Bloody Beaver

In the year 1842, a sickly 19-year-old named William T. Hamilton embarked on a journey to the Rocky Mountains accompanied by famed frontiersman Old Bill Williams. Over the course of the next several decades, Hamilton worked as a fur trapper, trader, lawman, guide, hunter, and scout. He’d ride with other notable figures such as George Armstrong Custer and General George Crook, take part in numerous engagements with hostiles, travel the west extensively, and finally – as a very old man – write a book titled My Sixty Years On The Plains: Trapping, Trading, and Indian Fighting. It's not too often on The Wild West Extravaganza that we hear from first-hand accounts but that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. Join me as Mr. Hamilton talks of leaving St. Louis and falling in with the fur trappers, of their encounters with Kiowa and Cheyenne and he describes, in glorious detail, taking part in a buffalo hunt. And, just as a bonus, if you’ve ever thought about making pemmican, Hamilton gives a pretty detailed reci

This is part 2 in a two-part series. Please check out the link below for the first installment. And please check out the book Cherokee Bill: Black Cowboy Indian Outlaw by Art Burton! Cherokee Bill, notorious outlaw of the Indian Territory, met his fate on March 17, 1896, when he was executed at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Following his death, his family took his body to Fort Gibson and buried him at the Cherokee National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, known today as the Citizens Cemetery of Fort Gibson. And less than a year following the execution, Bill’s young brother Clarence squared things up with Ike Rogers, the former Deputy who betrayed and captured Cherokee Bill. Also mentioned in this episode: Hanging Judge Isaac Parker, Henry Starr, The Harder They Fall, Johnny Cash, and Frank Canton.   Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wil

Despite his young age, Cherokee Bill’s boldness and audacity surpassed that of many outlaws on the Western frontier, making him a truly exceptional badman. What set Bill apart, first and foremost, was his status as an African American residing in the Indian Territory. Additionally, he was a Native American and a member of the Cherokee Nation through his mother’s lineage, making his background all the more unique. And when Bill joined forces with the Cook brothers, he displayed a fatalistic mindset, seemingly expecting to meet his demise at every turn and leaving a trail of dead men in his wake. Many of the desperados who aligned themselves with the Cook gang during the summer of 1894 came to an early grave, Cherokee Bill included. And when asked if he had any final words his reply was “I came here to die, not make a speech.”   Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee

John “Liver Eating” Johnson was the inspiration behind 1972’s Jeremiah Johnson but the real man’s life was even more extraordinary than portrayed on film. Johnson/Johnstone was a sailor, soldier, fur trapper, prospector, scout, Indian fighter, and lawman. Sometimes a good guy, sometimes a bad guy, and always larger than life. Dubbed "Liver-Eating" due to a chilling tale of vengeance, he allegedly killed Crow warriors and consumed their livers, but are these stories true? Later in his life, Johnston assumed the role of constable in Coulson, Montana, and served as a town marshal in Red Lodge. However, his journey came to an end in 1900 when he passed away in a veteran's hospital in Los Angeles. Decades later his remains would be relocated to Cody, Wyoming, where they now rest alongside other legendary figures of the Old West.  Top of Form Top of FormCheck out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! htt

On September 4th, 1886, the mighty Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to the U.S. Army. The last American Indian warrior to formally surrender to the United States. And with him, so went the Indian Wars. The buffalo were gone, the railroads and churches were here to stay, and the wild west was – for the most part – over. But what if I were to tell you that not all of the Apache surrendered and that there were a few holdouts that not only continued to live free but continued to make war with their enemies as well? For the next 45 years! This is the true story of the last of the free and wild Apache.   Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza   Book Re

Just a few days following the death of Billy the Kid a newspaper out of Las Vegas, New Mexico reported that they had, in their possession, the notorious bandit’s severed trigger finger. Others claimed to have Billy’s skull, and clumps of his hair, and one scoundrel was even peddling a skeleton he declared to be the recently deceased Billy Bonney. How true were these claims? Was Pat Garrett telling the truth when he declared that Billy the Kid was buried fully intact at Fort Sumner? And is Bonney still resting at Fort Sumner undisturbed? And how do we know where he’s actually buried, anyway?    Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza   Book Recommenda

Tascosa, Texas, in those turbulent times of the 1880s, epitomized lawlessness and chaos. It was a place where legends were born, and outlaws roamed freely. The echoes of Billy the Kid's footsteps still reverberated through its dusty streets, mingling with the shadowy presence of Dave Rudabaugh, John Selman, Henry Newton Brown, Charlie Siringo, and countless other fabled figures who had left their indelible mark on the annals of the Old West. And by the time of the “Big Fight” aka the Gunfight at Jenkins Saloon, Tascosa was still as wild as ever. The LS Ranch, located on the outskirts, harbored a band of ex-Rangers whose reputations preceded them. These LS boys were known for their heavy-handedness and soon were bestowed with the moniker of barroom gladiators. It all came to a head on the fateful day of March 21st, 1886. It was then that Ed King, a bona fide barroom gladiator, rendezvoused with his paramour and dance-hall gal, Sally Emory, just beyond the threshold of Jenkins Saloon. Unbeknownst to King, Sally

Al Swearengen was the notorious owner of Deadwood’s Gem Theatre, which quickly became one of the boom town's most popular entertainment venues. Swearengen’s business practices, however, were far from ethical. He coerced desperate women into becoming prostitutes, often through bullying and physical violence, and wasn’t exactly gentle with the menfolk, either. Despite the Gem Theater burning down in 1879 as part of a larger fire that destroyed much of Deadwood, Swearengen was undeterred. He rebuilt the Gem even bigger and better than before only to have it burn again 5 years later.  Once again, Swearengen rebuilt the Gem, but you can’t stop what’s coming. After a series of setbacks and lawsuits, the theatre caught fire a final time, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Swearengen eventually left Deadwood for Colorado, but his body was found near a streetcar track in Denver a few years later. The cause of his death was never determined, leaving open the possibility of foul play.   Check out the website for m

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your family. An old adage that the 33rd President of the United States Harry S. Truman knew all too well. Every family has that one black sheep, right? In the case of the Trumans, that shameful distinction fell on James John Chiles, aka Jim Crow Chiles, Harry’s Uncle by marriage; a violent Missouri Bushwhacker who fought alongside Bloody Bill Anderson and Jesse James described by author David G. McCullough as universally hated and the stuff of children’s nightmares. And believe it or not, Chiles got the nickname Jim Crow due to his talent as a dancer. Minstrel dancing, to be precise.  Apparently in the 1830s and 1840’s there was a popular white entertainer by the name of Thomas Dartmouth Rice who performed a song-and-dance routine in blackface while mimicking African Americans. The persona he put on during his act was known as Jim Crow. Rice went on tours all over the country, even in England, and it wasn’t long before “Jim Crow” was jus

One of the more memorable characters from Young Guns 1 and 2 was Chavez y Chavez, portrayed by the talented Lou Diamond Philips. And yes, Chavez was real! He was a constable in San Patricio and an ally of the Tunstall McSween faction during the Lincoln County War. Jose was a full participant in the troubles, and he was present during the Battle of Lincoln, making a getaway from the burning McSween home right alongside Billy the Kid. But who was Jose Chavez y Chavez really? Was he a Navajo as popularly believed? And how did he become a hired assassin? Also discussed in this episode is Chavez’s encounter with Bob Ford and the other Regulators and friends of Billy the Kid, guys like Henry Newton Brown, George and Frank Coe, Ab Saunders, John Middleton, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, and more! I also give my opinion on what really happened there at Fort Sumner on the night of Billy’s alleged death and discuss The Kid’s “body count”.    Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West! https://www.wildweste

Josiah "Doc" Scurlock was a poet, philosopher, intellectual, and a hardened killer long before he ever met Billy the Kid. A mysterious past in Mexico, rumors of dead men from New Orleans to Texas, a penchant for vigilantism, and several close calls with the hostile Natives all made Doc a man to be both feared and respected. However, it was the trials he would face after the Lincoln County War that made Scurlock the man his family would remember.  Also discussed: J.J. Dolan, John Riley, Billy Campbell, John Kinney & Jesse Evans. Blood on the Saddle: The Life of Doc Scurlock - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084DG17FT?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=B084DG17FT&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin   Check out the website for more true tales from the old west https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon fo

By 1880 The Kid was not only being hunted by Sheriff Pat Garrett and the Texas Panhandle Stock Association, but the federal authorities as well. He’d be arrested, sentenced to hang, and then make one of the most daring escapes of the Old West. Little did Billy know how numbered his days truly were. In this final chapter of the Billy the Kid series, we’ll delve into the gritty details of the standoff at White Oaks, the Stinking Springs standoff, the daring escape from the Lincoln jail, the shotgun full of dimes rumor, and more! This is part 5 in a series of 5. Links below for the previous 4 installments.   Check out the Wild West Extravaganza website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   Billy the Kid pt 1 | Orphan - https://www.wil

This is part four in the series on Billy the Kid. See the links below for the previous three installments.  In the aftermath of the Battle of Lincoln, Billy and the Regulators sought to acquire much-needed horses by striking the Mescalero Reservation. Although successful, they left a man dead in their wake; a killing ultimately pinned on The Kid. Moving on to Fort Sumner, they drove a herd of stolen Chisum horses to the Texas Panhandle, after which many of Billy's friends decided to call it quits. This left The Kid as the undisputed leader of those who remained. Over the next year, Billy attempted to make peace with his old enemy, J.J. Dolan, but their short-lived truce was shattered when Dolan murdered Susan McSween's lawyer. Seeking amnesty, The Kid offered to testify for the new governor, Lew Wallace, in return for a pardon, but his enemies went free and the pardon never came. Still a wanted man, Billy returned to stealing cattle – and killing – as his reputation continued to grow. It wasn’t long before on

Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory was the setting of a brutal conflict between rival factions vying for control of the county's dry goods and cattle interests. The Lincoln County War, as it came to be known, began in 1878 and persisted until 1881, a time of lawlessness and bloodshed in the Old West. One side of the feud was led by James Dolan, a powerful figure who wielded a monopoly over dry goods through his establishment "The House". The other faction was established by English-born John Tunstall and his partner Alexander McSween, who opened their own competing store with support from established cattleman John Chisum. Both sides gathered lawmen, businessmen, and criminal gangs to their aid, setting the stage for a violent and deadly confrontation. The Dolan faction was aligned with Sheriff William J. Brady and supported by the notorious Jesse Evans Gang. The Tunstall-McSween faction organized their own armed posse, the Lincoln County Regulators, with their own lawmen in the form of town constable Richa

Is the croquet photo legit? Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   Croquet Photo | CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2015/10/15/living/billy-the-kid-photo-feat/index.html   Identifying Old West Photos | Dan Buck - https://wildwesthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wwhajournal1809-adventures-in-wonderland.pdf   WSJ Facial Recognition Meets Its Match With Old West Photos WSJ | Parmy Olsen - https://www.wsj.com/articles/facial-recognition-software-old-west-outlaw-photos-11606922350?st=phdce06ntg07x9b&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink   The Croquet Kid | Mark Boardman - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-croquet-kid/   The Brutal Truth About Most Billy the Kid Wannabes | Bob

Fleeing a potential hangman’s noose in Arizona, Kid Antrim returns to New Mexico, taking on the alias William H. Bonney as he begins riding with the outlaw Jesse Evans and his Boys. The Kid would soon find legitimate work elsewhere, however, coming into the employ of English rancher John Tunstall just as tensions are at an all time high with the rival Murphy Dolan faction. Also discussed on this episode is the famous tintype and why it probably didn’t do The Kid justice. This is part 2 in the series on Billy the Kid. Link for the first installment below.   Part 1 | Orphan - https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-orphan/   Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest   Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/   Join Patreon for bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra   The Many Faces of Billy the Kid | True West Magazin

In the summer of 1881, Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The lawman had been on the hunt ever since Billy broke out of jail in the town of Lincoln and finally caught up to the bandit at Old Fort Sumner. It was around midnight, and Pat was waiting inside Pete Maxwell’s darkened bedroom when the Kid stepped in. “Quien es?” Billy asked, noticing the large shape looming in the shadows. “Who is it?” Pat answered in the form of two shots from his 44-40 colt revolver and just like that Billy the Kid was over. At least in his mortal form. His body may have been stuck ground the next day but can’t no pine box contain the legend that soon emerged. And make no mistake about it, over the decades that followed Billy the Kid has taken on mythical proportions unrivaled by any other character of the old west. But who was he REALLY?  In this episode we’ll take a look at the Kid’s origin story; what we know about his family and his early life. We’ll dive into Billy’s time in Silver City, his first brush

Just a short update. No new episode today but next week we’ll kick off the Billy the Kid series. In the meantime, check out some of these book recommendations and give a listen to a few of my friends! Topics include: Louis L’Amour, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, William W. Johnstone, Terry C. Johnston, rebelliousness, awesome YouTubers, mushrooms, western cinema, and vampires. Yeah, vampires.   Fiction Books | Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/2H6WTE0CNW87P?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d   11 Bang Bang featuring The Wild West Extravaganza - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0UYgXf78SM   11 Bang Bang YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZW1XuaZrR92BhXE09AOd5Q   Duke Frazier Productions – https://www.youtube.com/user/dukefrazier   Snapper’s Antique Firearms - https://www.youtube.com/@snappers_antique_firearms   To Be A Rebel Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/3MB010NPTevGamVDMF4kqW   Wrong Reel Podcast w/ David Lambert | Winchester ’73 - https://open.sp

Gold was discovered in Montana in 1862, ushering in a flood of prospectors straight through the heart of Lakota territory on a new road called the Bozeman trail, further straining tensions between settlers and Natives. Jim Bridger opened up his “Bridger’s Trail”, a much safer – and popular - alternative but the powers that be were dead set on erecting forts on the Bozeman. Violence erupted across the Great Plains as the Lakota, Arapaho, and Cheyenne took to the war path, vowing to drive the whites from their land forever. These new tensions saw Bridger return to military duty once again, first guiding the Army during the Powder River campaign and again as he led Colonel Carrington to the Bighorn country and establishing Fort Phil Kearny. Jim Bridger, now in his sixties, was still riding the prairie, rifle across the saddle, and still blazing new trails.   This is episode five and the last installment in this series on Jim Bridger. Links below for the previous four.  In this episode we’re going to explore the

In the 1850s, Jim Bridger put his extensive knowledge of the West to use by guiding wealthy adventurers, geological surveyors, and the U.S. military. Then, in 1862, the discovery of gold in Montana sparked yet another gold rush, leading thousands of prospectors to illegally trespass on Lakota and Cheyenne land via the Bozeman trail, resulting in violence. The Army intervened and hired Bridger once again as their guide. Additionally covered in this episode is the Mountain Meadows massacre, the Utah War, and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851.   This is part four in the Jim Bridger series. Links for the previous three installments below.   Check out my website for more true tales from the wild and woolly west! https://www.wildwestextra.com/     Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/     Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest     Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/     Join Patreon for bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra     Jim Bridger Pt 1 | Ashley’s 100