Gun Fight at the OK Corral, Reenactment

 On October 16, 1981 a long standing feud finally boiled over in Tombstone, Arizona.  The feud was between the cowboys (rustlers) and lawmen.  One of the cowboys was talking about hurting people and making threats.  Consequently Virgil Earp, town Marshal decided to enforce a city ordinance saying all guns must be handed in.  The cowboys refused and the gun battle ensued.  Although the actual gun battle only lasted thirty seconds, it included lots of shooting, including with a shotgun.  Doc Holliday carried the shot gun.  30 shots were fired in that 30 seconds.  It left three people dead, all cowboys, Frank and Tom McLaury and Billy Clanton.  Two other cowboys fled, Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne.  Of the four lawmen, three were injured, Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp and Morgan Earp.  Wyatt Earp was unscathed.  

The reenactment at Tombstone is very good, and very violent. It builds up to the point of conflict very well with on of the McLaury boys making lots of threats, and drinking too much.  The guns are loud, especially the shot gun.  And it is all over in 30 seconds.

Doc Holliday

The stage is set up next to the actual printing shop by which the gun battle took place.  Fat Nose Kate who was thre common law wife of Doc Holliday witnessed the gunfight from her boarding room.

American Biography: Doc Holliday

Doc Holliday was a man who ran both sides of the law.  And he really was a doc, a doctor of dentistry.  However when he contracted tuberculosis not many people wanted to see him any more.  He was advised to head west to drier climates to prolong his life.  That is what brought him West.  He became a gambler, and a drinker, and used laudanum, and had a very bad temper.  He was never convicted of a crime, but was arrested 17 times.  His love was Mary Katherine Horony "Kate" or "Big Nose Kate."  She too was hot tempered.  Soon after they hooked up, she got to break him out of jail after he killed another gambler who was cheating.  He befriended Wyatt Earp and his family.  He was terribly loyal in this friendship, and help Earp escape several tight situations.
Of course both he and Wyatt Earp are best known for a gun fight in Tombstone, Arizona.  This involved the Earp brothers, Marshals in the local town against a criminal gang known as "The Cowboys."  The sheriff supported the Cowboys, who were cattle rustlers.  The area was close to the border with Mexico and they played both sides.  Several of the Cowboys threatened Earp.  This lead to Earp and his brothers, Virgil and Morgan and Doc Holliday going to a vacant area by the OK Corral to disarm the gang. When Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury went for their guns, Virgil Earp said, "I don't want that." but it was already too late.  Shots rang out, in fact over 30 shots.  When it was over three of the Cowboys were dead, and the fourth ran off.  Morgan and Virgil were both wounded.  Doc Holliday had been hit in the hip, but the leather from his belt prevented a wound.  Virgil was untouched.  When the sheriff approached Wyatt to arrest him, he just said, 'I won't be arrested today."
This killing set off a feud war.  The town eventually became too dangerous for the Earps.  Morgan Earp was shot and killed.  But bodies of the Cowboy Gang seemed to be piling up.  The gang was decimated.
Later Doc moved to Colorado, and the Earps to California.  However Wyatt came to visit Doc and he was much thrilled by the visit.  The consumption was over taking Doc and he was dying.  He spent his last two months in bed, and died in his stocking feet.

Gun Fight at the OK Corral

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/shootout-at-the-ok-corral
This is a thirty second battle which took place in Tombstone, Arizona, October 26 at 3 p.m. between the Earps and the Clantons/ McLaurys.  Virgil Earp was the Marshall and he was joined by brothers Morgan and Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.  These all had some roll as assistant town Marshalls or designated lawmen.  They faced a group of cowboys, Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury.  This thirty second battle is considered the most famous gunfight in Western history.  Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, and escaped unharmed.  However Billy Clanton was killed, as well as the McLaury brothers.  On the other side, everyone was wounded with the exception of Wyatt Earp who escaped injury.  
At this time, the term Cowboy generally referred to outlaws.  Legitimate cattlemen were referred to as ranchers or cattlemen. 

However, my question is how did the situation get to where gun play was involved.  There had been a long standing feud between he Clantons and the Earps.  Virgil was the town Marshall.  Tombston was a very rich town, as the result of the silver mining.  There was lots of money.  There however was animosity between the Cowboys and the business people of town.  This animosity was likely the cause of the poor relationship between these families.  The Clantons ran cattle.  The Earps suspected the cattle was rustled in Mexico, and would not let them bring the cattle for sale into town.  Virgil had taken the guns of Billy Claiborne and Ike Clanton.  Ike was running around town saying he was going to kill the Earps and Doc Holliday.  Billy and Ike were joined by the McLaury brothers, and Ike's brother Billy.  They were hanging around the boarding home where Doc Holliday was staying.  The Earps and Holliday decided they would disarm the brothers who had just arrived.  They approached them to within a few feet, when the battle took place.  The lawmen asked them to disarm, but got a round of shells instead.  Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne, who were not armed, announced this as the fled the scene.
The Earps and Doc Holliday were charged with murder.  However they were cleared.
The feud did not end here.  In December Virgil was wounded in an assisination attemp.  He lost the use of his right arm.  In March of the next year, Warren was murdered.  This sent Wyatt, Virgil and Doc on a vendetta ride in which they killed at lease three, including Curly Bill Brocius who was the leader of the cowboy gang.
http://news.discovery.com/human/what-happened-at-the-ok-corral-121026.htm