Several legendary gunslingers are revealed in the gallery of photos. 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. Harrison shot first but missed. Nothing proved Earp's mettle more than the tumultuous gunfight near the O.K. Fisher drew his guns but was shot13 times and killed. There are different categories shooters can compete in. Jesse James was not a gunfighter. A few days after the fight, friends of the men Stoudenmire had shot hired the town drunk to assassinate him. Owens' two deputies killed Ike Clanton; Phin Clanton was arrested; three other gang members were killed; and the Clanton gang was done. [citation needed], On March 9, 1877, gamblers Jim Levy and Charlie Harrison argued over a game of cards in a saloon in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 1871, Hardin was arrested for the murder of Texas marshal Laban John Hoffman, but he escaped after killing another police officer, Jim Smalley. The list is missing Kid Curry/Harvey Logan. The bit about not understanding how an honest straight up man like Wyatt was his friend is very interesting. Four of the remaining robbers now closed in on the captain to finish him off. Hickok was born on May 27, 1837, to William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok in Illinois. Most experts believe the real number is right around 100 men. These duels did occasionally happen, as in the case of the Luke ShortJim Courtright duel, but gunfights were typically more spontaneous, a fight that turned deadly when one side reached for a weapon, and no one knew who actually won the fight for several minutes until the air finally cleared of smoke. [2] The word was soon adopted by other Western writers, such as Zane Grey, and became common usage. 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. Jonathan R. Davis shot eleven bandits single-handedly on 19 December 1854. Today, the term "gunslinger" is more or less used to denote someone who is quick on the draw with a pistol, but can also refer to riflemen and shotgun messengers. After more problems with the law, Bonney was captured and sentenced to death. Famed gunman Clay Allison died in a wagon accident. The most famous of these is undoubtedly the Gunfight at the O.K. Where the frack is Mr. dandy Doc Holliday?! [49] As city marshal, Virgil made the decision to disarm the Cowboys in Tombstone and requested Wyatt's assistance. sweet number onemy dad gave me the middle name of Wesley because of John Wesley Hardin. Gun Fighter. His name which is thoroughly documented to be the most well known identity was John Rambo. WebQuick-draw world champion Nicole "Fastdraw" Franks rates 11 gunslinging scenes from movies and TV shows for realism. Thus he ultimately became known as one of the most feared lawmen in Texas. On March 1, 1872. But he killed all the way from back east to the west coast. So Andy Blevins (aka Cooper) ambushed and killed John Tewksbury and Bill Jacobs in revenge. He came to Dodge first in the spring of 1876 and left or good in fall of 79. Billy Claiborne ran as soon as shots were fired and was already out of sight. They were a typically diverse and motley group of Gold Rush bandits: two Americans, one Frenchman, two Britons, five Sydney Ducks, and four Mexicans. Earp wasnt even on the street when this occurred. Bottom line is nobody can confirm all these guys kills. Although sanctioned by law enforcement officials, the gunmen were not always actually deputized. Often, the hero of a Western meets his opposite "double", a mirror of his own evil side that he has to destroy. I truly enjoyed the background information on each man. Thompson was shot in the head and died instantly. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Bill Longley and Tom Horn were executed. 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. Doc Holliday and Billy the Kid both wore badges as lawmen at least once. He was in trouble from the age of16 for stealing horses and was in and out of prison. Gunfights happened, for sure. The Western hero usually stands alone and faces danger on his own, commonly against lawlessness, with an expert display of his physical skills (roping, gun-play, horse-handling, pioneering abilities, etc.). In actuality, this kind of thing very rarely occurred, and the true life Western storieslike Wild Bill Hickok being shot in the back while playing cardstell a much more gruesome and less gallant tale. In 1884, Fisher and his friend Ben Thompson attended a play at the Turner Hall Opera House in San Antonio. I like the psychoanalytical approach which takes intellect clearly Garrett was smart if indeed he wrote this book (or even had it ghosted). Real gunslingers did not shoot to disarm or to impress, but to kill. In 1869, Hickok was elected sheriff of Ellis County Kansas, and is said to have killed two men in his first month on the job. They were often labeled as such due to one particular instance, which developed from rumors about them having been involved in many more events than they actually were. The mob passed the train station where laurel and Hardy were waiting for a train. The mob formed in front of the Free Masons hall and walked to the jail two blocks away. In June 1887 Old Man Blevins disappeared, presumably killed by the Tewksbury faction of the Pleasant Valley War. He was at the time the most fearless man I ever saw, and Satan and all his imps could not scare Wyatt Earp," Richard Codgell, a Wichita clerk, wrote in his memoirs, as detailed in Hornung's book. Sheriff Owens had hunted buffalo for the railroad and could shoot his Winchester from the hip with great accuracy. Sheriff Owens shot him through his back and chest, killing him. Fourteen-year-old Willie Nickell was found murdered; a month later his father, Kels, was killed and most of his stock was slaughtered. In 1895, he was killed after being shot in the back by a lawman in El Paso, Texas. And Wyatt Earp, though he wasn't the fastest gun in the fight, came out without a scratch. [59] At times they were hired by cattlemen or other prominent figures to serve as henchmen or enforcers during cattle wars. Described as being cold to the core, Miller famously declared that he would kill anyone for money, and is rumored to have gunned down everyone from political figures to famed sheriff Pat Garrett. 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. 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. Wyatt Earp has no business on this list whatsoever. 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. 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. The captain reacted in an instant. WebLegend says the Wild West outlaw Billy the Kidcattle rustler, gunslinger, murderer, escape artistkilled 21 people before he turned 21 years old, his age at death. [80] The New York Times stated: "he and his creators conjure such a convincing, cohesive and enthralling re-imagination of the real world that it sets a new standard for sophistication and ambition in electronic gaming. Ive enjoyed the info and discussion. The Biographics History, One Life at a Time. He met an unimpressive death when he fell from his wagon and broke his neck in 1887. Owens shot and Sam fell backward, dying in his mother's arms. The last was debunked by Mythbusters as an impossibility, as unjacketed bullets tend to shatter into fragments that can hurt or even kill. These guys are all legends for different reasons but lets face it Kid Curry and Jesse James not on this list is a shame. 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. [1], In the days of the Old West, tales tended to grow with repeated telling, and a single fight might grow into a career-making reputation. Wyatt Earp was famous mostly because he said, himself, that he was famous. Although not as well known as someone like Wild Bill Hickok or Wyatt Earp, Dallas Stoudenmire was a feared lawman in his day, and is known for participating in more gunfights than most of his contemporaries. He formed a gang, and increased his notoriety after shooting down a gambler in a New Mexico saloon. [5], Often, the term has been applied to men who would hire out for contract killings or at a ranch embroiled in a range war where they would earn "fighting wages". [10] Some of these shootouts became famous, while others faded into history with only a few accounts surviving. Only three days into his tenure, he became involved in one of the Wests most legendary battles, what is common known as the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight, in which he shot three men. [citation needed], The Long Branch Saloon Shootout, involving Levi Richardson, a buffalo hunter, and "Cockeyed Frank" Loving, a professional gambler, happened on April 5, 1879. Often, a gunfight was spur-of-the-moment, with one drawing his pistol, and the other reacting. After several years of working as an officer of the law, he moved to Dodge City along with his brother. Curry was known to be faster. [10], The most important lesson I learned was that the winner of a gunplay usually was the one who took his time. A gunfighter was someone who was good with a gun and willing to use this skill in a dispute, not exactly the best shot in the world like a sniper, but just someone willing to standup and fight a foe. Bartholomew Bat Masterson had made a living with his gun from a young age. Straight out of For A Few Dollars More ha! And it really didn't matter. 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. Alll this info is interesting. Thomas Horn was hanged the day before his 43rd birthday in 1903 and buried in Columbia Cemetery, Boulder, Colorado. Type above and press Enter to search. An example of this is "Han shot first", in which Han Solo, a gunfighter-like protagonist in Star Wars, kills his opponent with a subtle, under-the-table draw. Theres a big difference between a gunfighter and a killer, most of those guys were killers. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, on Oct. 26, 1881. They may not have dressed like Clint Eastwood, with a holster slung low on the hips, but these gunmen made names for themselves nonetheless. Corral, with a bunch of men unloading at each other all at once, than a mano-a-mano showdown in the middle of town. Doc instantly killed Tom with blasts from his shotgun. "Mexican War Vet Wages Deadliest Gunfight in American History", "What Are the Characteristics of the Western Genre? As for Johnny Ringo, there is almost no evidence that he ever participated in a real gunfight. Bob Munden, the worlds fastest gunslinger, was one of those special few. The gunfighter could be a lawman, outlaw, cowboy, or shooting exhibitionist, but was more commonly a hired gun who made a living with his weapons in the Old West. This caught the attention of the famed Pinkerton Detective Agency, and Horn worked for them for several years as a tracker and bounty hunter. Corral. Bob Munden, the worlds fastest gunslinger, was one of those special few. He was a real tough person. He never cleaned up any town where he served either. Unlike other violence-themed gunslingers, Vash carries a Shane-like pacifist attitude, and avoids killing men, even dangerous enemies. Owens shot his rifle from his hip through the door, hitting Andy Blevins in the stomach. Fournier, Richard. Most of these historical figures were not known to be capable of trick shooting, nor did they necessarily have a reputation for precision sharpshooting. The gunfighter could also be an agent of the state, archetypically a lone avenger, but more often a sheriff, whose duty was to face the outlaw and bring him to justice or to personally administer it. 19 May 2020. The most famous of these was against outlaw Chunk Colbert, whom Allison shot in the head when the other drew his gun on him following a meal they had shared. Fifteen-year-old Samuel Houston Blevins ran out the front door, with his brother's revolver, and yelled "I'll get him." Corral made legends of Wyatt Earp and the Cochise County Cowboys, but they were relatively minor figures before that conflict. John Wesley Hardin was born in 1853, in Texas, to James Gibson Gip Hardin and Mary Elizabeth Dixson. Hardin walked away but was later confronted by Bradley, who shot at Hardin and missed. Gordon then started shooting at him but missed. Gunfighter and lawman Frank Eaton, known as "Pistol Pete" lived into old age and gained further fame, before his death at age 97, by becoming the mascot for Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University). Within moments, seven of the bandits were dead or dying on the ground and Davis's pistols were empty. Holliday then drew his pistol and shot Gordon at long range with one shot. There were also a few historical cowboys who were actual gunfighters, such as the Cochise County Cowboys who participated in the bloody 1879 Skeleton Canyon massacre. 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. (As a kid wearing my own Bill Hickock gunset on, every Saturday morning I'd await "Gunsmoke" to come on TV; then I would wait for Marshall Matt Dillon (actor James Arness) to start his draw at the show's intro. While many of the deaths attributed to these gunmen were committed within the scope of the law, folklore and stories as to the number of people they each killed continue to add to their mystique. Ive been in several gunfights, people have no idea how scary it is when your trading rounds with someone trying to kill you. Allison fought in the Civil War, but was discharged after a blow to the head started causing erratic behavior in him. Munden was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but his family later moved to Southern It is still the largest robbery ofany train on theUnion Pacific Railroad. Although many of his exploits are legendary, probably the most famous aspect of Wild Bills life is his death, which occurred in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876. He then went back to the saloon. "[81] The main character Caleb in the video games Blood and Blood II: The Chosen is also a former Old West gunfighter. ", "Old West Myths And Things Little Known", "Top Shot (season 3): Episode 7 ("Tricked Out")", "Frontier Style Handguns For The Modern Backwoods Home", "Five Greatest Gunfights of the Old West", "6 Real-Life Gunslingers Who Put Billy the Kid to Shame", "Wild Bill Hickok fights first western showdown", "Politics And Pistols: Dueling In America", "First action hero: Wyatt Earp was an elderly movie groupie who failed to make it as an extra ", "Testimony of Virgil Earp in the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp Case", "Johnny Ringo Called Gallatin Home as a Boy", "Modern-day gunslingers enjoy competition and camaraderie", "Nominees for Spike Video Game Awards 2010 revealed", "Gunfighters Walkthrough Medal of Honor Game Guide", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gunfighter&oldid=1137100133, Articles with dead external links from August 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2018, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 20:22. This was rarely the case. He sent two deputies to arrest Ike Clanton. But the absolute, without-a-doubt, hands-down, fastest gun in the West? [33], The most famous and well-recorded duel occurred on 21 July 1865, in Springfield, Missouri. bonafied man killers) is ridiculous! Richardson then got up and started toward the billiard table, when he fell to the floor with a fatal gunshot in the chest, as well as a shot through the side and another through the right arm. While Earp was doing his split-second assessing, young Billy Clanton he was only 18 or 19 at the time saw what he thought was an opening and took his shot. In 1901, Horn got involved in a feud between the Miller and Nickell families in Iron Mountain, Wyoming. I do find this hard to believe. After hitting one with a branding iron, he supposedly outdrew another and shot him. He stabbed one of them to death; the other he disarmed by knocking the knife from his grasp and slicing off his nose and a finger of his right hand. He ten went to Dodge City for a while. He shot down his assailants, one after another. He was buried on his ranch, and later his remains were moved to Pioneer Cemetery in Uvalde, Texas. And on that day, Earp was not the fastest gunslinger in town. 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.
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