Between Xmas and New Year, myself, Steve M, and Chas gathered at Chez Vince for another Wild West Adventure, picking up from our last gathering back on New Year's Eve 2022 when we played the shoot-out at the OK Corral in Tombstone Arizona Territory 1881, and the following gunfights that culminated with the shootout at Iron Springs 1882, that time using the rules 'Ruthless'.
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| Ruthless at Tombstone, New Years Eve 2022 |
This time I was finally getting the opportunity to have a go playing the Lardy set of Old West rules, 'What a Cowboy!' which have appeared several times at club and with which Vince was using to refight the last raid of the Dalton Gang in Coffeyville, Kansas on October 5th 1892.
This disastrous raid by the Dalton brothers and some of their associates is well documented and although I am not an aficionado of the Old West, it was not difficult finding the first hand accounts and details of the plan enacted by the gang on the day that led to the demise of four members of the gang including Bob and Grat Dalton and the capture of a badly shot up Emmett Dalton, as well as the deaths of four residents of Coffeyville who joined the fight to prevent the gang riding away with cash from two of the town's banks.
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| http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/daltons.htm |
At around 9:30 on the morning of October 5th, 1892 five members of the Dalton Gang (Grat Dalton, Emmett Dalton, Bob Dalton, Bill Power and Dick Broadwell) rode into the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas.
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| Vince's interpretation of Coffeyville from the map above |
Their objective was to achieve financial security and make outlaw history by simultaneously robbing two banks. From the beginning, their audacious plan went astray. The hitching post where they intended to tie their horses had been torn down due to road repairs, and this forced the gang to hitch their horses in a near-by alley - a fateful decision.
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| Grat Dalton, Emmett Dalton, Bob Dalton, Bill Power and Dick Broadwell hitch their horses in what would become known as 'Death Ally' near to the livery stables managed in our game by John Kloehr, seen in the background, Winchester rifle in hand |
Coffeyville was the Dalton's hometown, a fact that had persuaded them against doing their normal pre-raid reconnaissance visit due to the chances that they might have been spotted, and therefore to disguise their identity, two of the Daltons wore false beards and wigs but despite these precautions the gang was recognized as they crossed the town's wide plaza, split up and entered the two banks. Suspicious townspeople watched through the banks' wide front windows as the robbers pulled their guns.
The five gang members, (three gunslingers and two shootists), armed with various weapons, pistols and rifles hidden under riding coats, and three town characters, Marshal Connelly, who could arm himself with a Winchester rifle if summoned into the town, John Kloehr, located at the livery stables in Death Ally, and Carey Seaman the town barber, located next door to Isham's hardware store, armed with a double barrelled shotgun (two gunslingers and one shootist).
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| Condon Bank Coffeyville, Kansas, circa 1890, one of the two banks the Dalton Gang attempted to rob |
In addition once the alarm was raised, three additional groups of armed townsfolk (henchmen) could be generated to support the player characters, with Steve M. and Chas running the Dalton gang, myself the town characters and Vince the henchmen.
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| Condon Bank Coffeyville, Kansas, circa 2025. |
In our game the gang managed to move relatively quickly without drawing attention as Bill Power stayed behind close to the horses with a likely plan to cover the escape from town should things get hot, whilst Grat and Emmet made their way to Condon Bank and Bob Dalton and Dick Broadwell moved across the street to First National Bank, not however without Bob getting spotted and an urgent message sent off to Marshal Connelly.
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| The other target of the raid, First National Bank. |
Things went from bad to worse for Bob and Dick as they entered the First National Bank and encountered not one but two 'Have a go heroes' that would see Bob take a shock from the suddenly unexpected resistance requiring Dick to end matters with his Winchester, the shot being heard by Carey Seaman the town barber, only two buildings south along the street, next door to Isham's hardware store, causing him to grab his shotgun and peer from his shopfront window.
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| Carey Seaman challenges Dick Broadwell as the latter runs out of First National Bank and then draws his pistol |
Looking out he immediately spotted Dick Broadwell heading across the street gun in one hand and a large sack in the other, as Dick turned and levelled his six shooter, the nimble barber lowered his shotgun and let the bandit have both barrels, causing him a wound, but having to then successfully dodge the return pistol shots.
The exchange of shots between Seamen and Broadwell, caused both antagonists to seek cover in doorways and street corners as Broadwell and Bob Dalton headed for Eighth Street and a circuitous route back to the horses with over $20000 dollars in hand and having left two dead townsfolk in the First National Bank.
While the gunfire echoed around town, Grat and Emmet Dalton were patiently waiting for the non existent safe timer to allow them access to the cash in Condon Bank, having been conned by the bank teller that there was one and now only to aware of the town now likely aware of their presence and the need to swiftly make their getaway.
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| How the West was really Won. Carey Seaman catches Dick Broadwell with two shots from his shotgun, in the back, killing the robber and repossessing the stolen cash. |
However the gunfire had also alerted Marshal Connelly, who passed the chap coming to warn him of the presence of Bob Dalton in town, now having armed himself with a Winchester and working his way to the block next to Death Ally, attracted by yet more shots now being exchanged between Bill Power and John Kloehr at the livery store, the latter having noticed the stranger hanging around the horses hitched close by.
In the meantime Carey Seaman had observed Dick Broadwell run off towards Eighth Street and looking to cut him off headed into the building across from the bank with a view into the next street, catching Broadwell trying to make his way back to Death Alley and wounding Broadwell a second time causing him to fall before letting fly with the second barrel of his shotgun and killing the robber as he continued out of the window in pursuit of Bob Dalton.
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| A contemporary drawing of the aftermath in Death Alley. |
With things now really 'hotting' up in town as three groups of armed townsfolk headed into the streets, Grat and Emmett Dalton now found their escape route bottled up, caught in the crossfire generated by Marshall Connelly and John Kloehr at the livery store in Death Ally. Bill Power had earned himself a new nickname in our game 'Bullet-magnet Bill' and was leading a charmed life when it seemed the name got to him as he jumped astride his horse turned the animal in the direction of escape and managed to get away unharmed despite Connelly shooting away his left stirrup as he did so.
Connelly and Kloehr were playing a stealthy game with both men using the cover of low walls in the case of the former and the livery table in the case of the latter, to pop up and take aimed shots at the gang members as they tried to get to the horses.
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| The final battle in Death Alley - Marshall Connelly has ducked down behind the far stone wall in front of the tape measure as he and Kloehr off to the bottom right have driven the Dalton's and Bill Power to take cover, left of picture, unable to get to the horses. |
With Grat and Emmett pinned down by Connelly and Kloehr a group of pistol toting townsfolk came charging into the ally looking to finish things, but were met by both robbers and mercilessly gunned down.
However matters took another turn and Bob Dalton tried to get into the ally from a nearby building having made his way back to the horses with money taken from the First National Bank, but failed to hear the warning shouted by his brothers as John Kloehr took careful aim with his Winchester and shot poor Bob in the chest, mortally wounding him as he fell into the stable yard.
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| Grat Dalton mounts up and immediately draws fire from Marshal Connelly |
The killing of Bob decided matters for Grat and Emmet as the latter ran for the horses, mounted up and spurred his mount out of town, unscathed and with money in hand.
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| Marshal Connelly was up from his position on the wall taking careful aim with his rifle. |
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| Left to right: Bill Power; Bob Dalton; Grat Dalton, Dick Broadwell killed during the actual raid on Coffeyville and posed for the obligatory grim memento-mori. |
Game end, and it was time to tally the cash from the Coffeyville Raid. Grat and Emmett had got away with $23,000 taken from the Condon Bank, however both Bob Dalton and Dick Broadwell had been killed carrying the balance from the First National Bank, leaving the surviving gang members $2,000 short of their retirement pot.
Thus our game was declared a draw with over four townsfolk killed in the gun battle, but two robbers killed in return and Grat Dalton escaping with a dangerous head wound $2,000 out of pocket.
We thoroughly enjoyed 'What a Cowboy!' which produced a fast flowing narrative to our game with lots of laughs and drama as history was recreated on the table.
Thanks to Chas, Steve M. and of course Vince for a great day of Old West action, and a very nice game to end 2025 on.
More anon.
JJ
Great write up. Just like being there JJ. Wait, I was, although commanding the "henchmen" groups of townsfolk was a thankless task ! Rolling a fistful of "Spots" and "Aims" is not much use when you are chasing people. As in the real life raid, the characters did all the killing, but it was fun to watch the real life events like the "time lock" ruse play out. I am not sure I would have had the b*lls to tell an outlaw toting a Winchester at me, that he would "have to wait until the big hand came round on the clock."
ReplyDeleteI thought the Dalton gang gave it a good go, but it was the crossfire from the liveryman and Sheriff, together with the dogged pursuit by the barber, that decided the issue. That said, leaving Bill Powers to guard the horses allowed three of the gang to escape, as it was his fire that had both Sheriff and liveryman diving for cover more than once.
As usual, it was the spirit and conviviality of the players that really makes a game and that was evident on the day. Having experienced players, who pick up new rules quickly, also helped the umpire !
Vince
I have always had some regard for the Old West. Fostered I suspect by reading an article by the magnificent Donald Featherstone in the Wargamers newsletter a lifetime ago. It featured a character called Justin Time which was amusing. We played those early Skirmish Wargames rules authored by `Botch` Blake, `Long haired` Steve Curtis and the other guy whose name we could never remember. One may have moved on to other rulesets, I am particularly fond of a Fistful of Lead, but we never quite forget those early loves as a gentleman should not. I am also fond of the old Avalon Hill board game Gunslinger which I still retain which is easily convertible to miniature wargaming where I suspect it initially originated. A man should be a cowboy on rare occasion.
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