Wild Bill Hickok & the Deadman’s Hand
James Butler Hickok, forever etched in the annals of the American West as "Wild Bill," remains an enigmatic figure, a complex blend of courage, skill, and personal demons. His life, a tapestry woven with threads of heroism, lawlessness, and ultimately, tragedy, has become a cornerstone of Western lore. This is the story of Wild Bill Hickok and the hand he held when his life was abruptly cut short, forever immortalized as the "dead man’s hand."
"… Wild Bill had his faults, grievous ones, perhaps … He would get drunk, gamble, and indulge in the general licentiousness characteristic of the border in the early days, yet even when full of the vile libel of the name of whiskey which was dealt over the bars at exorbitant prices, he was gentle as a child unless aroused to anger by intended insults. … He was loyal in his friendship, generous to a fault, and invariably espoused the cause of the weaker against the stronger one in a quarrel."
— Captain Jack Crawford, who scouted with Wild Bill before they both followed the gold rush to Deadwood.
Born on May 27, 1837, in Troy Grove, Illinois, James Butler Hickok, who would later be known as Wild Bill Hickok, was the son of William Alonzo Hickok and Polly Butler Hickok. He grew up in a large family, surrounded by four brothers and two sisters. His parents, devout Baptists, instilled in their children a strong work ethic and expected regular church attendance. However, young Bill’s imagination was fired by tales of the burgeoning West, a stark contrast to the routine of farm chores and Sunday sermons.
The Hickok family was actively involved in the Underground Railroad, a clandestine network that helped slaves escape to freedom. Their home served as a station along this route, where they risked their own safety to smuggle people out of the South. It was during this period that Hickok experienced his first taste of danger, when he and his father were pursued by law enforcement officers who suspected them of aiding escaped slaves. This experience, coupled with his natural affinity for firearms, ignited a passion for guns and marksmanship. Despite his father’s reservations, Bill honed his skills, becoming a local legend for his prowess with a rifle and pistol. The legend of Wild Bill Hickok was slowly taking shape.
At the tender age of 14, tragedy struck when Bill’s father was murdered for his abolitionist beliefs. Three years later, at 17, Hickok sought employment as a towpath driver on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. However, the lure of the West proved too strong. Just a year later, he ventured to Kansas, securing a position in Monticello, Johnson County, driving a stagecoach along the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. It was in Kansas that he crossed paths with another iconic figure of the West, Bill Cody, later known as Buffalo Bill, who would achieve fame with his Wild West Show.
The life of a stagecoach driver in the mid-19th century was fraught with peril. Bandits and Native American tribes posed constant threats to the coaches and their passengers. Hickok’s marksmanship and courage quickly became invaluable assets. On one ill-fated journey, the stagecoach broke down near Wetmore, Colorado. While the passengers sought refuge inside the coach, Hickok slept beneath the stars. He was awakened by the terrifying presence of a cinnamon bear. A fierce struggle ensued, culminating in Hickok killing the bear with his knife, but not without sustaining severe injuries himself.
After recovering from the bear attack, Hickok returned to Monticello and accepted a position as a peace officer on March 22, 1858. He also worked for the Pony Express and Overland Express station in Rock Creek, Nebraska, where he encountered David McCanles. McCanles relentlessly mocked Hickok’s youthful appearance and perceived effeminacy. Hickok retaliated by courting Sarah Shull, a woman McCanles was interested in.
The simmering tension between the two men reached a boiling point on July 12, 1861. McCanles, accompanied by his son and two friends, James Woods and James Gordon, arrived at the station, purportedly to collect a debt. A heated argument erupted, resulting in a shootout. McCanles was killed, and Woods and Gordon succumbed to their wounds. Hickok was exonerated on the grounds of self-defense. However, as Hickok’s fame grew, the incident became known as the "McCanles Massacre," embellished to depict Hickok single-handedly defeating a dozen dangerous outlaws. The story of Wild Bill Hickok was becoming more myth than man.
Hickok moved on to Sedalia, Missouri, where he enlisted in the Union Army as a wagon master and scout on October 30, 1861. It was during his military service that he earned the moniker "Wild Bill." The story goes that he intervened when a drunken mob in Independence, Missouri, threatened to lynch a bartender. Hickok fired shots over the mob’s heads, dispersing them with his intimidating presence. A grateful woman exclaimed, "Good for you, Wild Bill!" The name stuck, solidifying his image as a fearless and quick-tempered figure.
In July 1865, Hickok found himself in Springfield, Missouri, where he encountered Dave Tutt, a gambler. Hickok lost to Tutt at the gaming table. Unable to pay his debt, Hickok surrendered his pocket watch as collateral. He warned Tutt that if he dared to display the watch, he would kill him. On July 21, 1865, Tutt brazenly flaunted the watch in the public square. Hickok confronted him, and a gunfight ensued. Tutt fell dead, and Hickok was acquitted, further cementing his reputation as a deadly gunslinger.
During his time in the Army, Hickok formed a close friendship with General George Custer, serving as one of his primary scouts. Custer admired Hickok’s skills and courage. Their relationship might have deepened had Custer not met his tragic end at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
In 1867, Henry M. Stanley, a correspondent for the New York Herald, sought out Hickok. The gullible Stanley readily accepted Hickok’s tall tales, including the claim that he had personally killed over 100 men. Stanley’s sensationalized report transformed Hickok into a national legend.
On November 5, 1867, Hickok ran for sheriff of Ellsworth County, Kansas, but was defeated. He rejoined the army, sustaining a lance wound to his foot during a skirmish with Native Americans in eastern Colorado. Upon his return to Kansas, he became the sheriff of Hays City in 1869. During his tenure, he killed Bill Mulrey on August 24, 1869, and a ruffian named Strawhan on September 27, 1869, who was causing a disturbance in a local saloon.
On July 17, 1870, Hickok’s troubles escalated when several members of the 7th U.S. Cavalry ambushed him in Drum’s Saloon. They knocked him to the floor and began kicking him. Hickok drew his pistols, killing one private and seriously wounding another. Following this incident, Hickok resigned from his position in Hays City and moved to Ellsworth, Kansas, before eventually settling in Abilene, Kansas.
On April 15, 1871, Hickok was appointed city marshal of Abilene for a salary of $150 per month, plus a percentage of the fines he collected. Initially, he focused on routine law enforcement.
When John Wesley Hardin, notorious as one of the West’s deadliest killers, arrived in Abilene, Hickok allegedly adopted a lenient and paternalistic attitude towards him. Hardin later claimed that they drank together, visited brothels, and that Hickok offered him advice. Hardin enjoyed being seen with the famous gunfighter but remained wary, knowing that Hickok would not hesitate to add him to his list of kills if he crossed the line.
Hardin’s account of his interactions with Hickok remains unverified and is viewed with skepticism. One incident allegedly occurred when Hardin, staying at the American House Hotel, was disturbed by snoring from the adjacent room. In a fit of anger, he fired shots through the wall. Fearing Hickok’s response, Hardin supposedly escaped through a window onto the roof, spotted Hickok approaching, and jumped into a haystack, where he hid until dawn. Hardin then stole a horse and fled town in his underclothes.
As time passed, Hickok devoted more time to gambling and socializing with women than to his duties as marshal. Samuel Henry, a resident of Abilene, described Hickok’s gambling habits:
"His whole bearing was like that of a hunted tiger—restless eyes, which nervously looked about him in all directions, closely scrutinizing every stranger. When he played cards, which he did most of the time in the saloons, he sat in the corner of the room to prevent an enemy from stealing up behind him."
A local newspaper criticized Hickok for allowing Abilene to become a haven for gamblers, con artists, prostitutes, and pimps. The Bull’s Head Saloon, owned by gamblers and gunmen Phil Coe and Ben Thompson, proved to be a constant source of trouble. The source of conflict was an oversized painting of a Texas Longhorn, deemed offensive by many residents. Hickok oversaw the alteration of the painting to remove the animal’s prominent anatomy.
Later, Thompson departed, and Coe sold his interest in the saloon, remaining in Abilene as a gambler. When Hickok and Coe began vying for the same woman, rumors circulated that they were plotting each other’s demise.
On October 5, 1871, the tensions reached a climax. A group of cowboys were causing a disturbance in town. When Coe fired a shot at a dog, Hickok arrived to investigate. Coe explained that he had been trying to shoot the dog, but Hickok reminded him that firearms were prohibited within the city limits. An argument ensued, and Coe fired at Hickok. Hickok returned fire, shooting Coe twice in the stomach. In the chaos, Hickok also accidentally killed Deputy Mike Williams. Coe died three days later. The city of Abilene, weary of the violence, terminated Hickok’s employment as city marshal.
Hickok, capitalizing on the popularity of dime novels and sensationalized press articles about the West, ventured into show business. He invested $1,000 in a show called "The Daring Buffalo Chase of the Plains," featuring six buffalos, four Comanche Indians, three cowboys, a bear, and a monkey. The show, which premiered in Niagara Falls, New York, was a disaster. The buffalos refused to perform until Hickok fired a shot, causing them to stampede through the audience. Hickok lost money on the venture and sold the buffalos to a butcher to cover his expenses.
His old friend Buffalo Bill Cody offered Hickok a role in his dramatic play, "Scouts of the Prairies." Hickok earned a decent income but proved to be a poor actor. His drinking worsened, and he left the show in March 1874.
On March 5, 1876, Hickok married Agnes Lake Thatcher, an older woman who had been pursuing him for years. They honeymooned in Cincinnati, Ohio. Just a month later, Hickok departed for the western goldfields, promising to send for her later. She would never see him again.
Hickok joined Charlie Utter’s wagon train to Deadwood, South Dakota. Despite attempting to lead a quiet life, his gambling and drinking habits led him back to the saloons.
During the journey to Deadwood, Hickok met Calamity Jane in Laramie, Wyoming. The two bonded over their shared love of tall tales and heavy drinking. Calamity Jane claimed they were a couple, a claim that has been widely disputed.
In Deadwood, Hickok struggled to revive his gambling career. He was often drunk and repeatedly arrested for vagrancy.
On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker in a Deadwood saloon with several men, including Jack McCall, who lost heavily. Hickok generously gave McCall money to buy food and advised him to stop gambling until he could afford to lose.
The following afternoon, August 2, Hickok entered Nuttall & Mann’s Saloon. He reluctantly sat with his back to the door, a fatal mistake. McCall, who had been drinking heavily, approached Hickok from behind, drew his .45 pistol, and shouted, "Take that!" He shot Hickok in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Hickok was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, a hand that would forever be known as the "dead man’s hand."
Charlie Utter claimed Hickok’s body, arranged the funeral, and bought the burial plot. Hickok was buried in the cemetery outside Deadwood on August 3, 1876. Calamity Jane insisted on a proper grave and built a ten-by-ten-foot enclosure around his burial plot.
The entire population of Deadwood attended his funeral procession. Utter placed a wooden marker on the grave inscribed:
Wild Bill B. Hickok
Killed by the assassin Jack McCall
Deadwood, Black Hills
August 2, 1876
Pard, we will meet again in the
Happy Hunting Grounds to part no more
Goodbye
Colorado Charlie, C. H. Utter
Hickok’s widow received a letter he had written the day before his death, seemingly foreseeing his demise:
"Agnes Darling, if such should be we never meet again while firing my last shot, I will gently breathe the name of my wife – Agnes – and with wishes, even for my enemies, I will make the plunge and try to swim to the other shore."
McCall was tried for Hickok’s murder the next day. He claimed he had killed Hickok in revenge for killing his brother in Abilene, Kansas. The jury acquitted him in less than two hours, prompting criticism in the local newspaper.
McCall remained in Deadwood until California Joe warned him to leave. He fled to Wyoming, bragging about killing Wild Bill Hickok.
However, the trial in Deadwood was deemed illegal because Deadwood was located in "Indian Territory." McCall was arrested in Laramie, Wyoming, on August 29, 1876, and taken to Yankton, South Dakota, for a retrial.
Lorenzo Butler Hickok, Wild Bill’s brother, attended the trial and witnessed McCall’s guilty verdict. On March 1, 1877, Jack McCall was hanged. It was later discovered that McCall never had a brother, disproving his motive for killing Hickok.
Years later, in 1900, an aging Calamity Jane posed for a photograph next to Hickok’s grave. She expressed her desire to be buried next to him when she died. Three years later, her wish was fulfilled.
The story of Wild Bill Hickok and the "dead man’s hand" continues to fascinate and captivate audiences, solidifying his place as one of the most enduring figures of the American West. His life, a blend of heroism, violence, and personal struggles, serves as a reminder of the complexities of the Wild West and the enduring power of legend.