Young Guns
True West|July - August 2021
ARMED AND DANGEROUS ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER
Young Guns
Texas Ranger

Well-heeled and well-armed Private Frank L. Schmid joined the Texas Rangers in 1886 and was in Ranger Company D when he was shot in the line of duty on August 16, 1889. Unfortunately, he never fully recovered and died from complications from his wounds on June 17, 1893.

One-hundred and forty years ago, on July 14, 1881, Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid in Pete Maxwell’s bedroom at Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory. A little more than three months later, on October 26, Doc Holliday joined Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt Earp behind the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, and shot down Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury. In both legendary cases, young, hotblooded, well-armed men found themselves on the unenviable wrong end of the gun and the “don’t back down, stand and fight” Code of the American West.

But were these feuds emblematic of the day-to-day violence across the West in the frontier era of 1850 to 1920, a 70-year era that Western historian Richard Maxwell Brown calls “a period in which the violence of the region was not only heavy but destined to become an enduring aspect of the national mythology?” What cannot be debated, is that it was an era when men—and some women—went West well-armed and ready to fight for their honor and their cause. Little did those “young guns” know that their youthful bravado and day-to-day code of honor would become ingrained in our national history and mythology.

Charlie Bowdre

Taken in 1880 by Furlong of Las Vegas, New Mexico, this carte de visite was taken off Charlie Bowdre’s body by Pat Garrett (note the bloodstains). Charlie was about 32 at the time of his death.

Bad Boys

Bu hikaye True West dergisinin July - August 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye True West dergisinin July - August 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

TRUE WEST DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
FIREARMS COLT WALKER 47
True West

FIREARMS COLT WALKER 47

THE LEGENDARY HANDGUN THAT REALLY WON THE WEST

time-read
6 dak  |
January - February 2025
HERITAGE TRAVE
True West

HERITAGE TRAVE

THE AMERICAN WEST IN ALL ITS GLORY OUR ANNUAL FAVORITES LIST CELEBRATES DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

time-read
10 dak  |
January - February 2025
Wild Turkey, and Not the Drinkin' Kind
True West

Wild Turkey, and Not the Drinkin' Kind

The actual bird was a favorite of pioneers.

time-read
2 dak  |
January - February 2025
THE PASSION PROJECTS OF THE MODERN WESTERN
True West

THE PASSION PROJECTS OF THE MODERN WESTERN

A YEAR OF UNDERRATED EXCELLENCE

time-read
7 dak  |
January - February 2025
WESTERN BOOKS THEN AND NOW
True West

WESTERN BOOKS THEN AND NOW

THE STATE OF WESTERN HISTORY AND FICTION PUBLISHING IN 2024 IS ONE OF GRIT AND DETERMINATION.

time-read
5 dak  |
January - February 2025
SAMUEL WALKER VALIANT WARRIOR
True West

SAMUEL WALKER VALIANT WARRIOR

While a prisoner at the castle of Perote, Walker was put to work raising a flagpole. At the bottom of the hole, Walker placed a Yankee dime, vowing to someday come back and retrieve it, at the same time exacting revenge on his Mexican captors. In the summer of 1847, when Walker's mounted riflemen returned and routed Santa Anna's guerillas, the young captain kept his promise and got his dime back.

time-read
9 dak  |
January - February 2025
THE BATTLE OF CENTRALIA
True West

THE BATTLE OF CENTRALIA

ON September 27, 1864, Bloody Bill Anderson and about 80 men took over the small railroad village of Centralia, looting stores and discovering a barrel of whiskey that they hauled out into the street. Wild enough when sober, they soon were roaring drunk.

time-read
3 dak  |
January - February 2025
THE MAN WHO SHOOTS THE WEST
True West

THE MAN WHO SHOOTS THE WEST

Jay Dusard is a living American photographer who has made Arizona his home for over 60 years, seeing it first in 1960 on a visit, moving here for good in 1963.

time-read
2 dak  |
January - February 2025
A TRUE WESTERNER INDEED PHIL SPANGENBERGER 1940-2024
True West

A TRUE WESTERNER INDEED PHIL SPANGENBERGER 1940-2024

Spangenberger had Nevada trained to bow by the legendary horse trainer, Glenn Randall, who trained Roy Rogers' Trigger, Gene Autry's Champion, Rex Allen's Koko and the Ben Hur chariot horses, among other great equines.

time-read
5 dak  |
January - February 2025
Where Did the Loot Go? - This is one of those find the money stories. And it's one that has attracted treasure hunters for more than 150 years.
True West

Where Did the Loot Go? - This is one of those find the money stories. And it's one that has attracted treasure hunters for more than 150 years.

Whatever happened to the $97,000 from the Reno Gang's last heist? Up to a dozen members of the Reno Gang stopped a Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis train at a watering station in southern Indiana. The outlaws had prior intelligence about its main load: express car safes held about $97,000 in government bonds and notes. In the process of the job, one of the crew was killed and two others hurt. The gang made a clean getaway with the loot.

time-read
2 dak  |
July - August 2024