Wild Bill Hickok

James Butler Hickok was a famous figure of the American Old West.

He is best known by his nickname, "Wild Bill." His life was defined by many different roles on the frontier. He worked as a soldier, a scout, and a lawman. He also spent time as a cattle rustler, a gambler, and an actor. Hickok earned a massive reputation during his lifetime. Much of this notoriety came from his involvement in many famous gunfights. However, his fame was also built on stories that were often exaggerated or even completely made up.

Hickok was born on May 27, 1837, in Homer, Illinois. His father, William Alonzo Hickok, was a farmer and an abolitionist. His father used the family house as a station on the Underground Railroad. This was a network used to help people escape slavery. James was the fourth of six children. He was recognized as an outstanding marksman with a pistol from a young age. Although some photos show him with dark hair, descriptions from that time say he had red hair. In 1855, at age 18, Hickok fled Illinois after a fight with a man named Charles Hudson. Both men fell into a canal during the fight. Each man mistakenly believed he had killed the other.

Hickok moved to the Kansas Territory in 1855. He joined Jim Lane's Free State Army, which was also known as the Jayhawkers. This was an antislavery vigilante group active during the "Bleeding Kansas" era. During this time, he met a young William Cody. Cody would later become the famous showman known as "Buffalo Bill." Hickok's early career included many different jobs. In 1859, he joined the Russell, Majors and Waddell freight company. This company was the parent company of the famous Pony Express. In 1860, while driving a freight team, Hickok was badly injured by a cinnamon bear. He claimed the bear attacked after a bullet ricocheted off its skull. The bear crushed his chest, shoulder, and arm. Hickok was bedridden for four months to recover from these injuries.

While recovering, Hickok worked as a stable hand at Rock Creek Station in the Nebraska Territory. On July 12, 1861, a man named David McCanles went to the station to demand a payment. McCanles reportedly threatened the station manager, Horace Wellman. Either Wellman or Hickok, who was hiding behind a curtain, killed McCanles. Two other men, James Wood and James Gordon, were also killed. Hickok and two others were tried for the killings. The jury found that they had acted in self-defense. After the trial, Hickok visited McCanles' widow. He apologized for the killing and gave her $35, which was all the money he had at the time.

During the American Civil War, Hickok served the Union army in several ways. He worked as a teamster and a wagon master in Missouri. He also served in Jim Lane's Kansas Brigade. While in the brigade, he was reunited with his friend Buffalo Bill Cody. In 1863, Hickok worked for the Springfield detective police in Missouri. His job included tracking people who owed money to the Union army. He also checked hotel liquor licenses and counted Union troops who were drinking while on duty. In 1865, Hickok was involved in a famous shootout in Springfield. He had a disagreement with a gambler named Davis Tutt over a gold watch.

On July 21, 1865, the two men had a quick-draw duel in the town square. Hickok's shot struck Tutt through the heart. Hickok was arrested for murder but the charge was reduced to manslaughter. A jury eventually cleared him of the charges.

Hickok also served as a scout during the Indian Wars. He sometimes worked for General George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry. In 1867, he was working as a scout at Fort Harker, Kansas. Witnesses said he was attacked by a large group of Indians on May 11. Hickok shot and killed two of the attackers, and the group fled. Later that year, Hickok became a deputy U.S. marshal in Hays City, Kansas. In March 1868, he arrested 11 Union deserters who had stolen government property. He requested a military escort from Fort Hays to bring the men to trial. This escort included Sergeant Buffalo Bill Cody and five privates.

Hickok's life ended in the Dakota Territory in 1876. He was playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood when he was shot and killed.

The man who killed him was Jack McCall, an unsuccessful gambler. At the moment of his death, Hickok was holding a specific hand of cards. He had two pairs: black aces and eights.

This hand became famous and is now called the "dead man's hand." Hickok remains a very important figure in frontier history. He has been shown in many books, films, and television shows. While historians often debate the truth of his many exploits, he remains a central character in the legends of the American West.