Wild Bill Hickok Gunfighter: An Account of Hickok’s Gunfights

James Butler Hickok generally called Wild Bill epitomized the archetypal gunfighter that half-man half-myth that became the heir to the mystique of the duelist when that method of resolving differences waned. . . . Easy access to a gun and whiskey coupled with gambling was the cause of most gunfights--few of which bore any resemblance to the gentlemanly duel of earlier times. . . . Hickoks gunfights were unusual in that most of them were fair fights not just killings resulting from rage jealousy over a woman or drunkenness. And the majority of his encounters were in his role as lawman or as an individual upholding the law.--from Wild Bill Hickok GunfighterWild Bill Hickok (18371876) was a Civil War spy and scout Indian fighter gambler and peace officer. He was also one of the greatest gunfighters in the West. His peers referred to his reflexes as phenomenal and to his skill with a pistol as miraculous. In Wild Bill Hickok Gunfighter Joseph G. Rosa the worlds foremost authority on Hickok provides an informative examination of Hickoks many gunfights.Rosa describes the types of guns used by Hickok and illustrates his use of the plains style of quick draw as well as examining other elements of the Hickok legend. He even reconsiders the infamous dead mans hand allegedly held by Hickok when he was shot to death at age thirty-nine while playing poker. Numerous photographs and drawings accompany Rosas down-to-earth text.