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. Posted on 12/14/2017 9:42:11 AM PST by w1n1
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.
Gunfighters range from different occupations including lawman, outlaw, cowboy, exhibitionists and duelist, but are more commonly synonymous to a hired gun who made a living with his weapons in the Old West. Here are the top 10 real-life deadly gunslingers from the wild west era.
Tom Horn Jr.
was a scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century American Old West.
Horn allegedly killed his first man in a duel — a second lieutenant in the Mexican Army, whom he killed as a result of a dispute with a prostitute.
Billy the Kid
was an American Old West gunfighter who participated in the New Mexico Territory’s Lincoln County War of 1878. He is known to have killed eight men.
He was portrayed as a cold-blooded killer, history shows that he actually entered a life of crime out of necessity, not meanness.
According to historians people who knew him called him brave, resourceful, loyal, and possessing a remarkable sense of humor.
Doc Holliday
was an American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist, and a good friend of Wyatt Earp. He is best known for his role as a temporary deputy marshal in the events leading up to and following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
After being diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 15, he took up gambling and acquired a reputation as a deadly gunman.
He rode with Wyatt Earp during the infamous ‘Vendetta Ride’, and is known to have killed no less than 10 men.
Wyatt Earp
was an American Old West gambler, a deputy sheriff in Pima County, and deputy town marshal in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, who took part in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which lawmen killed three outlaw cowboys. Considered one of the most famous lawman of all time and an accomplished gunslinger.
Curly Bill Brocius
was a gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of the Arizona Territory during the early 1880s.
Brocius had a number of conflicts with the lawmen of the Earp family, and he was named as one of the individuals who participated in Morgan Earp’s assassination. Read the rest and complete list of the 10 deadly gunslingers of the wild west here.
Where’s John Wesley Hardin? He killed more men in personal combat during gunfights than anyone else in the Old West.
It is said that my great grandfather was given plenty of "personal space" because of this notorious escort.
We used to think this was a cock and bull story, but recently the story somehow got corroborated. Details escape me.
Knew Cousin Jesse would make the list.
One old family story is Frank James would come at night to visit with great grandpa. Great grandma wouldn’t allow him in her house so they’d have to visit outside.
I just finished john Wesley Hardin’s book. He was truly a bad SOB. He should be in the top 5 at the least. He alone had 27 confirmed kills and 43 total. In 1895 He was only 47 when he was shot in the back of the head by John Selman Sr. While standing at a bar .In return Selman was killed by US Marshal George Scarborough in 1896
You are right about that omission. Another would be Luke Short. Out dandyfied has buddy Bat Masterson.
Cool story. I had a Great uncle (Sylvester “Ves” Akers) who served under Quantrill during the civil war. Another who served with Ves under Quantrill was Frank James (Jesse came along a few years into the war as he was just a teenager). Uncle Ves and Frank were very close during the war and both were with Quantrill in Kentucky when Quantrill was killed at the end of the war. I could write a book on Ves and his adventures as he was one of the main Post-war sources for historians concerning the war time exploits of William Quantrill. Unlike a few liberal shitheads in my family, I am 100% proud of all of these men and will forever be grateful for Clint Eastwood's accurate portrayal of the Missouri-Kansas Border War in The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Agreed. This list is more derived from someone’s addiction to movie westerns. John Wesley Hardin should be there.
Notable names not in the list : Bill Tighlman out of Wichita and Johnny Ringo. Mysterious Dave Mather out of Las Vegas, New Mexico and of course my great, great uncles out of Abique, NM who founded Georgia O’Keefe’s Ghost Ranch.
Ask my why it’s called The Ghost Ranch. . .
Ok. Why is it called The Ghost Ranch?
John ‘’Doc’’ Holliday was a failed dentist and invenerate gambler. He was also a violent alcoholic. Far from being champions of justice men like the Earp’s, Bat Masterson and others were really men who played both sides of what could be considered the law in the 19 century and by today’s standards none of them would ever be fit to be a law enforcement officer.
Do Tell,
DO TELL!
Sorta like Mueller’s crew.
I don’t know about the meanest, but the fastest gun most Arizonans write about was an Arizona Ranger named Kidder. He was shot in the back and killed while having a drink in Naco, Arizona.
My great great uncles were notorious horse thieves and killers who murdered many innocent folks traveling thru that part of the country and I suppose especially that / their ranch - according to my Uncle who is the former editor of the Denver Post - one of the brothers was finally hanged for an attempt on the life of the governor of Colorado (territory)
King Fisher was the leader of a notorious band of outlaws in the Nueces Strip of S. Texas next to the Mexican Border. Acciused of rape, robbery, murder, rustling, he had political control of a wide swath of S. Texas. He was killed in an ambush in a salooon in San Antonio with another famous gunfigher of the day, his friend Ben Thompson.
IOW, Luke didn’t make the short list.
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