Wild Bill and his '60 Armies???

[Claypipe]

July 12, 1861, David C. McCanles, Harper's Weekly reported that Hickok was said to have killed 10 men at Rock Creek Station all by himself. I came across a supposed photo of David C. McCanles, he looks quite the character. The caption says that he was unarmed at the time of his death. It was said that Hickok was hiding behind a calico curtain at the time.

http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=29247

July 21, 1865, Davis Tutt, shot through the heart, while standing sideways.

1869, Bill Mulvey - Headshot, Distracted oppoent with ruse
"Wild Bill had aimed his six-shooter and fired – just once. Mulvey dropped from his horse – dead, the bullet having penetrated his temple and then passed through his head.""

September 27, 1869, Samuel Strawhun - Headshot
"Strawhun died instantly from a bullet through the head as Hickok "tried to restore order.""

July 17, 1870, John Kile - took a day to die, also shot Jerry Lonergan in the knee cap.

October 5, 1871, "Phil" Coe - Gut Shot, two days to die. accidently shoots deputy Mike Williams, Last man Hickok ever kills.

Custer was impressed by Hickok and later wrote of him: "Whether on foot or on horseback he was one of the most perfect types of physical manhood I ever saw. Of his courage there could be no question. His skill in the use of the rifle and the pistol was unerring. His deportment was entirely free from all bluster and bravado. He never spoke of himself unless requested to do so. His conversation never bordered on the vulgar or blasphemous. His influence among the frontiersmen was unbounded; his word was law; and many are the personal quarrels and disturbances which he had checked among his comrades by the single announcement that 'this has gone far enough,' if need be, followed by the ominous warning that, if persisted in, the quarreler 'must settle with me....' Wild Bill always carried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of large size. He was never seen without them. I have a personal knowledge of at least half a dozen men whom he has at various times killed, others have been seriously wounded-yet he always escaped unhurt in every encounter."

Could Custer be referring to a brace of 1860's?

It has been repeatedly stated that Wild Bill emptied his revolvers daily to reload them. Personally, I think it was more than to insure that they fired when needed. I have to wonder if it was to keep his instinctive shots sharp. Practice enough, and a handgun becomes an extention of yourself.

Just my opinion, mind ya.
CP

[royal barnes]

There are two pistols in the Deadwood Museum which have been directly attributed to Hickok. One is a Colt Army .44 conversion and the second is a Smith .44 Russian. The one existing engraved '51 Navy with his name engraved on the backstrap was, for years, suspect and may still be. It is in a different museum. Hickok probably owned a number of firearms during his lifetime and no one has ever proven what he was carrying at the time of his death. Hickok, by contemporary accounts, was almost blind from syphillis. He may not have been carrying anything. His reputation as a dangerous gunman was based to a certain extent on self promotion just like Earp and others.

[Slowhand Bob]

Claypipe, I once had an old magazine put out by Dixie Gunworks and one issue had an excellent article on the Tutt affair.  If memory serves me correctly the salvation for Wild Bill was the testimony of a female but I can not remember much else.  I will try to go through some of my old junk and look for the article as time permits and perhaps others here have the old back issue of which I speak?  I made reference earlier to the guys like WBH and how much they seemed to travel back then, bouncing from town to town and my idea is that they seldom would have accumulated much in the way of personal possessions, including guns.  I'm not much of a researcher but I do wonder how Hickock would have travelled after becoming somewhat a living legend, by train or perhaps stage?  I doubt he would have travelled much as a lone horseman in later life?   

[Tame Bill]

The original Coroner's Inquest Report into the death of Davis K. Tutt at the hands of James B. Hickok was located in the early 1990's. Its re-discovery was due largely to the late Delbert Bishop, Archivist of the Greene County Archive. He was assisted by Robert Neumann, who is the current Archivist of the Greene County, and between them they discovered many documents relative to Hickok and others, but the most important find was the Coroner's Inquest record. Robert Neumann provided me with a complete photo copy of this document and another Hickok related court record 5 years ago.

It destroyed the credibility of many of the old-timers whose prolific "recollections" had enthralled readers of the local press or others for more than a hundred years. For not only did it set the record straight, but the report divulged that witnesses claimed that neither Hickok nor Tutt wanted the fight, and it is still a matter of conjecture why Dave pulled his pistol on Hickok.

Witnesses stated that friends of both men had spent some hours during the morning and afternoon of July 21 trying to persuade Dave to accept Hickok's version of events, and one reported that Hickok said that he would rather have a fight with any man on earth rather than Dave for "you have accommodated me more than any man in town for I have borrowed money from you time and again, and we have never had any dispute before in our settlement." Tutt agreed and said that he did not want any trouble either, but after a drink he left and later appeared outside the Court House prepared to cross the square. Hickok then urged him not to, but Dave set off, both men turned side on and pulled their revolvers and fired. Both shots sounding like one", according to several of the witnesses. Dave missed, but Hickok's ball went through his heart.

A doctor examined Tutt's body and declared that the ball from Hickok's pistol had entered at his fifth rib on the right side and exited through the fifth rib on the left, passing through his heart. This confirmed that Tutt was standing sideways on, or dueling fashion, when he and Hickok fired. By actual measurement, based upon old city maps, they were 75 yards apart when they opened fire, which means that Hickok's shot was either very lucky, or his reputation as a marksman was not ill-founded. The distance between both men when they opened fire has proved controversial, but it should be pointed out that the Colt's Navy revolvers used by Hickok and others were accurate at up to 200 yards, but were rarely fired in anger at that distance!

Hickok was arrested and charged with murder, but the charge was reduced to manslaughter. A number of his friends put up his $2,000 bail and the trial was set for August 5th, His Hon. Judge Sempronius Hamilton Boyd Presiding. Hickok's defense attorney was Col. John S. Phelps who had known and employed him during the late War.

The prosecutor, R. W. Fyan, urged the jury to find Hickok guilty as the aggressor, but in his summing up, the judge pointed out that Tutt had made threats against Hickok and "was a fighting character." He also noted that he was "a dangerous man," and Hickok's plea of self-defense had to be considered because no man should be expected to stand with his arms folded without offering some resistance. The jury agreed and took only ten minutes to accept Hickok's plea of self-defense, and found him not guilty and he was discharged.

A number of points remain unanswered even with the help of the Coroner's findings. Tutt, only a day before the shooting, had been in court charged with illegal gambling some months before, and fined $100 dollars. Unable to pay his fine, Tutt was jailed, but Thomas Martin, Hickok's erstwhile scouting "mate" in the War, paid his fine and he was released. This indicates that Dave was in need of money before the fateful card game. But for reasons only he knew, Tutt did not disclose this fact to Hickok. In view of their previous relationship, Hickok would most probably have helped him. Rather, he kept quiet perhaps because of pride or some other reason now lost to history. What should have only been a minor disagreement between friends turned into a tragic confrontation that ended in a gunfight.

Sources:
Joseph G. Rosa - Noted Hickok authority
Robert Neumann - Archivist of the Greene County Archive

[Slowhand Bob]

Tame Bill, did the report give any actual information on the pistols used by the two men?  In the few shootings I have read of that had surviving court records some did contain information on the guns used, including actual serial numbers.  Didn't WB surrender immediately, which would have made the gun used available for  records?

[St. George]

Unlike today's procedures - the law didn't always keep track of serial numbers back then, and there certainly wasn't a database.

Often, confiscated guns became the property of the town Sheriff and were sold for additional income.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Slowhand Bob]

I would rather think that in the near future someone will find another old court document that will settle the one argument, as to what Tutt was shot with.  I think a lot of people do not like to see the old legends unveiled but it just might go a long ways towards nailing down the proof that perhaps WBH did not pick the older Navy model as his first choice in weapons.

I did a search for the Black Powder Annual magazine as put out by Dixie Gun Works and I fear that the particular one I wanted just might be like those old court records, lost to history.  I was only able to find two of the old back issues and the Hickock article was not in either of those.  I did find a fairly large box of the old Muzzle Loaders (Times?) magazines with some really old dates.  These were back when I loved the idea of the early pre-mountain man explorers and trappers (Long Hunters).

[FriscoCounty]

Custer was impressed by Hickok and later wrote of him: "...' Wild Bill always carried two handsome ivory-handled revolvers of large size. He was never seen without them. ..."

Could Custer be referring to a brace of 1860's?

1851's would be large size revolvers, too.  For small size, think Colt 1849, S&W No 1, S&W No 2, or derringers.

[wildman1]

If the Dragoons are large size what are the Walkers?

[Steel Horse Bailey]

If the Dragoons are large size what are the Walkers?

Larger.  


The Dragoon is simply the "Improved Walker" with a slightly shorter cylinder and 1 1/2" shorter barrel.  Same size grip (roughly) and basic frame, if I recall.  (I have a 1st Mod. Dragoon, but not a Walker.  Unfortunately.)  Some other small differences like the loading lever latch (es) and wood, plus the cylinder locking recesses, and ... well, you know.

And a few extra ounces.

[wildman1]

The Dragoons I've seen have a shorter barrel than a Walker. You're saying the Dragoon has an eleven inch barrel? The Walkers are nine inch. WM

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Wildman ... Oops!

I've changed my post to make my statement correct.  I meant that the Dragoon barrel IS  shorter.

Sorry!  Glad you caught that quickly which gave me a chance to correct!

[St. George]

In the parlance of the day, there were:

Pocket Pistols - 1849 Colt

Belt Pistols - 1851 Navy - 1860 Army

Saddle Pistols - 1848 Dragoon and 1847 Walker.

In reading the account  - it'd be a fair bet that the one who penned it actually 'knew' what a Colt's Navy was...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Slowhand Bob]

WB, certainly used more than one gun, or even one pair, during his post-war life.  The incident listed below also supports the idea that the most famous pair of pistols linked to him were Army models.  It seems that when I see what was supposed to be first hand accounts, we are coming up with Army model Colts while the generic modern accounts of his life always refer to the famous pair of ivory handled Navy models.  At any rate, the below account supposedly took place between the time frame of the Tutt killing and the McCcanles shootings and everything I have read indicates that a shotgun was used to kill McCanles.  Take into account the constant rumors of a Dragoon being used in the Tutt  shooting and I begin to think there is as much evidence to support .44s as his caliber of choice as there is .36s.  Anyone have links to information concerning the the pair of .36s that were credited to him?  I doubt that it would ever happen but one would think there might be some evidence indicating whether that pair of Colts, mentioned below, ever left the factory??  The famous museum pair that apparently established the popular Navy theory, what about factory records on those?


"A short time later Hickok left Troy Hills to guide Senator Henry S. Wilson's party of politicians and their wives on a tour of the plains. After five weeks the Wilson party returned to Fort Hays. The senator, chairman of the powerful Military Affairs Committee and the secret lover of Rose O'Neal Greenhow, the glamorous Confederate spy, is said to have paid Hickok five hundred dollars and gave him a gift of a brace of ivory handled, custom-made army Colts, the famous "white-handled guns" he wore for the rest of his days."*

*http://www.jcs-group.com/oldwest/saints/hickok3.html

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I kinda wondered as I have not seen but one Dragoon, that was in Cabelas and it was right alongside the two Walkers I bought, I was wonderin if maybe they DID have longer barrels and that one was an anomaly. I spend more time out shootin than I do in stores etc. WM

More time shooting than looking is good, Wild 1!


As to Wild Bill and his guns, anyone with ANY sense of logic would know that a man like him, in the profession he chose, and with his experiences would have had numerous guns over time.  I've heard about the 1860s he "owned" (supposedly) and a pair of Army 1873s as well,  (supposedly) along with various long guns.  I believe easily that he owned at LEAST these guns.  The 1851s he carried were so special with their engraving and ivory grips and may simply have been his favourite guns ... or his personal "barbecue guns."  In 1876, having a pair of Army 45s would have been a bit irregular, since they weren't available - generally - for civilian use until the late 1870s according to factory records.  99.9% of all those 1873s went to equip the Army, so a normal civilian probably wouldn't have had one, let alone a pair.

BUT ... Wild Bill was NOT your "normal" civilian.  He had ties to the Army.  He was a big name.  I can easily believe that the 1873 Army guns, as well as 1860s and other guns he "supposedly"  had were indeed his.

Yer mileage may vary.

[Henry4440]

  In 1876, having a pair of Army 45s would have been a bit irregular, since they weren't available - generally - for civilian use until the late 1870s according to factory records.  99.9% of all those 1873s went to equip the Army, so a normal civilian probably wouldn't have had one, let alone a pair.

I read that by the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000 was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civil market.

[Lefty Dude]

Most of the far Western towns were off the beaten path, so to speak. Cartridge's were sometimes hard- to-come by. Cap and Ball were more easily to find components.

The Henry rifle rounds were availabe in a 44 RF cartridge. I doubt the 73, 44-40 Rifle rounds were in great supply in many towns. 45 colt ammo would be mighty tough to find in the mid-to -late 1870's.

Since WB practiced every day, C&B would be his choice at the time.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I read that by the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000 was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civil market.

Lone Henry, I don't know for sure.  What I read - and I can't remember where so it must be considered an opinion since I can't PROVE it - was that the 1873 Colt wasn't generally available ... except from the "deserter's black-market sales," until 1878.  12,500 seems to be an awfully small number, but the Army WAS certainly smaller.

I think St. George may have some better production figures than I do and can help clear this up.  The Peacemaker book by R.L. Wilson states that the 1873 contract for the first Army purchase was for 8,000 guns.  Over 17 years, the various contracts amounted to 35,000 guns. (p.116)  In the Colt book, also by Wilson shows on p.368 that by the end of 1875, 15,000 guns in 45 Colt had been produced, but only 200 by the end of 1874.  It wasn't until 1878 that the 44-40 version was introduced "in quantity" and by then, 41,000 had been produced.  That is all the hard evidence I have, and from the way I heard it, it wasn't until the 44-40 guns were out that civilians could get a Colt Model P, or the other various names for the Peacemaker.

[FriscoCounty]

FriscoCounty,

Don't you think the Dragoons would be considered the large size revolvers?
SM

As St. George noted. Dragoons ( and Walkers ) weren't pistols you carried on your person on a regular basis.  Whenever I have read an account of WB using a Dragoon, it would note that he had borrowed it from someone.  This says to me that he didn't own one.

As for whether he generally carried 51s or 60s, that would more likely be a matter of preference.  I prefer the feel of a 51's grip and find I am more accurate with them as a result.  The 60 is a slightly larger pistol, but mainly as a result of the larger grip and slightly fatter cylinder.  The frame is basically the same.

[Slowhand Bob]

Frisco, I have a pair of the bastardized Pietta Navy pistols in .44 and consider them to be at least equal to the feel of the standard Navy model.  The Colt Navy grip from Pietta is probably my favorite grip and the Navy or Army grip frame hang/balance from it equally well.  I have no later repro Colt versions to compare to but do feel the Pietta grip feels slightly better to me than does the Uberti, perhaps in my head?