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Who Was African American Lawman Bass Reeves?
In the crazy, tumultuous decades of the Old West, few lawmen’s names ring out like Bass Reeves. As one the few African American lawmen in the West, Reeves began as a U.S. Marshal in 1875, hired by the infamous Hanging Judge Parker. Despite prevalent racial attitudes, few men matched Reeves’s storied career in terms of success, ability, or determination.
Where Was Bass Reeves Born and Taken To?
Bass Reeves. Source: National Museum of African American History & Culture
Born as a slave in 1838 Crawford Country, Arkansas, Reeves traveled with his owner’s family to Texas as a child. He worked in the fields until he was old enough to serve or protect his owner’s son. The start of the American Civil War found Reeves traveling and perhaps fighting alongside his owner, Colonel George Reeves. This situation did not last long; sometime in 1861, Reeves attacked the Colonel and fled into Indian Territory. There, no law could touch them.
How Did Living in Indian Territory Benefit Reeves Later?
Indian Territory. Source: Library of Congress
The time Reeves spent as a fugitive in the Indian Territory, later called Oklahoma, proved fruitful. This vast chunk of territory housed the exiled Five Nations tribes of Native Americans sent there decades prior by the U.S. government. Once becoming a deputy ten years later, Reeves, a natural polyglot, learned their languages – Choctaw, Seminole, Cherokee, Cree, and Chickasaw. His ability and contacts aided in hunting down outlaws who hid in Oklahoma. Reeves left the area upon hearing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, settling down in Arkansas.
When Did Bass Reeves Start His Career as a U.S. Marshal?
The states of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Source: Library of Congress
1875 turned out to be a time of lawlessness in the American West. Many new towns experienced a need for more professional lawmen. The U.S. government created laws, but enforcing them was a different matter. In a push to reign in the chaos, the government hired two hundred U.S. Marshals, Bass Reeves among them.
Reeves’s qualifications for the job seemed tailor-made for the job. He was already fluent in the local languages and adept with pistol or rifle. Additionally, the Native Americans taught him tracking and stalking. Judge Parker and Reeve’s fellow law enforcement officers later would benefit from his marksmanship and tracking abilities. Few would have a prolific career like Reeves. As a Marshal, Reeves would help cover Arkansas and Oklahoma, which meant over 70,000 square miles in 1875.
Why Is Bass Reeves Considered Such a Great Lawman?
Colt Single-Action Army Revolver. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Many things made an Old West lawman dangerous. First, most became crack shots. An American Civil War veteran, Reeves knew guns. Also, guns were a frontier tool, whether for outlaws or hunting. Reeves constantly practiced being that crack shot. He achieved quick draw or accurate shooting of revolvers with either hand. His two Colt revolvers and Winchester rifle were the same caliber, cutting out errors while reloading.
Besides his formidable gun and tracking skills, Reeves’s integrity cemented his reputation. During Reeves’s time, many outlaws also became lawmen before switching back. Reeves never played that game. He kept an honest reputation, at one point arresting his son for murder.
What Dangerous Fugitives Did Bass Reeves Arrest or Kill?
Belle Starr Warrant. Source: U.S. National Archives
Bass’s career lasted from 1875 until his retirement in 1907. Probably as dangerous as the outlaws themselves, he arrested over 3,000 outlaws and shot fourteen men dead. He clashed with notorious outlaws like Tom Story. Their entanglement lasted five years, from 1884 to 1889, as Bass tracked Story. Known for his horse thievery, Story eluded the law until Reeves took up the chase. Bass tracked Story to his Oklahoma hideout. Their confrontation escalated, both drawing their guns, and Reeves shot Story dead. In another perilous encounter, Reeves tracked down Jim Webb in 1884. Known for a violent temper, Webb killed an African American preacher.
Reeves memorized Webb’s arrest warrant as he was illiterate. He found, arrested, and imprisoned Webb, but the outlaw escaped. Their subsequent encounter ended in a shootout as Bass shot him down from 500 yards with his Winchester. Webb’s shots grazed Reeves’s saddle horn, coat button, and hat. Soon, Reeves’s reputation became intimidating enough that Belle Starr, another disreputable outlaw, surrendered upon hearing the U.S. Marshal now owned her warrant.
Why Was Bass Reeves Arrested?
Bass Reeves. Source: Wikimedia
In 1884 year, Reeves was arrested for the shooting death of his posse’s cook. He admitted to the shooting, claiming the event was accidental. Based on his ironclad reputation for honesty, the charges were dropped. Bass Reeves’s long career ended as a policeman when Oklahoma gained statehood in 1907. By then, the great lawman’s health began to fail. After only two years, perhaps the Old West’s greatest lawman passed away from nephritis, or kidney disease.
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