The most famous gunfight of the Nineteenth Century occurred in 1881 in Tombstone,
Arizona near the OK Corral. From the minutes after the shooting onward into, now, the
second quarter of the Twenty-First Century, no one was exactly sure of who shot who. It’s
certain that Dr. John Holliday shot both the McLaury brothers. Other than that, researchers
differ. Col. Charles Askins, Jr. was certain that Wyatt Earp had put bullets into all three of
the cowboys who died that day, while another historian concluded that the only living thing
Wyatt Earp hit in the gunfight was Tom McLaury’s horse.
If modern investigative tools and techniques had existed then, we’d know a lot more.
Historians argue whether Earp used a Colt or a Smith & Wesson in the incident, and if a
Colt, what barrel length. The only guns collected as evidence were those of the dead
cowboys. There was no trajectory reconstruction.
Now comes the book “Brothers of the Gun: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and a Reckoning in
Tombstone” by Mark Lee Gardner. Published last year by Random House, it focuses on the
title topic, the relationship between the two most famous gunfighters who pulled triggers
that day.
I’ve studied this incident intensively. It is still relevant today. The dynamics of human
violence are eternal, and all that seems to differ are the weapons, the clothes the
participants wear, and the conveyances that brought them to the fight.
The Gardner book has some fascinating historical tidbits and insights. It is thoroughly
researched with 45 pages of supplemental notes.
A great read. Recommended!
The OK Corral was about gun control. The Tombstone gun ban ordinance was still there when I visited in the mid 1980s. It never did go away until AZ finally passed preemption in 2000.
And a few years later Tombstone became the first city in the US to declare itself a “Second Amendment Sanctuary City”, according to the New York Times. Even in the 1880’s, Ordinance #9 could be bypassed, for reputable townsmen, with a permit from the City Marshall. (Book: “A Tenderfoot in Tombstone”.) The City Charter specifies a “Chief of Police” and “Constables” (in 1881) – we still have a Marshall and Deputies. “Concealed Weapon Permit” classes are still available (8 hours including range time) even though not compulsory in Arizona.
There’s no link attached to the blue printed line. Cut and paste showed several different blurbs.
Since Doc had a shotgun, figuring out which 2 he shot first wouldn’t have been difficult. Wonder what the coverage of the Tombstone Epitaph read like? I’ve got a very vague recollection of a magazine article that mentioned alleged testimony from someone who witnessed the event from the barber shop.
Thanks for the heads up. Works now. 🙂
I recall someone commenting once that Doc Holliday was not used to a shotgun and had some accuracy issues with the “borrowed” one that he used that historical day. Circumstances might have actually been thereby complicated by Doc’s not availing his customary competence-through-revolver-platform that Wyatt Earp was wont to praise.
Sounds like a must read for me!
Well darn, guess I’m going to have to buy it. (Actually I talk to visitors about the Luke Short Charlie Storms fight more than the OK Corral shootout. The third gambler who tried to keep the two of them apart, Bat Masterson.)
Mas, Mark Lee Gardner is apparently not a relative of Earl Stanley Gardner, but is a writer about Western lore who has massive credentials. A friend of mind has done a ton of research on the OK Corral event and says that the Earps simply ambushed the McLaurys and company. Any comments on this idea?
Testimony at the actual hearing indicates the “ambush” theory was BS.
It will be a must listen. I found the audiobook on Audible. Is in my wish list now
The book ” Lady at the O K Corral ” by Ann Kirschner has some interesting insights.
So far, I’m about one third the way into Gardner’s book and am very impressed with his new information, vintage photos and interpretation of the featured historical actors.