It's #BlackHistoryMonth and I'm going to introduce you to Bass Reeves. He was the first black deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi and worked in Arkansas and Oklahoma Territory. 1/

Reeves was born a slave in Arkansas in 1838 and was illiterate his entire life. However, he was a helluva marksman and memorized every warrant he served. It is believed Reeves was in the Union Indian brigades in Indian Territory during the Civil War 2/

Now, at this time, US Court of Western Arkansas covered 75,000 square miles and in 1875, Judge Isaac C. Parker was given authority by President Grant to clean up the territory as it was haven for numerous criminals 3/

So, Parker, aka the Hanging Judge, hired 200 deputy marshals for this task. One was Reeves and he was one of the first to be hired. Reeves quickly developed a reputation for catching outlaws other deputies failed to. 4/

He also mastered the art of disguise to get intel and catch his queries. UC before there was UC. Reeves was reportedly involved in multiple shootouts but never injured. He would ride for days or weeks alone to track his man or woman. 5/

But with great power comes a big target. Bass was the subject of multiple assassination attempts as word spread of how big a bad ass MF he was. I'm sure this was the reaction of every criminal he caught 6/

Bass was however, arrested and tried for murder. In 1884, he had gotten into an argument with his cook, William Leech, after which the man was shot. It seems words were said about old Bill's cooking. Things escalated 7/

And Leech ended up being shot. 2 years later, Bass was indicted and put on trial in October 1887. He claimed it was accidental with a jammed cartridge in his Winchester trying to be dislodged and it going off. 8/

Bass was acquitted of malicious murder but it depleted him financially. He was forced to sell his home in Van Buren, Arkansas and moved his family outside Fort Smith. 9/

This did not deter Bass from doing his job and his continued pursuing criminals. On one occasion, he brought in 17 horse thieves near Fort Sill. In April 1890, he tracked and captured Tosa-lo-nah, a notorious Seminole 10/

Who was on the run for 18 years and had robbed and killed 3 white men and four Indians (tribe affiliation not identified). But, Bass also brought in women too. In 1885, he sought Belle Starr, an infamous female outlaw for horse stealing. 11/

Now Bass and Belle were on friendly terms and with those he knew he'd give them a chance to surrender instead of being dragged in. While we don't know if he said such to her, Belle did turn herself in. It would be the ONLY time she would. 12/

1884 was a benchmark year for Bass as he and Choctaw lawman, Charles Leflore, teamed up and busted Robert Landers in Ft. Smith. Landers was a well known horse thief in Texas.

But, it was the gunfight with Washington-McLish ranch foreman Jim Webb that would be the cherry on that cake. Webb was no stranger to violence as he was reported to have killed 11 men while residing in the Brazos River region. Bass was familiar with Webb. 14/

He had arrested Webb previously but the SOB jumped bond. Webb had also killed a black preacher in cold blood when the man let a fire spread from his farm to ranch land. Apparently talking it out wasn't Jim's forty. 15/

So this time when Bass caught up with Jim, he wasn't so cooperative. The 1884 version of a rolling gunfight happened. Bass had to hop off his horse after a few close calls and all it took was two shots from a quarter of a mile to silence Jim. Witnesses were like 16/

It was rare to find black law enforcement officers in the US except Indian Territory. At least 50 deputies that served in the Territory were black. It was the equalizer as black deputies arrested men, women, black, white, Native American. 17/

Bass arrested over 3,000 men and women in his 32 year stint as deputy US marshal. One was his own son who had murdered his wife. That was not easy for him but he did his job. His son would be sent to Leavenworth. 18/

Bass Reeves was a rarity but a bad ass. 6 foot 2 and 180 pounds of zero fucks. He was Judge Parker's most trusted deputy and respected by many. He seemed superhuman but he was simply and extraordinary man. I recommend Black Gun, Silver Star if you wish to read more on Bass.

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