5. Ed Masterson Shootout (1878)

Ed Masterson Shootout (1878)
Dodge City, Kansas

One of the most memorable gunfights in the history of the American West involved City Marshal Edward “Ed” Masterson, the older brother of the famous lawman and gunslinger William Barclay “Bat” Masterson. Ed was known for his cool demeanor and unwavering sense of duty, which would serve him on his fateful patrol one night in Dodge City.

It was late, and the district was lively with the usual crowd of cowboys, gamblers and drifters. Among them was Jack Wagner, an intoxicated cowboy whose rowdy behavior caught Marshal Masterson’s attention. As Masterson approached Wagner, he noticed the cowboy was carrying a six-shooter, a direct violation of the city’s ordinance. Masterson, calm and collected, disarmed Wagner without incident and handed the revolver over to Wagner’s companions for safekeeping.

Satisfied that the situation was under control, Masterson resumed his patrol. However, as he continued down the street, Wagner, still seething, reached for a second hidden pistol. Without warning, he fired, striking Masterson in the abdomen. The force of the shot ignited Masterson’s clothing, causing the flames to spread over his injury. Despite the severe wound and the shock of the attack, Ed Masterson managed to draw his revolver and return a fatal fire, hitting Wagner squarely in the abdomen.

Ed Masterson was carried to his brother Bat’s room, where he spent his final moments. The funeral procession that followed was a solemn affair, with Masterson laid to rest at Fort Dodge, a hero in the eyes of the town he had sworn to protect.

This tragic showdown between Ed Masterson and Jack Wagner is remembered not just for the violence that defined it, but for the courage and resilience Masterson displayed even in the face of certain death.