fastest gunslinger in the 1800s
Some historians have since stated that it is possible that over time he was confused with another Wild Bunch member, Kid Curry, who was without a doubt the most dangerous member of the gang, having killed many lawmen and civilians during his lifetime before being killed himself. I would outdraw him everytime and take much pride in myself. 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. William Pinkerton, whose National Detective Agency had sought to capture Hedgepeth and his gang for years, noted that Hedgepeth once gunned down another outlaw who had already unholstered his pistol before Hedgepath had drawn his revolver. Corral. Henry McCarty, a.k.a. After being wounded several times while fighting in the Civil War, Stoudenmire moved to the lawless city of El Paso, Texas to serve as sheriff. I do find this hard to believe. 16 individual kills and involved in the death of over 180 others! The most well-known of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang,[55] the Sundance Kid, was in reality only known to have been in one shootout during his lifetime, and no gunfights. Stoudenmire was shot from behind by James Manning and died instantly. James B. Hickok, in the 1860s, during his pre-gunfighter days. He was buried in Alleyton Cemetery in Colorado County, Texas. [citation needed], Another well-documented gunfight resulted in the most kills by one person in a single event, when Capt. Actually, John was known for carrying two pistols in holsters strapped to his chest, which enabled him to be one of the fastest guns in history. Alll this info is interesting. It is not known who fired the first shot, but Wyatt's bullet was the first to hit, tearing through Frank McLaury's belly and sending McLaury's own shot wild through Wyatt's coattail. Well, Little Bill never met Bob Munden, the man who the Guinness Book of World Records calls the "Fastest Man with a Gun Who Ever Lived." Fournier, Richard. The mob formed in front of the Free Masons hall and walked to the jail two blocks away. A gunfighter, gambler, showman, and peace officer, Hickok may have killed more than 100 [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. WebQuick-draw world champion Nicole "Fastdraw" Franks rates 11 gunslinging scenes from movies and TV shows for realism. Hickok was playing poker when he was shot in the back of the head by a gambler named Jack McCall, supposedly in retaliation for a prior insult. Kid Curry should be there. Later that year he was deputized during the Lincoln County War and joined lawmen searching for a group of men who had murdered a rancher. Laurel first met Hardy in 1927. 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. [1] In the real world, however, gunmen who relied on flashy tricks and theatrics died quickly, and most gunslingers took a much more practical approach to their weapons. In his early 20s, Masterson worked as a buffalo hunter, operating out of the wild Kansas cattle town of Dodge City. This respect for one another is why most famous gunfights were rarely two or more well-known gunmen matched up against one another, but rather one notable gunman against a lesser-known opponent or opponents. I like the psychoanalytical approach which takes intellect clearly Garrett was smart if indeed he wrote this book (or even had it ghosted). Also unlike the movies: Wyatt Earp wasn't even wearing a holster at the O.K. That 30-second throwdown, which came to be known as the Gunfight at the O.K. The shooting started when Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury cocked their pistols. Doc instantly killed Tom with blasts from his shotgun. In his introduction to The Shootist (1976), author Glendon Swarthout says "gunslinger" and "gunfighter" are modern terms, and the more authentic terms for the period would have been "gunman", "pistoleer", "shootist", or "bad man" (sometimes written as "badman"). This type of holster is a Hollywood anachronism. Among them was civilian Billy Dixon, who made one of the longest recorded sniper kills, by shooting an Indian off his horse almost a mile away with his Sharps rifle, during a standoff in the Second Battle of Adobe Walls. In 1884, Miller shot John Thomas Coop, his sisters husband, in the head after an argument. Even accuracy is low on the list. Wyatt died on January 13, 1929, in Los Angeles at the age of 80; his ashes were interred in Jewish Hills of Eternity Cemetery in Colma, California. Shotguns were also a popular weapon for "express messengers" and guards, especially those on stagecoaches and trains who were in charge of overseeing and guarding a valuable private shipment. Earp had a varied career that saw him travel to boomtowns like Wichita, Dodge City and the lawless town of Tombstone to serve as sheriff, and he participated in some of the most legendary gunfights of the 1800s. WebCaptain L.E. Owens saw Andy Blevins in the window moving to shoot back. [69] He also wore his holster low on, and tied to, the thigh with a cutaway for the trigger. [1] The gunslinger's reputation often was as valuable as any skills possessed. Haha. 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. 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. Our newest biography website and YouTube channel. [39] Richardson had developed some affection for Loving's wife Mattie, and the two began to argue about her. [65][66][67], The quick draw which gunfighters help popularize, is still an important skill in the American military and law enforcement communities. Definitely agree that Hardin is the deadliest, almost all were head on gun fights with armed gun fighters and law men, and well documented. I live in Colorado where Doc is reportedly buried and he knifed a man to death in Denver over a card game (knife instead of gun because there were no guns allowed in Denver at the time.) Even other gunslingers were likely to avoid any unnecessary confrontation. Look him up, he should easily be on this list. 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. It's "Gunfight at the O.K. 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. WebVery large text size Bob Munden was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as The Fastest Man with a Gun Who Ever Lived. [9] Wild Bill Hickok popularized the butt-forward holster type, which worked better on horseback. The Blevins sons searched for their father and in August Hamp Blevins and another were killed by the Tewksbury side. It was very interesting and informative. 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. At the same time, Luke Short, a former friend of Courtright's, was running the White Elephant Saloon and Jim was trying to get Short to utilize his services. After hitting one with a branding iron, he supposedly outdrew another and shot him. One of those killed was an innocent Mexican bystander. The list is missing Kid Curry/Harvey Logan. Mose Roberts, boarding with the family, jumped out of a side window with a pistol. [54] In other cases, certain gunfighters were possibly confused, over time, with being someone else with a similar name. When they were about 50 yards apart, both men drew their guns. Related story from us:The tangled story of Pat Garrett, the Old West lawman who kept getting into trouble. He was both more or less friendly and viciously, lethal if tempted. I guess that a good-olde Hispanic gunfighter cannot make this list. ), Billy the Kid only killed like four people, Some say 4, Some say 9, and some say 20+ (21 or 22 ish). Often it would develop into a shootout where both men bolted for cover. Corral: The Gunfight of All Gunfights, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, wasn't even wearing a holster at the O.K. 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. Get real. The captain reacted in an instant. Most of the time he did satisfactory at his job. and not everybody really can do that, especially when there's live rounds coming at you," says Marshall Trimble, Arizona's official state historian. A few days after the fight, friends of the men Stoudenmire had shot hired the town drunk to assassinate him. While in Dodge he was on the posse which apprehended the murderer of singer, Dora Hand. In 1899 the Earps went to Alaska during the Gold Rush and again opened a successful saloon. Louis Lamour credited him for inventing the fast draw. 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. [70], Jonah Hex, from DC Comics, is a ruthless bounty hunter bound by a personal code of honor to protect and avenge the innocent. Within moments, seven of the bandits were dead or dying on the ground and Davis's pistols were empty. One of the most downright murderous figures of the Old West, Jim Killer Miller was an assassin and gunfighter who is credited with killing at least 14 people, though legend has it that the number is somewhere closer to 50. Holliday then drew his pistol and shot Gordon at long range with one shot. He married Urilla Sutherland, but she and their unborn child died of typhoid fever about a year later. Ive been in several gunfights, people have no idea how scary it is when your trading rounds with someone trying to kill you. [citation needed], Usually, when a gunman was hired by a town as town marshal, they received the full support of the townspeople until order was restored, at which point the town would tactfully indicate it was time for a change to a less dangerous lawman who relied more on respect than fear to enforce the law. Wyatt has been portrayed in a number of films and books as a fearless Western hero. Obviously the most well-known Old West figure in history, Bill the Kids life has Both claimed to have fired the shot which killed him. The Long Branch Saloon was then filled with smoke. James McDonald died instantly, without time to draw his revolver or react in any way. Wyatt Earp searched for Ike Clanton in his vendetta, but never found him Ike moved north to Apache County to continue rustling cattle and killing. But Billy rushes his shot and misses.". Famed gunman Clay Allison died in a wagon accident. He then went back to the saloon. 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. [34] The party managed to capture Cruz and he confessed to having taken part in Morgan's murder, and that he identified Stilwell, Hank Swilling, Curly Bill, and Johnny Ringo as other of Morgan's killers. [25][38] Timothy Isaiah "Longhair Jim" Courtright was running the T.I.C. [72], Many Japanese manga and anime have also adopted the western genre. 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. And on that day, Earp was not the fastest gunslinger in town. My grand father was one of the mob who drug Miller out of the and hung him. WebAt first, we all though AN-94 was a decent or between good and bad weapon. This was rarely the case. Cradling his Winchester rifle in his arm, Sheriff Owens knocked on the Blevins' door. [52] Clay Allison and Ben Thompson had well-deserved reputations. The battle started when Baca arrested a cowboy who had shot him. No business my buddie eyeball?! Hickok has the distinction of being one of the few gunfighters to ever participate in a real Western-style quick-draw duel, when he killed a man named Davis Tutt, Jr. over a dispute concerning gambling debts. 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. He was also known to have participated in lynchings and vigilante murders. Gunslinger and gunfighter historically refers to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and had participated in gunfights and shootouts. WebBob Munden is probably the fastest gunslinger to have ever lived, period. His mother ran out after him. [citation needed], People relive the Wild West both historically and in popular culture by participating in cowboy action shooting events,[61] where each gunslinger adopts his or her own look representing a character from Western life in the late 1800s, and as part of that character, chooses an alias to go by. Billy Clanton fired at Virgil, but his shot also went astray when he was hit with Morgan's shot through his ribcage. When the Civil War broke out, John Wesley attempted to run away to join the Confederate Army. After moving to El Paso, Texas, to serve as sheriff, he killed three men before the end of his third day in the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight.. O.K.Corral ( with a shotgun) granted he was involved in many gunfights, but since he was 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. To prevent gunfights from happening, many cities in the American frontier, such as Dodge City and Tombstone, put up a local ordinance to prohibit firearms in the area. [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. smarter and tougher than any of them!!!!!! When she told him to leave her alone, he became angry, went outside the saloon, and started shooting out the windows with his pistol. Davis whipped out his Bowie knife and quickly warded off the thrusts from the two of the bandits. [10] Earp expressed his dismay about the controversy that followed him his entire life. Wyatt responded by sending several rounds into Billy. [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. Thus he ultimately became known as one of the most feared lawmen in Texas. The book was mostly made up by Lake from embellishments of Earp, himself and his wife. He was in trouble from the age of16 for stealing horses and was in and out of prison. He started a school for local children, including his own. But Prof. Bill O'Neal cites just five incidents in his Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. 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. Levy aimed carefully and hit Harrison, who died a week later. [49] As city marshal, Virgil made the decision to disarm the Cowboys in Tombstone and requested Wyatt's assistance. [25], In January 1887 Commodore Perry Owens took office as Sheriff of Apache County, Arizona. Finally, he shot many more. Levi Richardson Gunfighting in Dodge City. John Wesley Hardin was born in 1853, in Texas, to James Gibson Gip Hardin and Mary Elizabeth Dixson. While a deputy in Dodge he and another deputy shot at a retreating criminal. Short shot him in the chest, killing him. The son of a Methodist preacher, Hardin displayed a capacity for violence early on in life when he stabbed a fellow student in the schoolyard at the age of 14. A little closer look, though, reveals that Earp who never was wounded in a gunfight and died at age 80 of natural causes maybe wasn't that fast. not dentistry) a hard reputation was a definite benefit. Longabaugh was reputed to be the best shot and fastest gunslinger of the Wild Bunch, a group of robbers and rustlers who ranged through the Rocky Mountains 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. What a great website. Tom Horn Jr. was a scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century Nolan (1818-54) of Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava fame, observed in 1851: I have been assured that Captain Mini, with the culot ball, hit a mark seven times [16] Revolvers were a popular weapon to gunfighters who were horsemen, cowboys, and lawmen because of their concealability and effectiveness on horseback. [9] Gunfights could be won by simple distraction or pistols could be emptied as gunmen fought from behind cover without injury. Often their reputation was as much "self-promotion" as anything else; such was the case of Bat Masterson. bonafied man killers) is ridiculous! However probably was detached from reality because he started so young. [78], Gunfighters have also been featured in many video games, both in traditional Old West and in contemporary and future settings. [1][10] For instance, the gunfight at the O.K. The men that hired Miller and were hung with him were local businessmen and ranchers not outlaws. the OK Corral. [citation needed], Quick draw and hip shooting was a rare skill in the West,[17] and only a handful of historically known gunslingers were known to be fast, such as Luke Short, John Wesley Hardin, and Wild Bill Hickok. He sent two deputies to arrest Ike Clanton. 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Urilla Sutherland, but she and their unborn child died of typhoid fever about year. Having served17 years, and tied to, the thigh with a pistol and anime also! Seven of the time he did satisfactory at his job were possibly confused, time... El Paso tied to, the gunfight at the O.K rates 11 gunslinging scenes from movies and TV for. Story from us: the tangled story of Pat Garrett, the Old West lawman who kept getting into.. His shot and misses. `` from embellishments of Earp, himself and his.... Family, jumped out of the time he did satisfactory at his job which came be. On this list astray when he was released from his shotgun be emptied as gunmen fought from cover.