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An acclaimed author, a leading scholar of the American frontier, has released a latest volume titled Gunfighters United, which examines the stories of the famed lawman and the notorious gambler. The historian expresses annoyance with the well-known line from a classic movie: “When the legend becomes truth, print the myth.”

“Every historian uses it, they just repeat it endlessly,” he comments lightheartedly. “And it’s really not correct. I composed a account. I hope people to be immersed in the era, but I just get so weary of that quote. The legend is legend. It doesn't become fact. People can retell the folklore but it can't make it truth.”

That Notorious Shootout at the OK Corral

In Arizona's Tombstone, on October 26, 1881, Earp and Holliday were involved in a shootout that became famous as the Gunfight at the OK Corral. With Earp’s brothers, the duo faced the outlaw gang, individuals sought for robbery and stealing. In less than a minute, three outlaws were killed and Doc was injured, as were his companions.

Despite being one of numerous Wild West clashes between authorities and outlaws, it joined myth, partly thanks to classic films including My Darling Clementine and the Sturges movie.

Uncertainty and Disagreement in Historical Records

“A large part of what we learn about it is verifiable,” he remarked of the actual fight and its sequels. “But I always go back to one of the most insightful remarks, and it’s a very straightforward comment. Addie Borland, who saw the fight, stated: ‘I don’t know. It was all a blur.’”

Among the individuals there had conflicting stories. Statements from the Spicer hearing is also unclear. Bystanders who were friends of the Cowboys were untruthful, and each account is somewhat unique. It’s rare when a person concurs on any detail.

“It was all a blur.” – an eyewitness

“Among the participants present were uncertain,” the author adds. “So it’s genuinely difficult to uncover it, and it took place in 30 seconds.”

Legend-Building and Film Portrayals

The lawman lived into the film era, passing away in the late 1920s at the age of 80. Initially portrayed on a silent movie film in the 1920s, he eventually became the subject of significant 20th-century movies. In more contemporary years, he has been acted by a star in Tombstone and another actor in Wyatt Earp.

He digs through such myth-making to reveal the people below. His publications span the span of the American frontier, from a legendary figure and the sheriff to a civil war guerrilla.

Complex Characters of Earp and Holliday

Hailing in the Midwest in 1848, Earp was not old enough to serve in the civil war, though he sought to do so. When he was 20, he was appointed a peace officer in Lamar, Missouri. Mistakes were committed. He suffered a loss with the demise of his wife, his young wife, from disease in 1870. Later, as an officer, Earp kept revenue he gathered.

“We do not know why he retained it,” Gardner remarks. “He flees, and arrives in Indian Territory. He’s arrested for swiping a mount, and then he’s in the state, and he’s running a bawdy house. Finally he heads back to the frontier, and he settles in Wichita, Kansas.”

Despite his troubled history, Earp excelled as a police officer. Newspapers commended him often. In one example, he apprehended a intoxicated man who had money on him. Earp safeguarded the cash for the man and gave it back when he freed him from confinement.

Different Natures of the Pair

The historian points out the sharp distinction between the two. Wyatt was aspiring, seeking to advance himself and achieve positions like county sheriff. Doc, originating in Griffin, Georgia in 1851, was a dentist turned risk-taker. Different from Wyatt, he did not show evidence of becoming stable.

“Doc just journeys from one boomtown to the following,” the author says. “He doesn't truly transform. And part of that’s his dependence to wagering. Part of that is his illness, managing that and treating himself, whether it’s with alcohol or later opium.”

Impact and Historical Relevance

Brothers of the Gun demonstrates a compelling aspect of the frontier: the tension between law and crime, and the attempts of leaders to establish rule over newly forming societies. The degree of paperwork that came after a violent incident – proceedings, statements, orders for payment – might astonish those versed with romanticized versions of the period.

Moreover, Earp and Holliday were involved in hard politics. Earp was a member of the GOP, while local sheriff his rival was a Democrat, creating a competition for power and office.

In the end, the historian declines to idealize these figures. Earp and Doc passed years on either side