Who was Wild Bill Hickok?

It is not that easy to answer. The reason is that he was a legend in his own time – a timeless legend, hero, friend and even foe. To put him in today’s equivalent of hero, friend and foe we can say he is a James Bond or a The Saint. The only difference would be the absence of modern technology – no watches, pens, high tech cars, and aircraft or weapons. Only the good old horse, Winchester and six-shooter.

Wild Bill Hickok, born as James Butler Hickok, born on 27 May 1837 in Troy, Illinois, was a legendary figure in the American Wild West. He was American frontiersman, soldier, gunfighter, marksman, and law enforcement officer, and unknown to most, was one of the earliest fighters of equal rights for blacks in the latter days of slavery in America.

From his earliest days as a young man he farmed, joined the Free State Army, and eventually found his first job in law enforcement as the constable of Monticello. He also worked as a scout and stagecoach driver on the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. During this time, Wild Bill Hickok survived a bear attack, armed only with a bowie knife, and an infamous shoot-out with the McCanles gang in Rock Creek, Nebraska. During the Civil War he even served as a Union spy. Indeed a remarkable resume at a young age!

After the Civil War he was appointed as Deputy United States Marshall at Fort Riley, Kansas. The town was renowned for its growing cattle industry but unfortunately also for its reputation for unlawfulness. It did not last long – it did not take him long to clean up the town. As Marshal he fought many battles with Native Americans and also served as a scout. Frontier towns of Kansas were turbulent towns for cattle men but they were pacified through Wild Bill Hickok’s courage and skills as a marksman. He also befriended Buffalo Bill and together they toured the eastern United States with their Wild West Show.  

Unfortunately people and the media of that time could not separate fact from fiction with the result he was unfairly depicted and made out as a ruthless gangster, desperado and paid gunslinger. However, the real Wild Bill Hickok was in total contrast to the public and media inspired gangster, desperado and gunslinger image. The real life Wild Bill Hickok was a gentleman, courteous, soft-spoken and graceful in manners. But, make no mistake, nobody could be mistaken –he was nobody to be messed around! When angered, he could become an implacable enemy and sought out and faced down those who insulted or challenged him.

On 2 August 1876 Wild Bill Hickok was shot down by a drunken foe in a saloon in Deadwood whilst playing poker. It must be remembered, in his younger days such a thing would be unthinkable - but at that stage and age he was older, slower, and suffering the early stages of blindness. Wild Bill Hickok lies buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Wild Bill Hickok was pistoleer, Peace Officer, Folk Hero and just an above- average law abiding citizen of the USA. He was definitely not your “Joe Average”. He was immortalised in the history in folklore, biographies and motion pictures.