A Fraternity Gunslingers: True Stories of Wild West Gunmen

Gunslingers were born out of the Civil War. They were men who had learned to shoot, to kill other men, and were good at it. The country was in turmoil, many had no home to go back to--their farms and ranches were in ruin--so they took on jobs as hired hands, cow drovers, police officers, and gamblers. These men often crossed the line, at will, between law and crime. This line was so blurred that a professional gunslinger often found himself enforcing the law one month, and breaking the law the next.
The Wild West was really about commerce, making money. The bottom line was to earn a living and get as much as you could for yourself. While the occupation of these men varied--they were miners, hunters, retailers, gamblers, and even leeches (thieves and killers)--they had a common ground: nerves of steel and the ability to handle a weapon. Although they often ran in packs, few lived much beyond their early years. Those that did, such as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp, were the most deadly, the most nervy, the most intelligent, and the most lucky.
We have all seen movies about the most famous of the gunslingers, but there were other brave men, and even women, whose deeds are all but forgotten. Their stories need to be told with accuracy--these stories of men who were outlaws, men who crossed over and became lawmen, and men who crossed the line at will.
Each chapter will be dedicated to a gunslinger, describing an incident from his life, such as a shoot out, or providing a synopsis of their career.