Outlaws of the Mountains
By Emerson Hough in 1905
The California Gold Rush, a period of intense migration and resource exploitation, stands as the most significant gold rush in American history, arguably even surpassing the scale of Australia’s gold rushes. For two decades, the allure of instant wealth consumed the American West. The pursuit of gold became an obsession, overshadowing more conventional means of prosperity. Agriculture, with its slow and steady yields, and commerce, deemed too predictable, failed to captivate the adventurous spirit of the frontier population. The initial scramble for mining claims in California, marked by a relentless succession of stampedes following each new discovery, became a recurring theme across the vast, gold-rich mountain regions stretching between the plains and California. Seasoned prospectors, honed by experience, relentlessly scoured these lands in search of the next lucrative strike.
These gold seekers, driven by insatiable ambition, retraced their steps and expanded their explorations beyond California’s borders. Lower Oregon, upper Idaho, and western Montana became new frontiers in the relentless pursuit of gold. The promise of quick riches fueled a relentless westward expansion, forever altering the landscape and the social fabric of these territories.
Walla Walla, Washington, briefly served as a crucial supply hub for the burgeoning mining communities. Florence and Lewiston, Idaho, emerged as prominent mountain market centers, bustling with activity and commerce. Mining districts experienced meteoric rises, only to fade into obscurity after a year or two of frenzied activity. The placer deposits near Bannack, Montana, attracted a volatile population of prospectors who had previously surged through California, eager to strike it rich once more.
Oro Fino briefly held the status of a temporary capital, soon eclipsed by the fabulously rich placer deposits of Alder Gulch. This gulch, though short-lived, remains an iconic landmark in the history of gold mining.
The flat valley of Alder Gulch accommodated several makeshift "towns," forming a nearly continuous string of miners’ cabins stretching for over a dozen miles. Today, the city of Helena stands upon the tailings of these placer washings, its very streets paved with residual gold. In 1863, amidst the backdrop of the Civil War, a sprawling community of fiercely independent individuals, lacking any semblance of organized society, became embroiled in bitter conflicts for control of the seemingly inexhaustible wealth pouring forth from the untouched mines.
These competing factions mirrored the chaotic history of California, but on an even more intense scale. Severed from the established world, communication with the eastern states was limited to arduous journeys via California, either around Cape Horn or across the Isthmus of Panama. The influence of traditional civilization waned, and the rule of law was virtually nonexistent. This absence of established governance created a breeding ground for lawlessness and the emergence of the Outlaws of the Mountains.
Into this volatile environment stepped the trained desperado, the professional bad man, a sinister figure who thrived in the absence of order. The business of outlawry transformed into a well-organized, relatively secure, and immensely profitable enterprise. Wealth was readily available for those willing to seize it by force. Miners carried their earnings in buckskin pouches filled with gold dust, a form of currency that was untraceable and easily concealed. The concept of checks, drafts, and paper currency was foreign to this environment. Gold scales served as the sole means of exchange, compelling each individual to act as their own banker, peace officer, and defender of their property. This lawless landscape fostered the rise of the Outlaws of the Mountains.
The desperado, often a hardened individual with a history of violence and impunity, found a welcoming environment. Armed with a six-shooter and the skill to use it with deadly precision, coupled with a ruthless disregard for human life, he faced little opposition. The influx of people from both the East and West, drawn by the promise of gold, further fueled the chaotic atmosphere.
The towns teemed with gold hunters, their faces illuminated by the hope of instant fortune. Few had yet experienced the crushing despair of failure in a mining camp. Surrounded by vice in its myriad forms, individuals who had once adhered to strict moral codes abandoned their principles and succumbed to the temptations that led to their ruin. The Outlaws of the Mountains capitalized on this moral decay.
Gambling dens and hurdy-gurdy saloons, novelties to many fortune-seekers, lured them further and further into lives of shameful indulgence, ultimately abandoning their original goals. The resulting social conditions were detrimental to any attempts at establishing order or protection. The absence of lawful governance enabled the Outlaws of the Mountains to flourish.
Where the law-abiding failed to organize, the bandits did, forming a formidable force that operated with brazenness and impunity. Their reign of terror spanned hundreds of miles of mountain terrain, defying all attempts at restraint. They recognized no authority except that of their "chief," a position earned through superior skill, ruthlessness, and a complete lack of scruples. The Outlaws of the Mountains were a force to be reckoned with.
Henry Plummer, the most notorious leader of these mountain cutthroats, commanded a criminal confederacy of over one hundred men. His banditti committed over one hundred murders in a mere three years. Countless other crimes undoubtedly went unreported, their victims disappearing into the vast wilderness. Strangers arriving from the East kept to themselves, their identities unknown. Families back home, missing loved ones who vanished into the perils of the West, were often left in perpetual uncertainty. The Outlaws of the Mountains thrived on this anonymity and fear.
These robbers infiltrated all levels of society, extending their influence to positions of authority. Plummer himself served as the sheriff of his county, aided by corrupt deputies and city marshals. This infiltration of law enforcement was a hallmark of desperadoism in the West. Employees, friends, officials – trust became a rare commodity. The robbers even established connections with stage lines, creating a sophisticated communication network to coordinate their operations. Stagecoach robberies became commonplace, and travelers with valuables braced themselves for the inevitable encounter. Men were gunned down in the streets with little provocation, the murderers boasting of their crimes and defying punishment. Dance halls operated around the clock, fueled by the constant consumption of whiskey. Vice permeated every aspect of life, while virtue struggled to find a foothold. Those who held onto their principles found themselves in the minority, struggling to connect with like-minded individuals amidst the prevailing lawlessness. The era of the Outlaws of the Mountains was defined by unchecked violence and corruption.
Murder and pillage reigned until, eventually, the spirit of law and order, born out of necessity, began to emerge and gain strength, as it did in many early communities of the West. The biographies of the most reckless desperadoes of this era provide a vivid illustration of how these events unfolded.
Go To Next Chapter – Henry Plummer in The Story of the Outlaw, by Emerson Hough
Compiled and edited by Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated April 2024.
About the Author: Excerpted from the book The Story of the Outlaw: A Study of the Western Desperado, by Emerson Hough; Outing Publishing Company, New York, 1907. This story is not verbatim, as it has been edited for clerical errors and updated for the modern reader. Emerson Hough (1857–1923) was an author and journalist who wrote factional accounts and historical novels of life in the American West. His works helped establish the Western as a popular genre in literature and motion pictures. For years, Hough wrote the feature “Out-of-Doors” for the Saturday Evening Post and contributed to other major magazines.