Outlaws of the Wild West

Outlaws of the Wild West is a true crime history of the American Frontier that examines thirty-eight career criminals and infamous outlaw gangs, distinguishing historical fact from legend. Following the American Civil War, the western frontier was populated by cowboys, gunslingers, saloon madams, and lawmen, but much of the romantic mythology surrounding these figures comes from novels and films rather than historical reality. Terry C. Treadwell presents the actual stories behind well-known outlaws such as Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, and the Dalton Brothers, alongside lesser-known criminals. The book covers William Clark Quantrill and his Confederate Army unit, Quantrill's Raiders, known for their hit-and-run raids; Henry Starr, a Native American career criminal who later appeared in a film about his own life; Ann and Josie Bassett, sisters who protected their ranch from cattle barons with assistance from Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch; and numerous other figures from the era.