Md Sadat Hussain Rafsanjani :
Wild West means cowboys and their baby guns. Saddling of horses and buffalo hunters are waiting for their prey. Wild West was so romantic and adventurous that some even quotes survival in the old Wild West means aim, speed and willingness to fight.
For many years, Wild West and western films has been the part of silver screen culture only where a typical scene rolls over and over again where we see a black hat villain faces a white hat cowboy in a death duel. They white hat let the black hat draw his gun first but puts a bullet right between the eyes of the black hat’s forehead in the blink of an eye.
But according to the modern historians, no single incident were found or documented in the history of west where an actual showdown really happened between two guys. It never did happen as duel or gunfight were too risky foe cowboys the can lead to the death of anyone.
The term that gained attention very fast in the media was shootist, coined by Robert Clay Allison, a Texas based rancher and lawman. A person who has made names with guns by any means like marksmanship or skilled gun battle was often called by that name. Gunfighter, slang, came into the limelight in 1870. The word Gunslinger was first used in 1920 film Drag Harlan. However a more gory slang called gunslinger was first appeared in 1928 where the Zane Grey’s famous novel based on cowboys called Nevada (1940) popularized the term to the contemporary culture. Gun fighting was almost impossible in the early days of west because people had only musket or flintlock pistols which were inaccurate and low distance reach. But the sudden evolution of repeating revolvers made that possible.
Samuel Colt designed a cylindrical and liver based model in 1836 and named it Colt Paterson, named after his New Jersey Paterson based gun factory. The model proved to be the breakthrough pistol for both lawman and cowboys. It has a chamber where the powder charge is put; on top of that a ball is pushed. There was a liver beneath the barrel which was used to set the ball. Then on the back of the cylinder, a cap is put on which when hit by the hammer discharges the ball. Although it was an instant hit but due to the reloading mechanism it was soon replaced by another model, the Six Shooter came out in 1873. This revolver has cartridge that were easy to load on the chamber, no other operation was needed. Another gun was popular among the poker players and gamblers called hide outguns. Gamblers used to conceal small gun in their coat pockets.
Double barreled shotguns were heavily used by lawman and ranchers. Notable users of this swan-off shot gun were stage coach guards who used to sit beside the driver. That’s how the swan-off shot gun became known as coach gun or sometimes riding shotgun. It was necessary because, after the end of civil war, many soldiers took the profession of crime without giving up weapon.
After the invention of film and movie camera, Tomas Edison studio filmed a movie depicting Wild West and the movie featured some gun actions. As the mainstream embraced the new film, sometimes later a new movie released called The Great Train Robbery. It was a success. In 1908, another movie called The Bank Robbery was made where some real life figures worked as actors. Notable actors were Al J Jennings, a real life bandit, William Tillman, known as the three guard’s man, a feared lawman.
In 1867, a name came to news magazine called Harper Magazine where the writer, a former Colonel, George W Nicholls claimed of Wild Bill Hickok. His real was James Butler Hickok, a tall handsome man native of Illinoi. Legends say that he had killed more than hundred men. He was a buffalo hunter back in 19850s, a wagon driver for sometimes. At one point he took part in civil war and was a civilian scout. Hickok was a sharpshooter, always wore two colt 1851 Navy model revolvers in reverse way onto his waist. Once he lost a gambling match to an ex-confederate named Davis Tutt in Spring Field, Missouri. Tutt not only won the match but also his pocket watch. Hickok felt humiliated as Davis tried to show off his winning. At one point Hickok advances to Davis on street. Seeming threatened, Davis took out his revolver and shot once but missed. But Hickok took only a single shot from about seventy five yards, possibly a high shot that hit the gambler. Davis stumbled for sometimes and died.
In1871, he was appointed as the marshal at the Abilene, Kansas to control rowdy cowboys. One day he went to confront two Texan. The Texan was drunk and firing blindly just after coming out a saloon. First Hickok tried to pacify them but they opened fire. In response, Hickok killed one of them. Suddenly he heard the sound of pistol cocking. Feeling danger he turned around and took a shot. But unfortunately he shot his deputy mistakenly who was trying to assist him.
Five years later while playing poker in Deadwood, South Dakota, and an assassin killed him. The assailant was jack McCall, a former buffalo hunter. He took a shot to his head at point blank. The bullet came out from his cheek and hit another player on the table on his wrist. At the time of death Hickok was holding one pair of eight and aces. This was later known in the poker world as dead man’s hand.
One of the most notorious and flamboyant outlaw was Jesse Woodson James, who was the leader of a band of brothers, Frank James and others. His first accounted crime was robbing a bank at Liberty, Missouri, Clay County Savings Association. He took the life of a bystander while robbing sixty six thousand dollars on February 13, 1866. He used to hold a Remington and Colt 44 army revolves. Also Smith and Wesson model 3 America was used by him in many incidents. The gang soon became infamous as the looted seventeen banks, almost 2, 00,000 dollars. He was so flamboyant that after each robbery his gang used to issue a press release where they chronologically used to describe the process of robbery, their own physical description even their expensive horses. But unfortunately they were failed to rob a bank in Minnesota in 1876 when the neighborhood strongly revolted and engaged in a vicious gun battle. The neighborhood managed to apprehend his three younger brothers. He got a narrow escape.
Eventually, he was weakening and formed a new group. But the newly formed gang was not stable. On the other hand, a bounty was put on Jesse of 10, 000 dollars. A gang member took false name as Bob Ford who joined his gang lately. His real name was J B Howard. Howard killed Jesse James, shooting him from back to own the bounty.
Perhaps the most enjoyed screen persona of a cowboy was Billy the Kid, real name was William H. Bonny. His birth name was Henry McCarty. Legends say that he had murdered more than twenty men. His mirrored image was a matter of dispute for sometimes that he was a left handed gunman which stretched to a Hollywood movie called The Left Handed Gun released in 1958, portrayed by Paul Newman. Sheriff Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garett nick named Pat Garett once apprehended him in 1880. But Billy killed his two guards and fled. Somehow, Billy was enamored with a lady, the sister of Pete Maxwell, son of a local land owner.
On July 14, 1881, just after three months fleeing from the law at midnight, no sooner had he entered the darken room, he was shot several times by Pat Garett who has previous information that Billy would arrive to that home. A book was published in 1925, written by Walter Noble Burns, depicts the dramatic journey of Billy the Kid.
The shootout at OK Corals, Tombstone, Arizona was notable as it had a cinematic gunfight drama. The key character of the gunfight was Wyatt Berry StappEarp with his two brothers and John Henry Holliday. Holliday was a dental doctor in profession thus got the nick name Doc Holliday. Once he saved Earp’s life and they became lifelong friend. Earp was buffalo hunter back in 1870s, later a deputy sheriff at Dodge City, Kansas. In 1879, he moved to Tombstone as a deputy sheriff with his two brothers Virgil Walter Earp and Morgan Seth Earp. At that time, the county sheriff was democratic, named Johnny Bean. Earp was gambler and brothel owner for sometimes. He sued to hide shotguns in saloons and always carried a colt single action revolver with a long barrel possibly of ten to twelve inch long. In a conflict he used to use his long gun barrel to hit on the forehead of any thug to warn them.
On 26 October, 1981, at about 3:00pm the conflict occurred. Previously on that day, Earp warned a cowboy to give up gun as gun owning was restricted on the city. But unable to disarm them, the three brothers with Doc Holliday hurled to the cowboys at OK Corals. Doc Holliday was carrying shotgun inside his coat while others were armed with revolvers. Earp was holding a stick on his hand. As they approached the cowboys to lose gun one of them said we will and suddenly take out his revolver. A thirty seconds gun battle ensued where all the cowboys were gun downed while Earp Company faced little causalities. They were never prosecuted for the killings but vengeance was still there. Morgan Earp was killed a few days later by someone when playing billiard.
Other sibling Virgil Earp was also attacked and wounded outside a saloon. Later Earp started a killing spree to track down all the killers and eliminate them one by one. Earp’s biography was later penned by his friend who turned to a writer, Bat Masterson, a friend to President Theodore Teddy Roosevelt. Bat Masterson quoted, President the old Wild West cannot be known completely until we know Wyatt Earp and Wyatt Earp will not talk. Stuart Lake, a prolific writer later covered Earp biography in a book published in 1931 called Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal. n
Wild West means cowboys and their baby guns. Saddling of horses and buffalo hunters are waiting for their prey. Wild West was so romantic and adventurous that some even quotes survival in the old Wild West means aim, speed and willingness to fight.
For many years, Wild West and western films has been the part of silver screen culture only where a typical scene rolls over and over again where we see a black hat villain faces a white hat cowboy in a death duel. They white hat let the black hat draw his gun first but puts a bullet right between the eyes of the black hat’s forehead in the blink of an eye.
But according to the modern historians, no single incident were found or documented in the history of west where an actual showdown really happened between two guys. It never did happen as duel or gunfight were too risky foe cowboys the can lead to the death of anyone.
The term that gained attention very fast in the media was shootist, coined by Robert Clay Allison, a Texas based rancher and lawman. A person who has made names with guns by any means like marksmanship or skilled gun battle was often called by that name. Gunfighter, slang, came into the limelight in 1870. The word Gunslinger was first used in 1920 film Drag Harlan. However a more gory slang called gunslinger was first appeared in 1928 where the Zane Grey’s famous novel based on cowboys called Nevada (1940) popularized the term to the contemporary culture. Gun fighting was almost impossible in the early days of west because people had only musket or flintlock pistols which were inaccurate and low distance reach. But the sudden evolution of repeating revolvers made that possible.
Samuel Colt designed a cylindrical and liver based model in 1836 and named it Colt Paterson, named after his New Jersey Paterson based gun factory. The model proved to be the breakthrough pistol for both lawman and cowboys. It has a chamber where the powder charge is put; on top of that a ball is pushed. There was a liver beneath the barrel which was used to set the ball. Then on the back of the cylinder, a cap is put on which when hit by the hammer discharges the ball. Although it was an instant hit but due to the reloading mechanism it was soon replaced by another model, the Six Shooter came out in 1873. This revolver has cartridge that were easy to load on the chamber, no other operation was needed. Another gun was popular among the poker players and gamblers called hide outguns. Gamblers used to conceal small gun in their coat pockets.
Double barreled shotguns were heavily used by lawman and ranchers. Notable users of this swan-off shot gun were stage coach guards who used to sit beside the driver. That’s how the swan-off shot gun became known as coach gun or sometimes riding shotgun. It was necessary because, after the end of civil war, many soldiers took the profession of crime without giving up weapon.
After the invention of film and movie camera, Tomas Edison studio filmed a movie depicting Wild West and the movie featured some gun actions. As the mainstream embraced the new film, sometimes later a new movie released called The Great Train Robbery. It was a success. In 1908, another movie called The Bank Robbery was made where some real life figures worked as actors. Notable actors were Al J Jennings, a real life bandit, William Tillman, known as the three guard’s man, a feared lawman.
In 1867, a name came to news magazine called Harper Magazine where the writer, a former Colonel, George W Nicholls claimed of Wild Bill Hickok. His real was James Butler Hickok, a tall handsome man native of Illinoi. Legends say that he had killed more than hundred men. He was a buffalo hunter back in 19850s, a wagon driver for sometimes. At one point he took part in civil war and was a civilian scout. Hickok was a sharpshooter, always wore two colt 1851 Navy model revolvers in reverse way onto his waist. Once he lost a gambling match to an ex-confederate named Davis Tutt in Spring Field, Missouri. Tutt not only won the match but also his pocket watch. Hickok felt humiliated as Davis tried to show off his winning. At one point Hickok advances to Davis on street. Seeming threatened, Davis took out his revolver and shot once but missed. But Hickok took only a single shot from about seventy five yards, possibly a high shot that hit the gambler. Davis stumbled for sometimes and died.
In1871, he was appointed as the marshal at the Abilene, Kansas to control rowdy cowboys. One day he went to confront two Texan. The Texan was drunk and firing blindly just after coming out a saloon. First Hickok tried to pacify them but they opened fire. In response, Hickok killed one of them. Suddenly he heard the sound of pistol cocking. Feeling danger he turned around and took a shot. But unfortunately he shot his deputy mistakenly who was trying to assist him.
Five years later while playing poker in Deadwood, South Dakota, and an assassin killed him. The assailant was jack McCall, a former buffalo hunter. He took a shot to his head at point blank. The bullet came out from his cheek and hit another player on the table on his wrist. At the time of death Hickok was holding one pair of eight and aces. This was later known in the poker world as dead man’s hand.
One of the most notorious and flamboyant outlaw was Jesse Woodson James, who was the leader of a band of brothers, Frank James and others. His first accounted crime was robbing a bank at Liberty, Missouri, Clay County Savings Association. He took the life of a bystander while robbing sixty six thousand dollars on February 13, 1866. He used to hold a Remington and Colt 44 army revolves. Also Smith and Wesson model 3 America was used by him in many incidents. The gang soon became infamous as the looted seventeen banks, almost 2, 00,000 dollars. He was so flamboyant that after each robbery his gang used to issue a press release where they chronologically used to describe the process of robbery, their own physical description even their expensive horses. But unfortunately they were failed to rob a bank in Minnesota in 1876 when the neighborhood strongly revolted and engaged in a vicious gun battle. The neighborhood managed to apprehend his three younger brothers. He got a narrow escape.
Eventually, he was weakening and formed a new group. But the newly formed gang was not stable. On the other hand, a bounty was put on Jesse of 10, 000 dollars. A gang member took false name as Bob Ford who joined his gang lately. His real name was J B Howard. Howard killed Jesse James, shooting him from back to own the bounty.
Perhaps the most enjoyed screen persona of a cowboy was Billy the Kid, real name was William H. Bonny. His birth name was Henry McCarty. Legends say that he had murdered more than twenty men. His mirrored image was a matter of dispute for sometimes that he was a left handed gunman which stretched to a Hollywood movie called The Left Handed Gun released in 1958, portrayed by Paul Newman. Sheriff Patrick Floyd Jarvis Garett nick named Pat Garett once apprehended him in 1880. But Billy killed his two guards and fled. Somehow, Billy was enamored with a lady, the sister of Pete Maxwell, son of a local land owner.
On July 14, 1881, just after three months fleeing from the law at midnight, no sooner had he entered the darken room, he was shot several times by Pat Garett who has previous information that Billy would arrive to that home. A book was published in 1925, written by Walter Noble Burns, depicts the dramatic journey of Billy the Kid.
The shootout at OK Corals, Tombstone, Arizona was notable as it had a cinematic gunfight drama. The key character of the gunfight was Wyatt Berry StappEarp with his two brothers and John Henry Holliday. Holliday was a dental doctor in profession thus got the nick name Doc Holliday. Once he saved Earp’s life and they became lifelong friend. Earp was buffalo hunter back in 1870s, later a deputy sheriff at Dodge City, Kansas. In 1879, he moved to Tombstone as a deputy sheriff with his two brothers Virgil Walter Earp and Morgan Seth Earp. At that time, the county sheriff was democratic, named Johnny Bean. Earp was gambler and brothel owner for sometimes. He sued to hide shotguns in saloons and always carried a colt single action revolver with a long barrel possibly of ten to twelve inch long. In a conflict he used to use his long gun barrel to hit on the forehead of any thug to warn them.
On 26 October, 1981, at about 3:00pm the conflict occurred. Previously on that day, Earp warned a cowboy to give up gun as gun owning was restricted on the city. But unable to disarm them, the three brothers with Doc Holliday hurled to the cowboys at OK Corals. Doc Holliday was carrying shotgun inside his coat while others were armed with revolvers. Earp was holding a stick on his hand. As they approached the cowboys to lose gun one of them said we will and suddenly take out his revolver. A thirty seconds gun battle ensued where all the cowboys were gun downed while Earp Company faced little causalities. They were never prosecuted for the killings but vengeance was still there. Morgan Earp was killed a few days later by someone when playing billiard.
Other sibling Virgil Earp was also attacked and wounded outside a saloon. Later Earp started a killing spree to track down all the killers and eliminate them one by one. Earp’s biography was later penned by his friend who turned to a writer, Bat Masterson, a friend to President Theodore Teddy Roosevelt. Bat Masterson quoted, President the old Wild West cannot be known completely until we know Wyatt Earp and Wyatt Earp will not talk. Stuart Lake, a prolific writer later covered Earp biography in a book published in 1931 called Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal. n
