The Legend Versus The Reality
For decades, Hollywood has immortalised the story of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday through classic western films, but a new historical work aims to separate the men from the myths. Mark Lee Gardner's Brothers of the Gun: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and a Reckoning in Tombstone delves into the complex friendship between the upright lawman and the cursed gambler that defined one of America's most legendary periods.
The Infamous OK Corral Shootout
On 26 October 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona, Earp and Holliday participated in the legendary Gunfight at the OK Corral alongside Earp's brothers. They confronted the Cowboys gang, wanted for robbery and rustling. In under a minute, three Cowboys lay dead while Holliday, Virgil Earp, and Morgan Earp sustained injuries.
Gardner emphasises the confusion surrounding the actual event. "Even the people there had different stories," he notes, referencing contemporary witness Addie Borland who famously stated, "All was confusion." Despite countless books attempting to diagram every movement, Gardner argues the true sequence remains elusive because even participants' accounts varied significantly.
Complex Lives Beyond the Legend
Gardner's research reveals both men as far more complicated than their screen portrayals suggest. Wyatt Earp, born in Monmouth, Illinois in 1848, experienced early tragedy when his wife Urilla Sutherland died of typhoid in 1870. His law enforcement career began controversially when he kept collected tax money as constable in Lamar, Missouri.
Earp's life took darker turns including arrest for horse theft and running a brothel in Illinois. Yet he later became an outstanding police officer in Wichita and Dodge City, repeatedly praised for his integrity in local newspapers.
Doc Holliday, born in Griffin, Georgia in 1851, trained as a dentist before tuberculosis reshaped his destiny. Unlike the ambitious Earp, Holliday drifted between gambling establishments and boomtowns, self-medicating with alcohol and laudanum while never showing signs of settling down.
Political Intrigue in the Wild West
The book reveals how deeply politics influenced these historical events. Earp identified as a Republican while his rival, Tombstone sheriff Johnny Behan, was a Democrat. Their conflict represented broader struggles for influence in newly forming western societies.
Gardner's work illustrates the surprising bureaucracy that followed violent incidents like the OK Corral, complete with hearings, affidavits, and compensation orders that contradict the lawless image popularised by modern cinema.
Despite their differences, Earp and Holliday maintained a lasting friendship that has captivated audiences for generations. From Henry Fonda's portrayal in My Darling Clementine to Kurt Russell's performance in Tombstone, their story continues to evolve while the true men beneath the legend remain even more fascinating than their Hollywood counterparts.
