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American Legends of the Wild West
Authentic, dramatic and gloriously illustrated, here are stories of resourceful and courageous men and women who pushed westward to create a new nation - pioneer explorers such as Lewis and Clark, rugged mountain men and scouts such as Kit Carson, and a host of lawmen, gunslingers, railroaders, soldiers and warriors.
The tale of America's great drive westward introduces us to a grand cast of determined individuals who overcame enormous physical and emotional hardships. Maps show pioneers' routes, the sites of battles and gold fields, and how the coming of the railroads affected the terrain. In addition, a time chart covering the entire era of exploration and settlement shows how events and the characters that shaped them interlink.
Featuring more than 100 photographs, paintings and illustrations, 'American Legends of the Wild West' is an entertaining and informative work that brings together the most important people, places, and events of the American West in one colourful volume.
The tale of America's great drive westward introduces us to a grand cast of determined individuals who overcame enormous physical and emotional hardships. Maps show pioneers' routes, the sites of battles and gold fields, and how the coming of the railroads affected the terrain. In addition, a time chart covering the entire era of exploration and settlement shows how events and the characters that shaped them interlink.
Featuring more than 100 photographs, paintings and illustrations, 'American Legends of the Wild West' is an entertaining and informative work that brings together the most important people, places, and events of the American West in one colourful volume.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 1992
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March 3, 2020
With more than 100 photographs, paintings and other illustrations, Richard Mancini has put together an epic story of the Wild West from the first lawmen to the infamous outlaws, the soldiers of fortune to the great Indian chiefs and all come together to show how events and the men and women that were involved in them shaped the American West.
It is more than a century ago that the noted historian Frederick Jackson Turner declared the American frontier officially closed. But the stories of the men and women who helped to build it continue to fascinate and entertain in the 21st century. Many of the characters involved were boyhood heroes of mine, with their deeds acted out in our games of cowboys and Indians!
One such hero was Daniel Boone, born a Pennsylvanian Quaker in 1734. He went on to earn the title 'Indian fighter' and explored Kentucky between 1767 and 1771 during which period he crossed through the Cumberland Gap (cue Lonnie Donegan!). When the American Revolution began he became a militia leader and was captured by the Shawnees in 1778 but after he escaped his legend grew to epic proportions but, contrary to popular myth, he never wore a coonskin cap!
It was Merriwether Lewis and William Clark and their 'Corps of Discovery' who really began the trek west at the bequest of President Jefferson and after great hardships they finally reached the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps not surprisingly, on their return they were elevated to living legends status.
John Charles Frémont and his wife Jessie - who later stated that the journey was 'My most happy life-work' - mounted an expedition west as did John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran. The latter and his party sailed down the rapids-filled Colorado and Green rivers and covered the entire length of the Grand Canyon in four small boats and emerged as national heroes.
Mountain men and scouts such as John Colter, Jed Smith - known as 'The Beaver Man' - and Jim Bridger - aka 'Old Gabe' - , were all involved while Jim Beckwourth and one of his Native Indian wives, Sue, and Joseph Reddeford Walker continued the expeditions west. And Kit Carson (another boyhood favourite of mine) and Davy Crockett were also influential in the field.
Texans - remember The Alamo - and 49ers followed, as did the Mormons, and river men, riders and railroaders all joined the trek west. There were also plenty of women prepared to follow along, such as stage star Adah Isaacs Menken, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane and Pearl Hart.
After the Civil War there was the rise of the cattle barons in the Western plains as the cowboys and badmen moved in. John Wesley Hardin, one of the west's most vicious killers, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the Dalton Gang were just some who held sway. The James-Younger gang prospered and there was a legendary gunfight at the OK Corrall. Lawmen such as Wild Bill Hickok, Bat Masterson, 'Uncle Billy' Tighman and others were called in to try to calm things down.
As fights between the Indians and the soldiers broke out, the ill-fated George Armstrong Custer, Philip Sheridan, Andrew Jackson (before his presidency), William Tecumseh Sherman and others were called in. They were pitted against such as Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Red Cloud, Tecumseh and other great Indian chiefs before it all came to an end at Wounded Knee.
Richard Marcini has produced a fascinating history of the Wild West and brought to life the 100s of personalities who played their part in the winning, and losing, of the west.
It is more than a century ago that the noted historian Frederick Jackson Turner declared the American frontier officially closed. But the stories of the men and women who helped to build it continue to fascinate and entertain in the 21st century. Many of the characters involved were boyhood heroes of mine, with their deeds acted out in our games of cowboys and Indians!
One such hero was Daniel Boone, born a Pennsylvanian Quaker in 1734. He went on to earn the title 'Indian fighter' and explored Kentucky between 1767 and 1771 during which period he crossed through the Cumberland Gap (cue Lonnie Donegan!). When the American Revolution began he became a militia leader and was captured by the Shawnees in 1778 but after he escaped his legend grew to epic proportions but, contrary to popular myth, he never wore a coonskin cap!
It was Merriwether Lewis and William Clark and their 'Corps of Discovery' who really began the trek west at the bequest of President Jefferson and after great hardships they finally reached the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps not surprisingly, on their return they were elevated to living legends status.
John Charles Frémont and his wife Jessie - who later stated that the journey was 'My most happy life-work' - mounted an expedition west as did John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran. The latter and his party sailed down the rapids-filled Colorado and Green rivers and covered the entire length of the Grand Canyon in four small boats and emerged as national heroes.
Mountain men and scouts such as John Colter, Jed Smith - known as 'The Beaver Man' - and Jim Bridger - aka 'Old Gabe' - , were all involved while Jim Beckwourth and one of his Native Indian wives, Sue, and Joseph Reddeford Walker continued the expeditions west. And Kit Carson (another boyhood favourite of mine) and Davy Crockett were also influential in the field.
Texans - remember The Alamo - and 49ers followed, as did the Mormons, and river men, riders and railroaders all joined the trek west. There were also plenty of women prepared to follow along, such as stage star Adah Isaacs Menken, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane and Pearl Hart.
After the Civil War there was the rise of the cattle barons in the Western plains as the cowboys and badmen moved in. John Wesley Hardin, one of the west's most vicious killers, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the Dalton Gang were just some who held sway. The James-Younger gang prospered and there was a legendary gunfight at the OK Corrall. Lawmen such as Wild Bill Hickok, Bat Masterson, 'Uncle Billy' Tighman and others were called in to try to calm things down.
As fights between the Indians and the soldiers broke out, the ill-fated George Armstrong Custer, Philip Sheridan, Andrew Jackson (before his presidency), William Tecumseh Sherman and others were called in. They were pitted against such as Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Red Cloud, Tecumseh and other great Indian chiefs before it all came to an end at Wounded Knee.
Richard Marcini has produced a fascinating history of the Wild West and brought to life the 100s of personalities who played their part in the winning, and losing, of the west.
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