Fremont Street Factoids - the Famous Gunfight
I don't really wish to give a sequential account of that day. It has been done and done again. I am told it is re-enacted each year. To glorify sorrow, I suppose. To cast blame upon us over and over. Nevertheless, it needs to be addressed, so here are a series of facts to the best of my memory. Thirty seconds move very quickly. And they changed everything
1. I whistled as we walked down the street. Dixie. I am proud I can whistle.
2. I walked next to Morgan. Morgan told me, "Let them have it." I answered, "All right."
3. I traded my cane to Virgil for a shotgun, so he wouldn’t look so threatening.
4. When I shot Tom McLaury with the shotgun pointblank I thought it had not worked and threw it away in disgust.
5. I did not shoot or draw first. I did not even take out the revolver until I had thrown away the shotgun.
6. Addie Bourland recognised me but not the Earps. I had helped her in the town-site war. She was Josie’s friend.
7. Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury fired first. Then Wyatt.
8. Frank Clanton’s bullet grazed my hip.
9. It was only thirty seconds and it is all people remember of my life.
10. Afterwards Josie came to Wyatt on a wagon so hurried she had forgotten to wear a bonnet.
11. I was sleeping during all the events of the morning and only rose in time for the gunfight itself.
12. Wyatt said, “This is our fight. There’s no call for you to mix in.” I answered, “That’s a Hell of a thing to say to me.” But he was trying to protect me.
13. Frank said before he shot me, “I’ve got you, you son of a bitch.” I said, “You’re a Daisy if you have.” And I killed him. Morgan killed him at the same time.
14. Morgan was hit high in the back, very near his spine. Virgil was hit in the leg.
15. Behan or Claibourne was shooting at us from the photography studio. I fired at them and whichever of them was firing ceased. Cowards.
16. Ike behaved in typical Ike fashion – starting everything then running away. I tried to shoot him but I was too late.
17. At the end of the fight, our guns were all empty.
19. The vigilante committee, led by Wyatt’s friend Clum, was coming up the street afterwards and we all thought it was the outlaws, for nerves and dust. And our guns were empty.
affect:  chipper |
