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Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves: Lawman
This fast moving action packed adventure filled with history is based on the life of Bass Reeves. Reeves truly was the most unusual US Marshal to ever serve this country. His accomplishments earned him the title of the most feared lawman in the wild and untamed Indian Territory. The reader will follow his never ending contacts with murders, robbers, horse thieves and whiskey runners.
His remarkable life should be an inspiration for any reader. They will be impressed, and astonished by his fearlessness, dedication to honor, commitment to the law and his impact on history.
Bass Reeves Lawman is the second of a trilogy based on the true life of Bass Reeves, the first Black US Marshal west of the Mississippi. You will follow him from as he meets famous people of the time. Pistol Pete, Belle Starr, Judge Isaac Parker, Heck Thomas and Sam Sixkiller were just some of the famous and infamous who crossed paths with this amazing man.
Bass Reeves was born a slave, escaped captivity during the Civil War. His years of service, as a US Marshal, to the lawless Indian Territory helped write the history of Oklahoma. His honor, accomplishments and courage makes him eligible to be called the greatest lawman of his time. Bass Reeves’ story will make any lover of the old west wonder why he is not more famous.
The history of the Old West is filled with stories of heroes and villains, and those stories have been a source of fascination for generations. The fact that the stories of these unique and colorful characters continue to intrigue people is a true testament to the grit and determination it actually took to tame a wild and unpredictable country.
Among those stories, readers will seldom find a character that overcame more challenges and had more determination than Bass Reeves. As a slave, Reeves served a man who ultimately became the Speaker of the House of Texas. He was a participant in the Civil War and escaped to the lawless Indian Territory that is now Oklahoma. His life with the Indians, gave him the skills to make him a great tracker and hunter of outlaws. He learned five languages and gained respect of the Indians of the Territory, which made him one of the few who could gain information and accomplish the task of hunting down the lawless.
Bass Reeves faced challenges in his new homeland that would have destroyed a lesser man, but his natural gifts of determination and intelligence helped mold the man into one of the most feared and respected lawmen in history.
The story of Bass Reeves was illuminated in his day by only a flicker of candlelight, because he was black. If he had been a white man, the entire world would have known of his great exploits, and his name would have been mentioned with the likes of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and Bill Hickok. If the real truth had been known, the name of Bass Reeves would have been a beacon of historical light, shining brighter than any of his contemporaries.
The truth is, many of those more famous lawmen also reveled in some of the less honorable sides of life, like gambling, prostitution, profiteering, murder and vengeance. To the contrary, research into the life of Bass Reeves has shown that he strictly obeyed the laws of the land and strove to treat the men he hunted with even more respect than was customary for that time in history. Amazingly, Reeves stuck to these high standards in a wild territory that was often filled with greater danger than any of his contemporaries could have even imagined.
Bass Reeves brought law to a territory of outlaws that spread out over seventy thousand square miles. He arrested more than three thousand offenders and delivered them to face judgment before Judge Parker, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
His remarkable life should be an inspiration for any reader. They will be impressed, and astonished by his fearlessness, dedication to honor, commitment to the law and his impact on history.
Bass Reeves Lawman is the second of a trilogy based on the true life of Bass Reeves, the first Black US Marshal west of the Mississippi. You will follow him from as he meets famous people of the time. Pistol Pete, Belle Starr, Judge Isaac Parker, Heck Thomas and Sam Sixkiller were just some of the famous and infamous who crossed paths with this amazing man.
Bass Reeves was born a slave, escaped captivity during the Civil War. His years of service, as a US Marshal, to the lawless Indian Territory helped write the history of Oklahoma. His honor, accomplishments and courage makes him eligible to be called the greatest lawman of his time. Bass Reeves’ story will make any lover of the old west wonder why he is not more famous.
The history of the Old West is filled with stories of heroes and villains, and those stories have been a source of fascination for generations. The fact that the stories of these unique and colorful characters continue to intrigue people is a true testament to the grit and determination it actually took to tame a wild and unpredictable country.
Among those stories, readers will seldom find a character that overcame more challenges and had more determination than Bass Reeves. As a slave, Reeves served a man who ultimately became the Speaker of the House of Texas. He was a participant in the Civil War and escaped to the lawless Indian Territory that is now Oklahoma. His life with the Indians, gave him the skills to make him a great tracker and hunter of outlaws. He learned five languages and gained respect of the Indians of the Territory, which made him one of the few who could gain information and accomplish the task of hunting down the lawless.
Bass Reeves faced challenges in his new homeland that would have destroyed a lesser man, but his natural gifts of determination and intelligence helped mold the man into one of the most feared and respected lawmen in history.
The story of Bass Reeves was illuminated in his day by only a flicker of candlelight, because he was black. If he had been a white man, the entire world would have known of his great exploits, and his name would have been mentioned with the likes of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and Bill Hickok. If the real truth had been known, the name of Bass Reeves would have been a beacon of historical light, shining brighter than any of his contemporaries.
The truth is, many of those more famous lawmen also reveled in some of the less honorable sides of life, like gambling, prostitution, profiteering, murder and vengeance. To the contrary, research into the life of Bass Reeves has shown that he strictly obeyed the laws of the land and strove to treat the men he hunted with even more respect than was customary for that time in history. Amazingly, Reeves stuck to these high standards in a wild territory that was often filled with greater danger than any of his contemporaries could have even imagined.
Bass Reeves brought law to a territory of outlaws that spread out over seventy thousand square miles. He arrested more than three thousand offenders and delivered them to face judgment before Judge Parker, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
- GenresHistory
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
108 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Fred Staff
150 books9 followersFred Staff is a retired history teacher who has devoted his writting to historical novels. He is a native of Oklahoma and totally taken by the many stories of the Indian Territory. He spends many hours in research and strives to make his stories educational as well as entertaining.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 29, 2017
Bass Reeves
I really love the books on Bass. He was such a good ,honest , tough man. I have read these books before but they are well worth reading again. I sure hope there will be many more books on Bass. I look forward to reading everyone I can find.. Thank you for for a great book Mr. Fred Staff.
I really love the books on Bass. He was such a good ,honest , tough man. I have read these books before but they are well worth reading again. I sure hope there will be many more books on Bass. I look forward to reading everyone I can find.. Thank you for for a great book Mr. Fred Staff.
December 8, 2014
The second book in the Bass Reeves Trilogy from Fred Staff is the continuance of Bass Reeves life. Picking up where book one leaves off, Bass is recruited into the U.S. Marshalls. Reason for this is that no man other than the red man knew Indian territory like Mr. Reeves.
This volume touches very little on his personnal life but more on his life as a Marshall. After a little research on my own I come to the conclusion that Mr Staff researched very deeply into the life of Bass Reeves before writing this series as it it very accurate to the life of Mr. Reeves that is in the history books.
A very good read. The way it is written one can easily pick up on the story even if you've missed the first book. But book one is also highly recommended.
This volume touches very little on his personnal life but more on his life as a Marshall. After a little research on my own I come to the conclusion that Mr Staff researched very deeply into the life of Bass Reeves before writing this series as it it very accurate to the life of Mr. Reeves that is in the history books.
A very good read. The way it is written one can easily pick up on the story even if you've missed the first book. But book one is also highly recommended.
August 23, 2017
Enjoyable read. Not the best-written book but the story flows nicely.
August 1, 2023
Bass Reeves Lawman is a fascinating book to read. This is the 2nd book of a trilogy; the writing and story are much improved in this part of the story. I have concluded that these stories cannot be read as standalone books, especially because there is not an ending to the book. The telling of the story just stops abruptly and I am going to now start the 3rd book to continue the story. The writing is not very descriptive; it's brief and to the point. However, the author's talent is in writing the action scenes. There is a little bit of humor. The characters seem to be realistic; that's because they were real in living people in the past. The story is a fictional account. Bass picks up an injured dog after a shoot-out and names it Dog, during the last few chapters of the book. I am curious to know if the dog is still part of the story in the next book. Some Locations: [Arkansas: Battle of Pea Ridge (Elkhorn Tavern) near Fayetteville, Van Buren, Eufaula, Fort Smith, Wagoner; Oklahoma:
Tahlequah, Clear Boggy Creek Depot, Atoka, Choctaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Wewoka, Seminole City, Fort Sill, Younger’s Bend, Pawnee City, Cleveland, Black Bear Creek, Skedee, Whitmore School (Tahlequa), Going Snake; Texas: Paris, Red River]
Tahlequah, Clear Boggy Creek Depot, Atoka, Choctaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Wewoka, Seminole City, Fort Sill, Younger’s Bend, Pawnee City, Cleveland, Black Bear Creek, Skedee, Whitmore School (Tahlequa), Going Snake; Texas: Paris, Red River]
February 20, 2018
The lawman becomes a legend
Bass Reeves is one of our local legends. Judge Parker's courtroom and jail have been restored and the building, a former barracks in the old fort, is a National Historic Site. A statue of Bass Reeves is on the main street downtown, Garrison Avenue. Fort Smith is also the site of the U.S. Marshals Museum.
The second book in the trilogy covers Bass's life from the time he lived with Sam Mankiller and his family until he gains a reputation as a man who can be relied on and is sworn in as a United States Deputy Marshal. Although Bass could neither read not write, he would leave Fort Smith with a stack of warrants and never made a mistake in matching the warrant to the man.
In this book, he supposedly met Belle Starr. In reality, when Belle heard Bass had a warrant for her arrest, she rode into town and gave herself up.
40
Bass Reeves is one of our local legends. Judge Parker's courtroom and jail have been restored and the building, a former barracks in the old fort, is a National Historic Site. A statue of Bass Reeves is on the main street downtown, Garrison Avenue. Fort Smith is also the site of the U.S. Marshals Museum.
The second book in the trilogy covers Bass's life from the time he lived with Sam Mankiller and his family until he gains a reputation as a man who can be relied on and is sworn in as a United States Deputy Marshal. Although Bass could neither read not write, he would leave Fort Smith with a stack of warrants and never made a mistake in matching the warrant to the man.
In this book, he supposedly met Belle Starr. In reality, when Belle heard Bass had a warrant for her arrest, she rode into town and gave herself up.
40
November 22, 2017
Great read.
This book was better than the first one written as an introduction to this book. It was well researched, I am ready to read another book by Fred Staff.
This book was better than the first one written as an introduction to this book. It was well researched, I am ready to read another book by Fred Staff.
July 26, 2022
Great read
I enjoyed reading this book and! Looking forward to the next. I have read both book one and book two and hope. There is a another one about bass
I enjoyed reading this book and! Looking forward to the next. I have read both book one and book two and hope. There is a another one about bass
February 24, 2019
I finished Bass Reeves, Lawman a couple of days ago and have been thinking about it ever since. If one of author Fred Staff’s purposes was to stimulate the reader’s interest in a little known or forgotten historical figure, he has succeeded. And that’s putting it mildly.
Staff portrays a living, breathing person, believable in spite of his overwhelming, almost superhuman, accomplishments. Bass Reeves is the father we all wish we'd had, the brother who always had our back, the friend upon whom we could always rely and the stranger who embodies both Shane and the Good Samaritan. Who could not love this man, Bass Reeves? He's a standard that every man might strive to meet, even knowing it's unreachable.
The old west of the Oklahoma Indian Territories was a cruel and violent place. But it was an arena within which Reeves thrived. He was recruited as a US Marshall because of his reputation for honesty, ability and reliability. In a place and an age when men lived or died by their ability to outshoot an opponent, Bass Reeves became a legend. With over 3,000 arrests and apprehensions he far outstripped such names as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock and every other big name lawman out of the old west. He was the Super Hero of the era.
But Bass Reeves was more than a great champion of law and order. He maintained long-term friendships with families throughout the Territory and spoke the languages of the five Native American tribes that lived in the Territory. Among them, as with everyone else, he had a reputation for decency and honesty. Unlike other outsiders, he was known as a great friend and ally among the tribes.
So why haven’t you heard of him? Why did he disappear from the histories of that time? Why have lesser men been placed on pedestals while he has languished in obscurity? Well, you see, Bass Reeves was black.
Not only was he black, he was also an escaped slave and deserter from the confederate army. In short, he was the sort of hero America has not been prepared to accept, no matter what his accomplishments may have been. The success of Fred Staff’s trilogy of Bass Reeves stories may be an indication that this is finally changing.
I’ve only read the second book of the trilogy and am anxiously awaiting delivery of the first and third books. Fred Staff is a gifted story teller and I can promise that any thoughtful reader will come away from this introduction to the life and times of Bass Reeves with lots to consider and a hunger to learn more about this forgotten American hero.
Staff portrays a living, breathing person, believable in spite of his overwhelming, almost superhuman, accomplishments. Bass Reeves is the father we all wish we'd had, the brother who always had our back, the friend upon whom we could always rely and the stranger who embodies both Shane and the Good Samaritan. Who could not love this man, Bass Reeves? He's a standard that every man might strive to meet, even knowing it's unreachable.
The old west of the Oklahoma Indian Territories was a cruel and violent place. But it was an arena within which Reeves thrived. He was recruited as a US Marshall because of his reputation for honesty, ability and reliability. In a place and an age when men lived or died by their ability to outshoot an opponent, Bass Reeves became a legend. With over 3,000 arrests and apprehensions he far outstripped such names as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock and every other big name lawman out of the old west. He was the Super Hero of the era.
But Bass Reeves was more than a great champion of law and order. He maintained long-term friendships with families throughout the Territory and spoke the languages of the five Native American tribes that lived in the Territory. Among them, as with everyone else, he had a reputation for decency and honesty. Unlike other outsiders, he was known as a great friend and ally among the tribes.
So why haven’t you heard of him? Why did he disappear from the histories of that time? Why have lesser men been placed on pedestals while he has languished in obscurity? Well, you see, Bass Reeves was black.
Not only was he black, he was also an escaped slave and deserter from the confederate army. In short, he was the sort of hero America has not been prepared to accept, no matter what his accomplishments may have been. The success of Fred Staff’s trilogy of Bass Reeves stories may be an indication that this is finally changing.
I’ve only read the second book of the trilogy and am anxiously awaiting delivery of the first and third books. Fred Staff is a gifted story teller and I can promise that any thoughtful reader will come away from this introduction to the life and times of Bass Reeves with lots to consider and a hunger to learn more about this forgotten American hero.
May 9, 2013
This was a much more interesting book than “Young Bass Reeves” and perhaps it was because chapter after chapter were filled with the different arrests that Bass made, first out of the request of neighbors who had been murdered or robbed by bad men and then later when he was appointed United States Marshal because the Indian Territory had become a lawless zone due to a former corrupt judge.
This book took up where the other left off with saving Sam’s wife and children from outlaws. After Bass left Sam’s, he traveled to the Creek tribe to recompense the deceased Walter Upton’s Indian widow with bounty money he had earned prior to his death. There Bass met Walter’s young daughter, Jane, who took Bass as her lover. This was a first for Bass since he was not allowed to even look at White women and his duties as a teenage slave had kept him away from Black women. But Jane had set her sights on Bass and he took her with him back to Sam’s where he married her. She later was killed when the wagon she was riding in overturned as Sam’s family and she were attempting to escape outlaws. This almost broke Bass, but eventually he saved the daughter of his former slave master and life truly took on new meaning for him. The story continued to encompass arrests after arrests he made. One time he brought back twenty-six prisoners with the help of two deputies who traveled with him. The book ended abruptly after a big arrest, probably because there were so many more that would be too difficult to include. This was certainly an interesting tale of the Arkansas and Oklahoma areas known as the Indian Territory. I recommend this book for its historical value and to hail a little known new hero.
This book took up where the other left off with saving Sam’s wife and children from outlaws. After Bass left Sam’s, he traveled to the Creek tribe to recompense the deceased Walter Upton’s Indian widow with bounty money he had earned prior to his death. There Bass met Walter’s young daughter, Jane, who took Bass as her lover. This was a first for Bass since he was not allowed to even look at White women and his duties as a teenage slave had kept him away from Black women. But Jane had set her sights on Bass and he took her with him back to Sam’s where he married her. She later was killed when the wagon she was riding in overturned as Sam’s family and she were attempting to escape outlaws. This almost broke Bass, but eventually he saved the daughter of his former slave master and life truly took on new meaning for him. The story continued to encompass arrests after arrests he made. One time he brought back twenty-six prisoners with the help of two deputies who traveled with him. The book ended abruptly after a big arrest, probably because there were so many more that would be too difficult to include. This was certainly an interesting tale of the Arkansas and Oklahoma areas known as the Indian Territory. I recommend this book for its historical value and to hail a little known new hero.
July 14, 2019
I originally bought all three books in this series because I wanted to know the story of this great lawman. After DNFing the first book, it took a few years for me to pick up this one, the second in the series, based on the recommendation that it reads better than the first.
While I'm still not fond of this author's writing style, I find the story compelling. Based on the research I've of done of the author, I have no reason the believe that the content of this, and others in the series, isn't true.
While narrative nonfiction isn't a genre I dare to tackle, this story may have benefited from a more traditional nonfiction recounting. Still, once meeting the end of this installment, I immediately went back to finish and re-read the first in the series, and then the last in the series. This is definitely a story that deserves to be told. I thank Mr. Staff for putting in the research time and effort to write this man's story.
Recommended to readers who want to know more about the little known history of great African Americans before the passing of the Civil Rights Bill.
Highly recommended to fans of westerns and historical fiction and nonfiction.
While I'm still not fond of this author's writing style, I find the story compelling. Based on the research I've of done of the author, I have no reason the believe that the content of this, and others in the series, isn't true.
While narrative nonfiction isn't a genre I dare to tackle, this story may have benefited from a more traditional nonfiction recounting. Still, once meeting the end of this installment, I immediately went back to finish and re-read the first in the series, and then the last in the series. This is definitely a story that deserves to be told. I thank Mr. Staff for putting in the research time and effort to write this man's story.
Recommended to readers who want to know more about the little known history of great African Americans before the passing of the Civil Rights Bill.
Highly recommended to fans of westerns and historical fiction and nonfiction.
May 5, 2021
LOVE LOVE LOVE
This series has been so exciting and takes me back to the days of Bass Reeves. If only law enforcers had the same authority now as back then we would be in a much different place here in 2021. I wish the author had written more in this series but maybe this is all he knew. A lot of history was lost because he was an African American man. This is book 2. On to book 3.
This series has been so exciting and takes me back to the days of Bass Reeves. If only law enforcers had the same authority now as back then we would be in a much different place here in 2021. I wish the author had written more in this series but maybe this is all he knew. A lot of history was lost because he was an African American man. This is book 2. On to book 3.
March 15, 2021
Excellent! Fun read and educational to boot.
I learned a lot about Bass Reeves in this book. I live in the Fort Smith area and knew much about him, but this is very enlightening. It is excelently written and allows you to learn about his life as a great person and lawman. It is written in a story fashion of his life and not boring.
I learned a lot about Bass Reeves in this book. I live in the Fort Smith area and knew much about him, but this is very enlightening. It is excelently written and allows you to learn about his life as a great person and lawman. It is written in a story fashion of his life and not boring.
February 22, 2018
This author and Bass Reeves Lawman series, has become a conversation piece in this household. The wilds of the west are stories enjoyed in this household. Thanks so much for these books.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews