Gunfight at the OK Corral

History Thru Film

Mr. Clark

KEY FIGURES• b. March 19, 1848

• stagecoach driver, railroad construction worker, surveyor, buffalo hunter, and policeman, sheriff.

• 1876: chief deputy marshal of Dodge City, Kansas

• 1879:Wyatt and bros. go to Tombstone, Arizona; reputation as a gunfighter

• d. January 13, 1929

Wyatt Earp

KEY FIGURESJOHN HENRY HOLLIDAY

• b. August 14, 1851.

• Tuberculosis strikes family

• educated man; fluent in Latin; played the piano; a dentist; talent for playing cards; good gambler

• dying from disease; moody, drank a lot; always wanted to die (fearless); instant friends w/ Wyatt Earp

Doc Holliday

Sanatoriuma an institution for rest and recuperation (as of convalescents) b : an establishment for the treatment of the chronically ill <a tuberculosis sanatorium>

KEY FIGURESMorgan Earp Virgil Earp

KEY FIGURESIke Clanton Frank McLaury

KEY FIGURESIke Clanton Tom McLaury

KEY FIGURESSheriff John Behan

OpponentsCowboys

• Joseph Isaac "Ike" Clanton

• Billy Clanton (killed)

• Frank McLaury (killed)

• Tom McLaury (killed)

• Billy "The Kid" Claiborne

Law

•Wyatt Earp

•Virgil Earp (wounded)

•Morgan Earp (wounded)

•John Henry "Doc" Holliday (wounded)

The Earp FactionWyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, James Earp,

Doc Holliday, Morgan Earp

Trouble Begins• Oct. 25, 1881: Doc

Holliday drinking in local saloon in Tombstone, AZ

• becomes involved in drunken dispute with Ike Clanton (unarmed)

• each man threatens each other’s life

Trouble Begins• Oct. 26, 1881: Ike

Clanton goes looking for Holliday to “settle” dispute

• Virgil and Morgan Earp find Clanton and “detain” him

• Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury find out about Ike’s trouble

Trouble Begins

• The “Cowboys” gather in town looking for revenge for the “injustices” against their brothers

• the Earps gather Doc Holliday and decide to “disarm” the Cowboys

Trouble Begins• Virgil Earp receives word that the Cowboys were gathering at the OK Corral (and armed)

• the Cowboys had threatened to kill the Earps and Doc, if they did not get out of Tombstone

• the whole town gathered

Wyatt Earp’s Drawing Prior to the Shootout

Lot Near OK Corral

Gunfight• The two sides meet near

the OK Corral

• Wyatt Earp and Billy Clanton opened the battle

• Doc shot Billy in the chest, then shot Tom McLaury down with a double charge of buckshot. (died before he hit the ground)

Gunfight• Ike Clanton turns to

run away

• Wyatt allows him to go freely

• Doc shoots twice at Ike (barely misses)

• Frank McLaury shoots Doc's holster and burned a crease across his hip

• Doc's return shot smashed into McLaury's brain

Wyatt Earp’s Drawing After the ShootOut

Gunfight Ends• Less than thirty seconds after the opening shot,

three men lay dead and three were wounded.

• Doc had shot each of the dead cowboys at least once.

• Virgil had been shot in the leg

• Morgan through both shoulders.

• Only Wyatt Earp survived the fight untouched.

Gunfight Ends

Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton

Legend • This incident had become one of the greatest stories ever told about the Wild West.

• Numerous movies made about this event as well as about the individuals involved

• short battle made legends that have lasted hundreds of years