Lacy Dalton

Previously: As Big Mac and Chris rode to Fort Leavenworth, Chris asked, “Why me, Mac—and not Boomer?”

“Because.”

“Aw—c’mon.”

“When we get to North Fort Justice, you, Linda, and the Coopers will get off the train and get the lay of the land there. I believe the Slaters won’t go directly to Fort Justice.”

“They’re not able to handle the Slaters at the fort?”

“No, they’re down to a single troop—Col Cooper had to dispatch a troop to a developing situation fifty miles west. Let’s go see Marshal McLendon for our update.”

Season 12—Adventure 1—Episode 10—Two hours later… Chris and Mac rode back to the Adventure Train and were already forming a plan, “I see why you wanted us to split-up—it seems to make good sense.”

Chris and Mac rode back to the Adventure Train

“We must remain open to change our plans as needed—we really don’t know what the Slater-Morales gang’s plans are,” Mac replied, “But still, it’s a starting-point.”

“Where do you suppose they are now?”

“At best? Maybe close to the border with South Dakota, in this time period, Dakota Territory. That’s where they’ll begin recruiting.”

“How successful do you think they’ll be?”

“Quite,” Mac replied, “After the Civil War ended, there began a migration west into the frontier—not all were able to make new homes and from those came a bunch of outlaws—Jesse and Frank James, Thomas Coleman “Cole” Younger, and his brothers, Jim, John and Bob, for example.”

“Oh my! I’ve read about them—the gang dissolved in 1876, after the capture of the Younger brothers after the hold-up attempt in Northfield Minnesota.”

Meanwhile—just across the border—in Dakota Territory… Lacy Dalton, 17 years old, and already known in these parts as a crack shot with her Winchester rifle—and not too shabby with her side-arms was riding alone.

She had learned of Buffalo Bill Cody’s western performance troupe, the “Buffalo Bill Combination*” and had written him—telling him of her shooting skills. He wrote back some months later—and very-politely explained he could not take her on “…at this time.”

Both pleased by the fact he had replied, and disappointed, she was pondering her next opportunity.

Her last name, Dalton, would become legend** in the late 1800s, as her cousins, sons of her Uncle James Dalton: Gratton (b 1861) Robert, (b. 1869), and Emmett Dalton (b. 1871) turned to crime in a spectacular—if short outlaw career.

She heard them before she saw them—they were making no effort at stealth, “These fellas have much to learn—perhaps I should give them a lesson,” she thought as she quickly and quietly took cover…

“These fellas have much to learn …”

To be continued…

*“…Cody organized his own troupe, the Buffalo Bill Combination. The troupe’s show “Scouts of the Plains” included Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Cody’s old friend “Wild Bill” Hickok. Wild Bill and Texas Jack eventually left the show, but Cody continued staging a variety of plays until 1882. That year the Wild West show was conceived. It was an outdoor spectacle, designed to both educate and entertain, using a cast of hundreds as well as live buffalo, elk, cattle, and other animals.” http://www.buffalobill.org/history%20research%20on%20the%20buffalo%20bill%20museum/index.html

** http://www.historynet.com/dalton-gang#sthash.rZwCCcK3.dpuf