fired first. By 1879 he had moved to Tombstone with his brothers Virgil and James, and got involved in a feud with Tom and Frank McLaury and Ike and Billy Clanton. Capt. James McDonald died instantly, without time to draw his revolver or react in any way. Doc Holliday has also been credited with wounding and shooting a pistol out of saloon owner Milt Joyce's hand when he tried to brandish it at Holliday. Some gunslingers, such as Bat Masterson, actively engaged in self-promotion. Inspired by the "Man with No Name" and other spaghetti-western characters, he himself is detached or unsympathetic, often reacting as uncaring or angry at signs of cowardice or self-pity, yet he possesses a strong sense of heroism, often attempting to help those in need, a morality much seen in Westerns. There is more speculation than history in this list. [42] The infamous assassin Tom Horn was also said to have participated in a duel with a second lieutenant from the Mexican Army, due to a dispute with a prostitute when he was twenty-six years old. Earp and Holliday then led a team of gunfighters on what has become known as their Vendetta Ride, and they eventually killed several men connected with the murders before fleeing the territory. Corral. Owens shot and Sam fell backward, dying in his mother's arms. [59] At times they were hired by cattlemen or other prominent figures to serve as henchmen or enforcers during cattle wars. But when his gun bumped the table as he drew, Allison reacted by shooting Colbert in the head. He was released from his sentence after having served17 years, and became a lawyer in El Paso. The outlaws' bullets tore at Davis's clothing but caused only two slight flesh wounds. what about Ned Kelly Reformed form his years behind bars, Hardin began studying law and even passed the bar, but his old reputation eventually caught up with him. He kept his pistol in the pocket of his coat. [59] A case in point: the service of the Jesse Evans Gang, and outlaw Jesse Evans himself, as agents for the Murphy-Dolan faction during the Lincoln County War. Jonathan R. Davis carried two revolvers in his iconic gunfight,[19] while Jesse James himself carried over half a dozen revolvers in many of his gunfights. Most of the time he did satisfactory at his job. [21][25] Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt quarreled over cards and decided to have a gunfight. [44][45], Most Old West men who were labeled as being "gunfighters" did not kill nearly as many men in gunfights as they were given credit for, if any at all. Sometimes, however, just to make things "official", they would go through the formality of deputization. [22] The most notable and well-known took place in the states/territories of Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. But Dallas was able to get the drop on him and supposedly shot the man eight times, killing him. Munden was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but his family later moved to Southern After a number of run-ins with the law, the Kid was again captured and sentenced to death, but he managed to escape after he got a hold of a weapon and gunned down the two men guarding him. [citation needed], Known gunmen/lawmen were generally effective, and in time the violence would subside, usually, after the gunman/lawman had been involved in several shooting incidents, eventually leading to a substantial and well-earned fear that kept everyone in line. These guys are all legends for different reasons but lets face it Kid Curry and Jesse James not on this list is a shame. [58] "Big" Steve Long served as deputy marshal for Laramie, Wyoming, while the entire time committing murders and forced theft of land deeds. Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid both wore badges as lawmen at least once. 16 individual kills and involved in the death of over 180 others! Rare are the gunfighters who, like William Sidney "Cap" Light, died accidentally by their own hand. Biographics History, One Life at a Time. That means he's better than Wild Bill, Wyatt Earp, John Wesley Harden (about whom his contemporaries said he "could get out a six-shooter and use it quicker than a A gunfighter would use tie-downs to keep his pistol from catching on the holster while drawing. Haha. Corral. Its kill or be killed. After the death of his wife, Earp began drinking heavily and drifted around until he joined his brother in Wichita, Kansas, in 1874. "He called it deliberation," says Dunham, who also serves as president of the Wild West History Association. A few days after the fight, friends of the men Stoudenmire had shot hired the town drunk to assassinate him. Even J.W.H., admired most of his gunshow marksmanship yadyadayda. Your list is worthless without him in the top 3 at least! In Western films and books, young toughs often challenge experienced gunmen with the hopes of building a reputation, but this rarely happened in real life. He married Urilla Sutherland, but she and their unborn child died of typhoid fever about a year later. The battle started when Baca arrested a cowboy who had shot him. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census (1894), an estimated 19,000 White men, women, and children were killed while the Indians killed numbered between 30,000 and 45,000 casualties during the American Indian Wars. There's the gunfighter, frontiersman, classic cowboy, and duelist each with its own specifications. Hardin rode with outlaw Frank Polk in Navarro County until Polk was arrested for murder. The following are ten of the most famousand downright deadlyof these Old West gunslingers. King Fisher. [67][68], Gunfighters have been featured in media even outside the Western genre, often combined with other elements and genres, mainly science-fiction space Westerns, steampunk, and the contemporary setting. Degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery from Pennsylania College of Dental Surgery. Even in unfamiliar territory and time periods, Hex managed to outgun his enemies with more advanced weaponry. He was never really considered 'deadly'. My grand father was one of the mob who drug Miller out of the and hung him. WebIn the film Tombstone (1993), Doc Holliday was portrayed by Val Kilmer. Mose Roberts, boarding with the family, jumped out of a side window with a pistol. They drew their pistols at close range, and Short fired first, blowing off Courtright's thumb. After his troops took down the remaining outlaw, Patton tied the three dead men to the hood of his touring car and drove the bodies back to his commanding officer. [4] Clay Allison (18411887), a notorious New Mexico and Texas gunman and cattleman, originated the term "shootist". [82] Gunfighter is also a callsign for a group of two Apache Helicopters in the video game Medal of Honor. Blevins returned to Holbrook and was heard bragging about his killings. Type above and press Enter to search. One account says that after the party recognized Cruz, they chased him down and a gunfight ensued. Fisher is alleged to have clubbed the nearest one to him with a branding iron, then as a second drew a pistol Fisher drew his own pistol and shot the man, killing him. in a rare book in my library, written by Sheriff Pat Garret who killed Billy the Kid and was a personal friend of Wyatt Earp, he claimed that Doc Holliday started killing as a teen. Henry McCarty, a.k.a. This story is not true because Laurel arrived the first time in the USA (was english) in 1910 together with Chaplin (born english too) for the first American tour and met Oliver Hardy ten years later. Owens shot through the wall, striking Andy in the right hip he died that night. William H. Bonney or just Billy the Kid, started his life of crime with petty theft and horse thievery, but is said to have first killed a man at the age of eighteen. Hardin Senior was a Methodist minister who settled his family in Trinity County, Texas, in 1859. Johnny Ringo Tombstone Rowdy. Hollywood has warped us to the point where somebody has to go full Rambo before we are impressed. After three months, Sheriff Pat Garrett and two deputies shot and killed the Kid at Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881. Orrin Porter Rockwell killed more people than any of these guys, he is not as well known because of being in the far west. The O.K. I watched Unforgiven tonite for the 15th time (give or take) and you may cringe but when Clint rides past Ned on the porch it is just surreal to me. Then Sheriff Owens turned his attention to the Blevins family, the other rustling gang in the county. Deputy Sheriff Duffey threw Richardson down in a chair and took his gun, while Bassett disarmed Loving. In 1884, Miller shot John Thomas Coop, his sisters husband, in the head after an argument. ", "The Truth About Gunfights in the Old West", "Did Western gunfighters really face off one-on-one? Jonathan R. Davis shot eleven bandits single-handedly on 19 December 1854. Gunslingers usually gave each other a wide berth, and it was uncommon for two well-known gunslingers to face off. What? Hardin replied with a shot to Bradleys head and one to his chest. [79] Another well-known video game Western protagonist is John Marston from Red Dead Redemption, who was nominated for 2010 Spike's Video Game Awards, as well as his friend Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2. [32] Writer Wyatt-Brown in his book "Southern Honor: Ethics and Behavior in the Old South" described dueling in the American frontier as a "custom", and was primarily used for teenage disputes, rise in rank, status, and scapegoating. Wyatt Earp was a Nobody whose ONLY claim to fame is he lived long enough to sell his fiction to Hollywood. Hardin was eventually arrested at age 17 for the murder of a Texas City Marshal, but he was able to procure a gun while in jail, and when transferred he killed one of his guards and again went on the lam. Courtright attempted the "border shift", a move where a gunfighter switches his gun to his uninjured hand, but he was too slow. [7], Western gunslinger heroes are portrayed as local lawmen or enforcement officers, ranchers, army officers, cowboys, territorial marshals, nomadic loners, or skilled fast-draw artists. Clanton had instigated the Gunfight at the OK Corral and was charged with the later ambush shooting of Virgil Earp. In the 1880s, Horn was popular as a tracker and a bounty hunter; he was hired by the Pinkerton Detective Agency but was forced to resign after he was associated with the murders of17 men. Earp wasnt even on the street when this occurred. He started a school for local children, including his own. the OK Corral. He was also known to have participated in lynchings and vigilante murders. He was a real tough person. [9][15] Shooting a pistol with one hand is normally associated with gunslingers,[18] and is also a standard for them of the era to carry two guns and fire ambidextrously. Billy The Kid. Though known as being eerily cool under pressure, Horn was considered to have a dangerous capacity for violence, and in 1894 he was forced to resign his post as a detective after he became linked to the murders of 17 people. They returned to California around 1911 and settled in Los Angeles, where they became a popular fixture in Hollywood as Earpserved asa technical adviser for Old West films. An estimate of 20,000 men in the American West were killed by gunshot between 1866 and 1900,[21] and over 21,586 total casualties during the American Indian Wars from 1850 to 1890. Agreed, nobody ever mentions Porter Rockwell but he has the best backstory of any of them and killed more men then all of them. Most of these 10 ranks are already scrambled, by someones bot suggestions. Earp's fellow lawman and general Old West badass Bat Masterson once said that speed in a gunfight is probably the least important factor in winning. [46] Wyatt Earp with his brothers Morgan and Virgil along with Doc Holliday killed three outlaw Cowboys in the Gunfight at the O.K. In 1901, Horn got involved in a feud between the Miller and Nickell families in Iron Mountain, Wyoming. Most of those guys back then were trying to make a name for themselves in lawless lands drunk on wisky. Doc was not just a dentist, he was a licensed Oral surgeon. After the conversation, Richardson drew his pistol, and Loving drew his in response. Wyatt could scrap with his fists, and had often taken all the fight out of bad men, as they were called, with no other weapons than those provided by nature.. After one of the gang turned informant, Bass and his men were ambushed by Texas Ranger Sergeant Richard Ware and Ranger George Herold in Round Rock, Texas, where the gang attempted to rob the Williamson County Bank. [10] Gunmen Kid Curry, Jim Courtright, Dallas Stoudenmire and Dave Rudabaugh were killed in raging gun battles, much as portrayed in films about the era, and usually against more than one opponent. However probably was detached from reality because he started so young. "He is a man who never smiled or laughed. [72], Many Japanese manga and anime have also adopted the western genre. One journalist reckoned that if Munden had [1][10] For instance, the gunfight at the O.K. [77] Additionally, the comic book character Vigilante is a self-proclaimed gunfighter born in the 1940s. The group called themselves the Regulators, but soon it gained its own reputation for violence, and its members were branded as outlaws. One of those pictured is famed black cowboy Jesse Stahl, whose rodeo riding skills were unparalleled in the 1800s. No Kid Curry? [24], The Gunfight at the OK Corral is a famous example of a real-life western shootout, between the Earp Brothers together with Doc Holliday, and the Clanton-McLaury gang. Swarthout seems to have been correct about "gunslinger", but the term "gunfighter" existed in several newspapers in the 1870s, and as such the term existed in the 19th century. Hickok was supposedly holding a pair of Aces and Eights at the time, a combination now known as the Dead Mans Hand., Known for his mercurial personality and violent temper, Clay Allison was a gunfighter who is remembered as one of the most notorious and downright deranged outlaws of the Old West. Wyatt and his brother Warren set out on a vendetta ride to locate and kill those they felt were responsible. The mob formed in front of the Free Masons hall and walked to the jail two blocks away. Stoudenmire was shot from behind by James Manning and died instantly. The mob passed the train station where laurel and Hardy were waiting for a train. Sheriff Owens shot him through his back and chest, killing him. Following his resignation, he developed a reputation as a killer for hire, and is said to have been responsible for the deaths of some 20 cattle rustlers over the course of several years. From what I have gathered, many of the gunfighters were violent racists, and a significant number of their victims were former slaves who wanted to vote. As for Johnny Ringo, there is almost no evidence that he ever participated in a real gunfight. The method actors portrayal of Holliday put the legendary gunslinger in the same league as the dark, brooding, and violent post-modern heroes of today. Some of his time in Dodge he was on the police force there. Billy Claiborne ran as soon as shots were fired and was already out of sight. Unlike other violence-themed gunslingers, Vash carries a Shane-like pacifist attitude, and avoids killing men, even dangerous enemies. ', "When it comes to gunfights, the idea is to stay alive, not necessarily draw fast. [37] One of the women who worked there had an ex-boyfriend named Mike Gordon who had just been discharged from the Army. Despite idealistic portrayals in television, movies, and even in history books, very few lawmen/gunfighters could claim their law enforcement role as their only source of employment. He never killed a man that did not need killing.. King Fisher had great success as a county sheriff in Texas. And that's when Wyatt Earp stepped into Western lore. A few years later, he re-enlisted and served as a private in Company F, 45th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Unfazed, he stood his ground, pulling out both pistols and firing a barrage at the charging outlaws. Owens shot his rifle from his hip through the door, hitting Andy Blevins in the stomach. He then spun around and shot the other two, who evidently had not produced weapons and both of whom were merely sitting on the fence the entire time. Corral in 1881. He was buried in Alleyton Cemetery in Colorado County, Texas. Despite their weakened condition, they foolishly approached Davis with drawn knives. He's older, and he's probably not going to rush his shot,'" Trimble says. [1] They rarely took undue risks and usually weighed their options before confronting another well-known gunman. [29], General George S. Patton himself had a gunfight when he was a young second lieutenant chasing Pancho Villa all over northern Mexico in 1916. Earp was on the police force of Wichita until he was released over a dispute . But Hardin was forced to flee the city soon after his arrival when he is said to shot and killed a fellow guest at his hotel because the mans snoring was keeping him awake. At 25, Hardin was finally arrested by a team of Texas Rangers, and eventually served a total of 16 years in prison before being released at the age of 41. In June 1887 Old Man Blevins disappeared, presumably killed by the Tewksbury faction of the Pleasant Valley War. In all my life as a frontier peace officer, I did not know a really proficient gunfighter who had anything but contempt for the gun-fanner, or the man who literally shot from the hip[15], The image of a Wild West filled with countless gunfights was a myth generated primarily by dime-novel authors in the late 19th century. Alll this info is interesting. The Earps weren't really expecting a gunfight. He was buried in Round Rock Cemetery, and the road to the cemetery was later named Sam Bass Road. Hence, it is the Sundance Kid who is better known. One of the most legendary figures of the Old West, Wild Bill Hickok was an actor, gambler, lawman, and gunfighter who was regarded as one of the most skilled gunslingers of his day. As he drew, Allison reacted by shooting Colbert in the video Medal... 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