3. The Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt Gunfight (1865)

The Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt Gunfight (1865)

Springfield, Missouri

What is widely regarded as the nation’s first one-on-one quick draw duel began over a heated dispute at the card table inside the Lyon House, a well-known saloon in the 1800’s, in Springfield, Missouri. On a fateful evening, Wild Bill Hickok, a legendary figure of the Old West, found himself in a tense situation with a fellow gambler named Davis Tutt. After a series of unlucky hands, Hickok had lost a significant amount of money to Tutt. Tempers flared as the night wore on, and Tutt, eager to claim his winnings, seized Hickok’s prized gold pocket watch as collateral for the debt.

Taking the watch was more than just a slight to Hickok’s pride; it was a public insult. Rumors circulated that Hickok had warned Tutt in no uncertain terms: if he dared to wear the watch in public, he would kill him. Tutt, either out of arrogance or a desire to provoke Hickok further, decided to do just that. On the morning of July 21, 1865, Tutt boldly strutted into the public square of Springfield, flaunting the watch for all to see.

The challenge had been set, and the townspeople gathered around the square, sensing that something deadly was about to unfold. Hickok, true to his word, stepped into the square to meet Tutt. The two men faced each other, 75 feet apart, preparing for what would become an iconic showdown. The tension was thick in the air as the men stood, ready to duel. At the signal, both men fired their pistols at the same time.

Tutt’s shot went wide, missing its mark. Hickok, however, was deadly accurate. His bullet struck Tutt square in the chest. The crowd watched in stunned silence as Tutt staggered backward, managing to walk about 20 feet before collapsing to the ground. Within moments, he was dead.

Hickok was arrested and tried for the killing, but ultimately acquitted, as the jury ruled that he acted in self-defense. This legendary duel not only cemented Hickok’s reputation as a feared gunslinger but also set the precedent for the quick-draw duels that would later become a staple of the American West.