Page 64 - All About History - Issue 12-14

WYATT EARP’S WILD WEST

quickly his confirmation would reach Tombstone.
With the assassins still at large, the danger to all
of the Earps and their friends was at a critical
level. Luckily for Wyatt he soon received a return
telegram. In it, Dake officially bestowed deputising
powers on Wyatt and issued a mandate that he was
free to pursue the assassins.
Back at the Cosmopolitan, local doctor George E
Goodfellow amazingly announced that Virgil would
live, although his left arm would be permanently
crippled. Upon finally waking from his wound-
induced coma and being told about his crippled
arm, Virgil showed the characteristic Earp grit by
telling his wife Allie: “Never mind, I’ve got one arm
left to hug you with.”
While relieved that his brother had survived,
hatred for the assassins had begun to take hold
of Wyatt, with him thinking of little other than
revenge. He also knew who could help him get
it. His old ally Doc Holliday would ride with him,
as would his other brother Warren Earp, but for a
job like this he needed ruthless professionals. As
such, Sherman McMaster and Jack ‘Turkey Creek’
Johnson were first on his list; tough men who had The vendetta ride posse, June 1883. From left to right: WH
what it takes to kill a man. Joining McMaster and Harris, Luke Short, Bat Masterson and seated Charlie Bassett,
Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain and Neal Brown
Johnson would be Charles ‘Hairlip Charlie’ Smith
and John ‘Texas Jack’ Vermillion – men who had a
checkered past but experience of battle. “ Drawing his .44 Schofield Smith &
Three months passed after Virgil’s shooting with
no major activity. One of the Wild West’s greatest Wesson revolver from his holster,
lawmen hadn’t been idle, though, as by 18
March 1882, he had his posse gathered in Wyatt carefully aimed for Stilwell’s
Tombstone while his brother Virgil head and fired a single round”
was making his first tentative steps

1851-1887 1842-1911 1844-1898
A trained dentist, averous gambler and sharp- A close friend of Doc Holliday, Texas Jack was An experienced sailor and gambler, Dan Tipton
shooting gunfighter, Doc Holliday was one of renowned throughout the Old West for his was one of the people present when Wyatt
Wyatt Earp’s best and oldest friends, famously gunfighting abilities and ice cold demeanour Earp’s brother Morgan was assassinated at the
fighting with him at the Shoot-out at the OK when under fire. He played a key role in the Campbell & Hatch Billiard Parlor in Tombstone,
Corral. By the time of his death five years closing Iron Springs gunfight of the vendetta Arizona. He rode with Earp for the first part
after the vendetta ride, Holliday had survived ride, fighting fiercely and fearlessly even when of the vendetta ride, witnessing the gunning
eight gunfights, killed six men and wounded his horse was shot dead from under him down of outlaw Florentino Cruz at Pete
countless others. during the confrontation. Spence’s woodcamp.

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