Post by dilligaf on Dec 7, 2022 1:08:09 GMT -5
He was not the nice guy Robert Redford played in the movie.
He started out as a U.S. Navy deserter born John Garrison in New Jersey who ran west to escape the stockades after striking an officer during the Mexican-American War.. He learned all the hunting and trapping skills from an old trapper in the Montana Territory.
Long story short, his Flathead bride and her unborn baby were killed by the Crow.
Johnson then set out for revenge, killing 300+ Crows and removing their livers. He became then forever known as Liver-Eating Johnson. I can't find evidence of anyone who actually witnessed him eating a liver, but the name stuck.
Long story short, his Flathead bride and her unborn baby were killed by the Crow.
Johnson then set out for revenge, killing 300+ Crows and removing their livers. He became then forever known as Liver-Eating Johnson. I can't find evidence of anyone who actually witnessed him eating a liver, but the name stuck.
I'm not gonna spoil the whole movie. Look up "Liver Eating Johnson" for yourself, and learn about a truly remarkable man.
Oh yeah, he joined the Yankee Army to fight the Civil War (guess they forgot about that little Navy desertion thing) and was honorably discharged after the war. He also served time as a law man.
As he aged, he availed himself of VA benefits in VA hospitals (where's the Navy?) in California --- L.A. I think.. He was broke when he died in 1900 and was buried in a military cemetery in or near L.A. But this nosy history buff found that he wanted to be buried in his beloved Montana, so he started a school childrens' Go-fund-Me type thing, and they raised enough money to ship him home to Montana, where he got the burial he wanted.
As he aged, he availed himself of VA benefits in VA hospitals (where's the Navy?) in California --- L.A. I think.. He was broke when he died in 1900 and was buried in a military cemetery in or near L.A. But this nosy history buff found that he wanted to be buried in his beloved Montana, so he started a school childrens' Go-fund-Me type thing, and they raised enough money to ship him home to Montana, where he got the burial he wanted.
Find and read the entire fascinating story.
Now for another teaser. The uber rich Koch brother who lives in Texas owns the bullet that killed John Wesley Hardin. It's a .45 caliber slug of the proper age that the barkeep dug out of the floor after they wrapped up and carried JW out. The cops at that time weren't much for collecting forensic evidence. The bullet still has DNA on it, and it was expertly collected by a DNA expert, and it is current being studied to confirm or disprove the story.
And even though the first bullet went through his head back to front, half of his left little finger had been shot off, and he had bullet holes in the FRONT of his right chest, and in the FRONT of his right upper arm. Clearly shown in post mortem photos of him.
And even though the first bullet went through his head back to front, half of his left little finger had been shot off, and he had bullet holes in the FRONT of his right chest, and in the FRONT of his right upper arm. Clearly shown in post mortem photos of him.
The Old American West is truly fascinating! You won't learn it from TV shows or movies.
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