Wyatt Earp's Vendetta Ride in Dragoon
It is entirely plausible Wyatt Earp's last night (or second to last) spent in Cochise County was in Dragoon, Arizona.
On April 10th 1882, the Tombstone Epitaph published an anonymous letter from a member of the Earp party. It is posted below. In that first-hand account they had dinner in Dragoon, waiting for the east bound train. What time did the train arrive? Did the Earp party spend the night in Dragoon? 100 years later, the LA Times published an article that claimed the Earp party stopped a train in Dragoon at 1pm. The first hand account below clearly does not corroborate that as fact. The 1 pm timeframe is likely a Hollywood embellishment.
Some have claimed that after Dragoon, the Earp party went east to the Henderson House, which some say was south of the Willcox Playa, of which there is no known contemporary location. But why would they waste the time and energy to head east when they wanted to head nearly due north? Plus was that a logical single day of travel to be south of the Willcox Playa, travel 5 or more miles to get to Willcox then travel another 27 miles to arrive at Hookers Ranch?
If they did continue to travel with the Winchester prospectors as stated in the first-hand account, then heading due north to the Winchester Mountains from Dragoon makes sense (as the prospectors would have been heading that way as well ~ safety in numbers), not east to the south end of the Willcox Playa.
As illustrated below, the Earp party likely traveled mostly due north to get to Hookers Ranch. If that is the case, then Henderson Ranch (or house) would have been along that path. Depending on how close it was to Hookers Ranch, the Henderson Ranch may have been in Graham County.
Either way, it would appear that Wyatt Earp's last night or second to last night he ever spent in Cochise County Arizona was spent in Dragoon.
Core / Main Posse Members (the consistent riders throughout most or all of the ride):
- Wyatt Earp — Leader, Deputy U.S. Marshal
- Warren Earp — Wyatt’s youngest brother
- Doc Holliday — Close friend and gunfighter
- Sherman McMaster — Experienced deputy/gunman
- Jack “Turkey Creek” Johnson (real name likely John William Blount) — Noted gunman
- John “Texas Jack” Vermillion — Carpenter and gunfighter
The posse operated as a federal posse under Wyatt’s authority as Deputy U.S. Marshal. They were paid $5 per day. The group size varied slightly depending on the day and location, but the six core members above are the ones most reliably tied to the full Vendetta Ride.
April 10th, 1882 Tombstone Epitaph, page 5
THE EARP PARTY.
Journal of Their Adventures and Wanderings,
As Jotted Down by One of Them for the Benefit of the Epitaph’s Headers. |
The following letter was received by | mail to-day, written upon detached leaves } from an account hook, and post-marked Willcox. It may be genuine and may not be; each reader may judge for himself:
In Camp, April 4, 1882. Epitaph Editor:—In reply to the article in the Nugget of March 31, relating to the Earp party and some of the citizens of Graham and Cochise counties, I would like to give you the facts in this case during our trip in Cochise and Graham counties. Leaving Tombstone Saturday evening, March 25, WE WENT INTO CAMP six miles north of town (***editors note~ south of current day Dragoon Mountain Estates on the edge of the defunct and visible remnant of a partially built and abandoned golf course from the never-completed Bachmann Springs resort development***). Next morning we were overtaken by three prospectors on their road from Tombstone to Winchester district, who asked us to partake of a frugal meal, which we ate with relish, after which we traveled in company with them on the main road to (Dragoon) Summit station, where we had dinner and awaited the arrival of the passenger train from the west, expecting a friendly messenger.
From here we continued our journey on the wagon road to Henderson's ranch were we had refreshments for ourselves and horses. ...
.... Leaving this ranch we went into camp on good grass one mile north. At seven the next morning, we saddled and went north to Mr. H.C. Hooker's Ranch in Graham County.
Henderson house or ranch has been cited as being located south of the Willcox Playa. Does that make sense for someone heading due north?
Doesn't make sense they'd waste the time or energy to go into Willcox to get to Hookers Ranch when there are clearly to paths that lead mostly north making the trip shorter.
