A drunk cowboy and a sarcastic dentist walk into a bar….. Wait, let me start before that. Everyone who has lived in a small town knows all about the drama that can occur, but your small town drama is no match for that of Old West’s Tombstone, Arizona. Founded in 1879 by prospector Ed Schieffelin, the silver mining town was named “Tombstone” as a nod to those who thought that Ed would “only find his tombstone” where he decided to prospect. Just a few years after its founding, Tombstone took centerstage for small town drama by way of the 30-second shootout that we know today as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral….. even though technically it only happened near the O.K. Corral, but the “Gunfight slightly adjacent to the O.K. Corral” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
First, let’s take a look at the characters in this drama, starting with John Henry “Doc” Holliday, a hotheaded dentist with tuberculosis and a flair for violence and sarcasm. Originally from Georgia, he moved west in the early 1870s to seek a climate to help prolong his imminent end. After his move, he did sometimes practice dentistry, but more often than not he could be found gambling, drinking, or partaking in gunfights. Next, we have the Earp brothers who acted as the lawmen of Tombstone: Virgil, Morgan, and, perhaps the most famous, Wyatt. Virgil, the oldest, was just appointed the town marshal. Morgan started his time in Tombstone as a shotgun guard for Wells Fargo, but had quit to deal faro (a card game) in a local saloon. And lastly, Wyatt was deputy sheriff for Tombstone.
Our other group was known as the Cowboys – although they were more like outlaws than ranch hands – and was made up of Ike Clanton, his brother Billy, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Clairborne.
The night before the gunfight occurred, Ike and Doc had exchanged..… pleasantries….. fueled by booze and mutual dislike. The following morning, Ike was already day drunk at 9 a.m. (or still drunk?), making loud threats and claims that he would kill Doc (way to wake-up and choose violence). Of course, the Earp brothers caught wind of Ike’s drunken declarations, and being friends of Doc’s, Morgan and Wyatt tried to warn him. Doc, in true Doc fashion, shrugged it off and said, “He couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo,” (excuse me while I write that down in my “future comebacks” notebook). Virgil, trying to be the sensible marshal in the middle of the drama unfolding, felt it necessary to remind everyone that guns were not allowed within city limits….. a well-meaning rule that was probably never followed by anyone….. ever.
Into town saunters Ike’s buddy Tom McLaury, and just because he was who he was, Wyatt promptly arrests him for disturbing the peace. Billy Clanton and Tom’s brother Frank catch wind of what’s going on, go get Tom, and continue to rile each other up, but plan to leave town. The Earps, meanwhile, feel the need to confirm that the Cowboys will, in fact, leave Tombstone. Virgil told Doc that his help wasn’t necessary, to which Doc replied, “That is a Hell of a thing for you to say.” Virgil backpedaled, not wanting to wake the beast, and handed Doc a shotgun to conceal under his jacket, just in case they should need it: “Here Doc, we need someone with a cool head to hold the shotgun….. clearly you’re the man for the job,” (I might’ve taken liberties with the quote a little).
At roughly 3 p.m. on October 26th, 1881, the Earps and Doc walked to a vacant lot near Fremont Street, just down the block from the O.K. Corral. The Cowboys were there, readying their horses to leave town. Virgil stepped forward, brandishing Doc’s silver-topped cane (because anyone with a cane can’t be threatening….. right?), and told the group, “Throw your hands up boys, I want your guns.” Meanwhile, Doc Holliday raises the no longer concealed shotgun to emphasize Virgil’s point. Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton, upon seeing the shotgun pointed in their direction, understandably panicked and drew their own guns. Even as Virgil tried to regain control, the shooting began. Billy shot at Wyatt, Wyatt shot at Frank, Billy Clairborne and Ike ran away, Morgan and Virgil joined in, and surprisingly, Doc still hadn’t fired (he’ll make up for his tardiness momentarily).
As the horses bucked and panicked from the chaos, Tom McLaury moved to draw his gun. Doc stepped around the horses and then unloaded both barrels of the shotgun into Tom’s chest. Surprisingly, Tom only staggered, and did not fall (I’m telling you, everyone had a flair for the dramatic). Doc tossed aside the empty shotgun and drew his revolver, rejoining the fight. When a bullet hit his hip, he was convinced it was finally his end, so spread his arms as an invitation for Frank to shoot him. Which he did, but it only clicked – empty. Wyatt and Morgan both opened fire, killing Frank.
The gunfight had begun and ended in 30-seconds, Wyatt the only one to walk away unscathed (other than the runners at the beginning). The Earps and Doc were arrested for the murders, but were acquitted a month later. Only eight weeks after the fight, Virgil was ambushed and survived, although he lost the use of his left arm. On March 18th, 1882, Morgan was killed while playing billiards (Happy Birthday, Wyatt). Wyatt at this point was understandably frustrated. After getting Virgil out of town, he and Doc went on a revenge-fueled vendetta against any Cowboy sympathizer they could find.
Eventually, things calmed down. Doc moved to Colorado and died of tuberculosis at 36, his last words were “Damn, this is funny,” probably shocked that he hadn’t died in one of the many gunfights he had participated in. Wyatt Earp lived a long life, and even became a consultant for silent Western films in Hollywood. It’s thanks to him that this fight was immortalized….. in addition to the high number of lives lost, Wyatt spoke about the shootout in his autobiography, dubbing it the “Fremont Street Fight.” Of course, the name in popular culture was changed, and often shortened to the business down the street, “O.K. Corral.” All this because a cowboy got drunk at breakfast and threatened a dentist.
I’ll be your huckleberry,
Mountain Girl
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