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California goldfield gunfight
I remember reading in this and and other magazines about a gunfight in the goldfields of California in which a doctor stood ground against unbelievable odds, killed a number of men and was unharmed. When I read it it was one of the most amazing gunfights in the old west but is hardly ever mentioned. Anyone remember this?
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Permalink Reply by Mike D. on -
Yes. It was Capt. Jonathan Davis, a distant relative of my wife. I posted on it earlier, check the archives for a story recently published in TW mag. By the way, he faced down 14 men, killing 11 I believe. It's in Classic Gunfights, called the Gang Slayer.
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Permalink Reply by Larry the Kid on -
Ah, I knew about this one and couldn't find it. Thanks for the link. I found another similar event though not quite as deadly. It was called the "Battle of Osborne Hill". Dr. William McMurtry and two other men faced 12 claim jumpers. The two other men went down immediately. Dr. McMurtry fired five shots from a five shooter (make of revolver is unknown) hitting and killing at least five men. Bullets may have gone through a victim and hit others.
Amazing and almost unbelievable gunfights that hollywood or anyone else has not picked up on.
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Permalink Reply by Mike D. on
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I have never read much about the California gold field, but apparently there was a lot of action during that time, with shootings, claim jumping and so forth. I guess the gold drove them crazy. Seems like Hollywood has ignored this time period. I did see a little bit in the series "Into the West" on TNT. By the way, that was a great mini-series.
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