Podroll Show
The Wild West Extravaganza
The Wild West Extravaganza is a weekly history podcast that explores the real-life people and events from the Old West. Each episode brings to life the legendary outlaws, gunfighters, lawmen, cowboys, and Native Americans who shaped the frontier. From iconic figures like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Doc Holliday to overlooked tales of shootouts, cattle drives, and rowdy towns like Deadwood, there's no shortage of stories to tell. So saddle up, dust off your boots, and let's hit the trail!
Recent Episodes
-
The Outlaw Burt Alvord: From Arizona to the Amazon
In September of 1899, Constable Burt Alvord deputized a group of his closest friends and rode out in pursuit of a gang of train robbers. The only problem is that the men he deputized were the same ones who pulled off the robbery. Not only that, but the mastermind behind the entire affair was none other than Constable Alvord himself. But that's just the beginning. Once apprehended, Alvord escaped jail over Tombstone not once but twice. He’d go on to assist Arizona Ranger Burt Mossman in capturing the notorious band…
-
Henry Newton Brown: The Lawman Who Robbed a Bank
Henry Newton Brown was an orphan from Missouri who rode with Billy the Kid during one of the bloodiest range wars in American history. He helped ambush Sheriff William Brady, fought Buckshot Roberts at Blazers Mill, survived the Battle of Lincoln, and fled New Mexico as a wanted fugitive. And then, against all odds, he became one of the most respected lawmen in all of Kansas. As city marshal of Caldwell, Brown cleaned up a town that had already buried three marshals before him. The grateful citizens even presented…
-
Outlaws, Lawmen, & Forgotten Killers of the Old West (ENCORE)
Join me as we examine five of the most dangerous and overlooked figures in Old West history. First up is Jesse Evans, the New Mexico outlaw who rode with Billy the Kid, helped spark the Lincoln County War, and then vanished without a trace. Next is Nate Champion, the cowboy who stood alone against fifty hired killers during Wyoming's Johnson County War. After that, we cover Billy Brooks, the buffalo hunter turned lawman turned horse thief who killed or wounded at least fifteen men across Kansas before meeting his …
-
Climax Jim: Arizona's Slipperiest Outlaw
Rufus Nephew, better known as Climax Jim, was a cattle rustler, serial jail breaker, and possibly one of the most entertaining characters you'll ever come across in Old West history. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1876, he somehow ended up in Arizona as a teenager, riding for the infamous Hash Knife Cattle Company, where he earned his nickname after chewing through 12 pounds of Climax tobacco in under a month. What followed was a long and not particularly successful career of stealing cattle, getting caught, and esc…
-
Champ Ferguson | Rebel Butcher
Kentucky-born Confederate guerrilla Champ Ferguson used the chaos of the Civil War to settle personal grudges along the Tennessee border, racking up a body count that included his own neighbors and dozens of wounded soldiers. As one of only three people executed for war crimes, Ferguson went to the gallows unrepentant, calling himself a rebel to the last and asking to be buried in "good rebel soil.” Who was the REAL Champ Ferguson? True Southern patriot or just another homicidal maniac who used the war to satisfy …
-
Scott Cooley & the Mason County War
The Mason County War, also known as the Hoodoo War, was one of the bloodiest feuds in Texas history. In 1875, a conflict over cattle rustling in the Texas Hill Country escalated into a full-blown war between hill country ranchers and their German immigrant neighbors. Former Texas Ranger Scott Cooley launched a brutal campaign of revenge after the murder of his friend Tim Williamson, scalping a deputy sheriff and sparking a chain of killings that would claim at least a dozen lives in just twelve months. Even Johnny…
-
Billy Brooks CORRECTION
Hey, Josh here, with the Wild West Extravaganza. I just wanted to touch base and issue a very quick correction. On the most recent episode – The Insane Life of Billy Brooks – I misattributed many of the quotes. My main source for research was not Leon Metz; it was historian Robert K. DeArment and his excellent book, Deadly Dozen, Volume 3. In other words, every time you heard me say Leon Metz, it should have been Robert DeArment. This is totally my fault. I’ve got a lot of books by Leon Metz, and more often than n…
-
The Insane Life of Billy Brooks
In 1872, the violent cattle town of Newton, Kansas, appointed a twenty-two-year-old buffalo hunter named Billy Brooks as its town marshal. It would prove to be one of the most eventful and short-lived law enforcement careers in the history of the Old West. Join me today as we trace the largely forgotten story of “Bully” Billy Brooks, from his short stint as marshal, to his arrival in Dodge City, and his eventual descent from respected lawman to wanted outlaw. Also discussed are the Red River War, the Newton Massac…
-
Nate Champion's Last Stand
On April 9th, 1892, one man stood alone against 50 hired killers in the wilds of Johnson County, Wyoming. His name was Nate Champion, and what he did over the next twelve hours would go down as one of the greatest last stands in the history of the Old West. Champion was a Texas cowboy who had worked his way north, earned a reputation as a top hand, and made the mistake of filing a claim on land that Wyoming's powerful cattle barons considered their own. When he dared to start a ranch and organize an independent ro…
-
Huckleberry or Huckle Bearer?
Did Doc Holliday say, “I’m your huckleberry” or “I’m your huckle bearer?” Or is the whole debate built on nothing more than an internet myth? Join me today as we break down the famous line from Tombstone to hopefully separate fact from fiction. We’ll examine the original Tombstone script written by Kevin Jarre, Val Kilmer’s 2020 memoir I’m Your Huckleberry, and Tombstone: An Iliad of the Southwest by Walter Noble Burns. We also examine 19th-century newspaper evidence showing that “I’m your huckleberry” was indeed …
-
Digging Up Billy the Kid: Exhuming the Dead
Should Billy the Kid’s body be exhumed? In today’s episode, we break down the evidence surrounding Billy’s death at Fort Sumner, as well as the two failed attempts to dig up the Kid: the 1961 court fight between Lincoln and Fort Sumner, and the 2003 official investigation led by Sheriff Tom Sullivan, Deputy Steve Sederwall, and Sheriff Gary Graves. Finally, we address the DNA question itself and what evidence actually justifies disturbing the dead. Merch! https://wildwestextramerch.com/ Buy Me A Coffee! ht…
-
Doc Holliday | End of the Trail (Part 4)
In late January 1882, Doc Holliday and Johnny Ringo came within mere seconds of turning the streets of Tombstone into a slaughterhouse. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed, and both men were arrested before a shot was fired; a near catastrophe that historian Mark Lee Gardner described as “the greatest gunfight that never was.” Join me today as we take a closer look at this infamous standoff. We’ll examine Holliday’s role in the famous Earp vendetta ride, his last gunfight in Colorado, and his final days at Glenwood Sp…
-
Doc Holliday | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (Part 3)
What really caused the gunfight at the OK Corral? Most people chalk it up to a simple showdown between good and evil, with Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday on one side and the Clantons and McLaury brothers on the other. Thirty seconds, roughly thirty shots fired at point-blank range, and three men left dead in the street. But contrary to popular belief, the violence in Tombstone didn't just materialize out of thin air. Months earlier, a botched stage robbery near Benson set off a chain reaction of rumors…
-
Doc Holliday | The Road to Tombstone (Part 2)
Doc Holliday arrived in Dodge City in 1878, fresh from Texas and already tied to the hip to Big Nose Kate. He advertised as a dentist, gambled heavily, and quietly built a reputation in one of the most dangerous towns in the Old West before moving on, first to Colorado, then New Mexico, and finally, Tombstone, Arizona. Join me today as we examine Doc’s road to the O.K. Corral. Also discussed are Curly Bill Brocius, Johnny Tyler, Holliday’s volatile relationship with Kate Elder, and his unflinching devotion to Wyat…
-
Doc Holliday | The Early Years (Part 1)
Doc Holliday was a gambler, a consumptive, a deadly shootist, and an educated Southern gentleman. He was feared across the frontier, respected by some, hated by many, and remembered as one of the most complicated figures in all of the Old West history. Join me today as we explore Holliday’s early life. We’ll examine the pivotal experience that caused him to head West, his relationship with Big Nose Kate, the famous Ed Bailey stabbing, and his initial meeting with Wyatt Earp. Also discussed are Fort Griffin, Doc’s …
-
PTSD in the Old West
Did PTSD exist in the Old West, and if so, did it contribute to the violence of the frontier? Join me as we explore how trauma affected soldiers and civilians alike long before the condition had a name, from Civil War veterans suffering from what was once called soldiers’ heart or Da Costa’s syndrome to rising rates of alcoholism, domestic violence, and institutionalization across the United States. Using historical research, homicide statistics from frontier towns like Dodge City and San Francisco, and modern sch…
-
Old Man Clanton & the Red Sash Cowboys
We’ve all seen Tombstone, but how much do you really know about the origins of the Clantons? Or to be more specific, how much do you know about the family patriarch, Newman “Old Man” Clanton? Is it true he was really the meanest of the Cochise County Cowboys? Join me today as we trace Old Man Clanton from Tennessee to Arizona. We’ll discuss his association with other bandits like Curly Bill Brocius and John Kinney, his alleged atrocities on the Mexican border, and finally, his untimely demise in Skull Canyon. And …
-
Rube Burrow: The West's Most Dangerous Train Robber
Rube Burrow began as an honest cowboy and farmer with every intention of living a simple life. Born in Alabama in 1855, he built a family and worked the land until sickness, failed crops, and tragic loss pushed him past the breaking point. From his early train robberies in Texas to long months hiding in the Alabama backwoods, this is the complete story of Burrow’s rise and fall. His robberies, escapes, disguises, and shootouts, as well as the people who helped him, the lawmen who hunted him, and the choices that l…
-
The Old West: When Did It Begin & When Did It End?
When did the Old West truly begin, and when did it finally come to an end? Some trace the Wild West’s start to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, while others think it was much late,r as cowboys started trailing herds out of Texas. As for the end, many point to 1890, when the U.S. Census Bureau declared the frontier closed and Wounded Knee marked the last big clash between the Indigenous and the U.S. Army. But where does the true lie? Did the Old West really begin with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, or was it much e…
-
Ordinary People Who Became Old West Legends (ENCORE)
When most folks think about the Old West, they almost immediately envision daring lawmen and bloodthirsty outlaws. But did you know that the frontier was filled with ordinary people who also lived truly extraordinary lives? Today, we’ll shine a light on four such characters. First up is the legendary fur trapper, James Beckwourth. Born a slave, Beckwourth trapped beaver with Kit Carson and Jim Bridger, fought battles from Florida to Montana, and rose to become a leader of the Crow Nation, only to meet a mysterious…
-
Dan Bogan: The West’s Most Elusive Fugitive
At just 21 years old, Dan Bogan was already facing a death sentence. After a drunken rampage in Texas ended in murder, he and his partner were found guilty and ordered to hang, but Dan wasn’t the type to go quietly. In a chaotic courtroom escape, he grabbed a guard’s pistol, fired wildly, and leapt to freedom out of a second‑story window. From there, his life turned into pure frontier legend. Using aliases like Bill Gatlin and Bill McCoy, Bogan drifted through the roughest corners of the West, cowboying, picking f…
-
Bounty Hunters of the Wild West: Fact or Fiction?
Did Bounty Hunters really exist in the Old West, or is that just another invention of Hollywood? The truth is a lot more complicated than the movies make it seem. Law enforcement in the Old West was patchwork at best, often made up of part-time sheriffs, underpaid marshals, and ramshackle jails. With courts just as unreliable, ordinary citizens and private companies like Wells Fargo began offering cash rewards for outlaws. These rewards gave rise to a system of bounties that blurred the line between justice and pr…
-
Barney Riggs: The Deadliest Gunfighter You've Never Heard Of
Barney Riggs was one of the Old West’s most notorious and controversial gunfighters. Born in Arkansas in 1856, Riggs moved to Texas as a child, where violence quickly became a family tradition. At just 18, he killed a friend in what was called an accidental shooting. By his twenties, Riggs was in Arizona, working as a cowboy, stealing horses, and allegedly committing multiple murders. After being convicted of murder and sentenced to life at Yuma Prison, Riggs won a full pardon by saving the warden’s life during a …
-
Top 10 Deadliest Gunfighters
Who was the deadliest gunfighter of the Old West? Legends like Wild Bill Hickok, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James all have larger-than-life reputations, but the truth is often a lot messier. Join me as we break down the facts and attempt to separate myth from reality on the West’s most notorious shootists. We’ll talk confirmed kills, unverified stories, and the wildest rumors around names like Johnny Ringo, Butch Cassidy, Clay Allison, Jesse James, Bass Reeves, Deacon Jim Miller, Tom Horn, and John Wesley Hardin. An…
-
Billy Dixon & the 2nd Battle of Adobe Walls
On June 27th, 1874, a handful of buffalo hunters found themselves surrounded by hundreds of Comanche at a place called Adobe Walls. Outnumbered more than twenty to one, the odds of survival looked slim. Nevertheless, it was here that Billy Dixon stepped forward and made what’s become known as the “shot of the century,” dropping a mounted warrior at nearly 1,500 yards. Join me as we examine the life of Billy Dixon, from his hardscrabble childhood to his time as a buffalo hunter, scout, and Medal of Honor recipient.…
-
Outlaw or Ghost? The Search for Jesse Evans
What really happened to Jesse Evans, the outlaw who once rode with Billy the Kid and helped ignite the Lincoln County War? He shot up dance halls, rustled cattle, and left a bloody trail from New Mexico to Texas, only to vanish without a trace. And to this day, nobody knows his true fate. Was Jesse Evans really a childhood friend of Billy the Kid? Did he spend his final years as Joseph Hines in Florida, or die hiding out on a Texas ranch? Join me as I attempt to separate fact from fiction and explore every wild th…
-
Grave Secrets: Where Is Billy the Kid Really Buried?
For generations, rumors have swirled that Old West outlaw Billy the Kid’s grave at Fort Sumner was swept away by a massive flood. But is there any truth to the legend, or does Billy still rest beneath his famous gravestone? Also discussed are fellow Lincoln County Regulators Charlie Bowdre and Tom Folliard. Chasing Billy YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@chasingbilly Billy the Kid’s Grave by David G. Thomas - https://www.abebooks.com/9781542404723/Billy-Kids-Grave-History-Wild-154240472X/plp Buy Me A Co…
-
In the Days of Billy the Kid: Featuring James B. Mills
Was José Chavez y Chavez really part Navajo? And what about Billy the Kid’s famous escape from Lincoln? Was that Young Guns 2 scene with the pistol in the outhouse true, or did he overpower his guard? Who actually killed Deputy Carlyle at White Oaks? These are just a few of the questions I discussed with historian and author James B. Mills. His book, Billy the Kid: Bandido Simpatico, is one of the most definitive biographies on William H. Bonney, and his new release, In the Days of Billy the Kid, explores the live…
-
James Beckwourth: From Slave to Mountain Man
James Beckwourth lived one of the most extraordinary lives in American frontier history. Born the son of a white plantation owner and an enslaved Black woman, Beckwourth was freed by his father and set out to make his own way in the West. He trapped beaver alongside legendary mountain men like Jim Bridger and Kit Carson, fought in battles ranging from the swamps of Florida to the Pacific coast, and rose to prominence as a leader among the Crow Nation. Beckwourth, also known as Bloody Arm, became known not only for…
-
Sheriff Pat Garrett & the $500 Controversy
Did Pat Garrett receive the $500 bounty on Billy the Kid’s head? For years, rumors have spread that Garrett was denied payment because he failed to prove the Kid’s death. But how true are these claims? Buy Me A Coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Check out the website! https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra …
-
Bigfoot Wallace: Texas Hero or Villain?
Bigfoot Wallace is one of those figures who looms so large in Texas history that it can be tough to separate the facts from the tall tales. Born in Virginia and hardened by tragedy, Wallace headed to Texas with vengeance on his mind. What followed was a life filled with brutal frontier battles, narrow escapes, and enough wild stories to fill volumes. As a Texas Ranger, Wallace faced down Comanche warriors, Mexican soldiers, and all the hazards the wild country could throw at him. He was captured, imprisoned, and f…
-
The Widow's Secret: Was Billy the Kid's Death a Hoax?
Did Pat Garrett’s widow really claim that her husband helped to fake the demise of Billy the Kid? What about Garrett’s daughter, Elizabeth? Did she really give an interview in the 1980s saying the same thing? Endless online debates and unreliable sources have fueled questions such as these. But what does the historical evidence actually say? Today, we’ll examine the affidavit of Homer Overton, the stories about Elizabeth Garrett, the primary sources, eyewitness testimony, and the coroner’s inquest records. And hop…
-
John Tornow | Wild Man of the Wynoochee
John Tornow, also known as the Wild Man of the Wynoochee, became one of the most feared and hunted men in the Pacific Northwest during the early 1900s. Born in Iowa in 1880, he grew up in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where he developed an unmatched skill with a rifle and a deep love for the wilderness. What began as the life of a quiet hermit spiraled into a story of family feuds, tragic deaths, wild rumors, and a scandal so shocking it still defies belief. Branded a monster by newspapers and pursued in one of …
-
Frank "Pistol Pete" Eaton
Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton was more than a mascot. He was a real man who claimed to have lived one of the most violent and extraordinary lives of the Old West. Born in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut, Eaton moved with his family to Kansas, where he witnessed his father’s murder at the hands of six vigilantes. From that moment on, young Frank dedicated his life to revenge. By the time he was fifteen, he was a crack shot with a revolver and began hunting down his father’s killers one by one. He later served as a deputy…
-
Young Guns 2: Fact vs Fiction
If you grew up watching westerns in the late 80s and early 90s, Young Guns II was probably on your list, but how much of what we saw on screen was true? Today, we dig into the real history behind Billy the Kid and Young Guns II with Dan LeFebvre, the award-winning host of the Based on a True Story Podcast. Together, we explore questions such as whether cattle baron John Chisum actually placed a bounty on Billy the Kid, if Pat Garrett really rode with Billy before becoming a lawman, and whether the legendary showdo…
-
Archie Clement's Bloody Last Stand
Archie Clement was one of the most notorious guerrilla fighters to emerge from Missouri during the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Barely over five feet tall and weighing around 130 pounds, Clement quickly became feared across the state for his ruthlessness and intensity. Riding with William “Bloody Bill” Anderson, Jesse James, and Frank James, he participated in some of the most infamous raids of the war, including the Centralia Massacre, where unarmed Union soldiers were executed and scalped. After Anderson’s …
-
Jack Hinson: Civil War Sniper
Jack Hinson, known as “Old Jack,” began the Civil War as a wealthy Tennessee planter with no intentions to enlist in the Civil War. That changed in 1862 when Union troops executed his sons and displayed their heads on his plantation gateposts. At 57 years old, Hinson armed himself with a custom .50 caliber rifle and launched a one-man war of revenge. From hidden ridges above the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, he targeted Union officers, disrupted gunboats, and carved his legend as one of the deadliest guerrilla …
-
Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce War: The Fight Begins
The Battle of White Bird Canyon was one of the most lopsided defeats the U.S. Army ever suffered in the American West. On June 17, 1877, Captain David Perry led roughly one hundred soldiers and scouts into Idaho’s White Bird Canyon, believing they could quickly subdue the Nez Perce. Instead, the Nez Perce delivered a crushing defeat. In less than an hour, 34 soldiers lay dead as dozens more were forced to flee on foot. The Nez Perce, fighting for their very survival, lost not a single warrior. This stunning victor…
-
Elfego Baca & the Frisco Shootout (Encore)
In October of 1884, 19-year-old Elfego Baca made history during the legendary Frisco Shootout. After pinning on a fake badge and arresting a drunken cowboy named Charlie McCarty, Baca found himself surrounded by dozens of angry ranch hands. The standoff escalated into a 33-hour siege in which as many as 80 cowboys fired more than 4,000 rounds into the adobe building where Baca took cover. Remarkably, not a single bullet struck him. Acquitted of murder on multiple occasions and later serving as sheriff, U.S. marsha…
-
They're Remaking Lonesome Dove!?
Teton Ridge has snagged the film and TV rights to Larry McMurtry’s legendary Lonesome Dove series, promising a fresh take on the Pulitzer Prize-winning saga of retired Texas Rangers on a perilous cattle drive from Texas to Montana. The original adaptation in 1989 became a Western classic, but will the remake live up to its legacy? And did you know that many of the characters and events in Lonesome Dove were inspired by real-life people and events? Today, we explore the remake rumors as well as the true history beh…
-
Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce War: Genesis
The Nez Perce War erupted in 1877 after decades of broken treaties, stolen land, and violent confrontations between settlers and the Nez Perce people. At the center of this struggle was Chief Joseph, a leader who had spent years trying to keep peace, only to be forced into leading his people on one of the greatest fighting retreats in American history. This is not just a story of betrayal, courage, and survival; it’s about the final stand of a people fighting for their very existence and the man who became their r…
-
Mysterious Dave Mather: The Gunfighter Who Vanished Without a Trace
Mysterious Dave Mather was one of the Old West’s most elusive figures. Born in Connecticut and orphaned at a young age, Mather drifted west, where his life became a blur of gunfights, gambling halls, and questionable alliances. He wore a badge in towns like Dodge City and East Las Vegas, but just as often found himself standing trial for murder. Known for surviving situations that should have ended him, Mather’s story takes an even stranger turn at its end. At the height of his notoriety, he vanished completely. T…
-
Tom "Bear River" Smith: Abilene's Forgotten marshal
Tom “Bear River” Smith tamed one of the wildest towns in the Old West without firing a single shot. Armed with nothing more than a badge, a banjo, and a pair of fists that made even the toughest cowboys think twice, Smith brought order to Abilene, Kansas, at a time when cattle drives and rowdy trail hands turned the streets into chaos. But how did a man who hated using guns manage to subdue some of the most dangerous men on the frontier? And what chain of events led to one of the most brutal and shocking killings …
-
King Fisher: Outlaw, Sheriff, Dead Man
King Fisher was no ordinary Texas gunfighter. This is a man who once killed a circus tiger so that he could make a pair of chaps from its hide. He boasted of killing 37 men, and at the height of his power, commanded over 100 armed bandits, ruling South Texas like his own personal kingdom. Known for his gold-embroidered jackets, rattlesnake hatbands, bells on his spurs, and those infamous tiger-skin chaps, Fisher was equal parts deadly and flamboyant. Who was King Fisher? How does a man go from outlaw warlord to we…
-
The Battle of Lovelock Cave
For centuries, the Northern Paiute have told of the Si-Te-Cah, a mysterious tribe said to have lived on tule rafts across Nevada’s Lake Humboldt. Described as fierce warriors with red hair and even cannibalistic tendencies, the Si-Te-Cah were eventually trapped and wiped out at Lovelock Cave. Skip ahead to 1911, and miners discovered thousands of artifacts and mummified remains buried deep inside the cave, including a body reportedly over six feet tall with striking red hair. Some claim this proves the Si-Te-Cah w…
-
The Lost Dutchman's Mine
The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is one of the most enduring legends of the American Southwest. Said to be hidden somewhere in the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction, Arizona, this mythical mine is named after Jacob “Dutchman” Waltz, who supposedly discovered a rich vein of gold in the 19th century and concealed its location before his death in 1891. Over the decades, thousands of treasure hunters have searched the rugged terrain of the Superstition Wilderness in hopes of finding Waltz’s fabled treasure. …
-
Clay Allison vs Wyatt Earp (Part 2)
Clay Allison was one of the lesser-known yet deadlier of the Old West gunslingers. Join me today as we follow Allison on his adventures in Dodge City, his encounters with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and finally his tragic demise in Pecos, Texas. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.…
-
The Reign of Terror: Osage Nation Murders w/ Crimes of the Centuries
This is a special bonus episode from the excellent Crimes of the Centuries podcast. When members of the incredibly wealthy Osage Nation started dropping dead of mysterious ailments in 1920s Oklahoma, few people in state power paid it much mind. After all, many of those who could do something about it were benefiting from the deaths. Eventually, with the help of a still-evolving agency called the FBI, federal authorities uncovered an unthinkable conspiracy known today as the Reign of Terror. "Crimes of the Centurie…
-
Clay Allison & the Colfax County War (Part 1)
Clay Allison might not be as famous as Billy the Kid or Jesse James, but he was every bit as deadly. He was also just a tad bit insane. Clay got his start riding for Nathan Bedford Forrest during the Civil War. Then, after a brief career as a Texas Cowboy, Clay drifted west and found himself knee-deep in the Colfax County War. From New Mexico to Colorado and beyond, Allison left a trail of bodies in his wake. But unlike many of the other notable gunmen of the time, Clay was not an outlaw. He just refused to back d…
-
Stagecoach Mary
Stagecoach Mary Fields worked hard, she drank hard, and if the situation called for it, she fought hard. And despite being born a slave, Mary lived to become one of the freest souls ever to draw a breath. Or a .38 revolver. Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra …
-
The Mountain Meadows Massacre
On September 11th, 1857, over a hundred men, women, and children were brutally slaughtered. The victims belonged to a wagon train that had left Arkansas months prior, bound for California. They followed the Cherokee Trail before cutting north till they reached Fort Bridger. Up until then, things had gone relatively well. They were making good time and figured they’d reach their destination by late fall. Little did they know they were headed straight to their deaths. You see, to get to California from Fort Bridger,…
-
The Battle of Beecher Island
The late summer of 1868 found Major George Forsythe and his scouts fighting for survival. For nine long days, they hunkered down on a little sand bar as they faced off against an overwhelming force of Cheyenne Dog soldiers. Fierce warriors who were joined on the battlefield by none other than the legendary Roman Nose. But why? Why did Major Forsythe go kicking a hornet’s nest deep in the heart of Cheyenne territory? And who exactly was Roman Nose? What made him such a formidable opponent? And what’s horse meat tas…
-
John Riley & the San Patricios
The Saint Patrick’s Battalion, also known as the San Patricios, was a hard-fighting unit of foreign soldiers, mostly Irish, who deserted the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. From the Siege of Fort Texas to the Battles of Monterey, Buena Vista, Cera Gordo, and beyond, these Irishmen served with valor and distinction. Surrounded, outgunned, far from their homeland, and branded as traitors, the men of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion had nothing to lose. But why? Why’d they turn their backs on their adopted co…
-
Whisperin' Jim Smith | Avenging Nemesis
Whisperin’ Jim Smith was a deputy and railroad detective who was said to have written more red history with his pistol than any two men of his time, who had enough dead outlaws to his credit to start a fair-sized graveyard. Despite having a bestselling novel and several movies bearing his name, Whisperin’ Jim remains a relatively unknown figure. Join me today as we discuss a man who a contemporary described as the “very incarnation of a relentless, inexorable, indomitable, avenging Nemesis.” Also discussed are Bat…