6, Thursday February 2025 G'Day Charlie Goodnight

I've been reading a genre of American history-based books as of late that are the flip-side of the Indigenous-culture books I have been reading for almost 15 years. This one is a 1949-edition published by the University of Oklahoma Press/Norman: Charles Goodnight: Cowman and Plainsman (1836-1929). 

 

A.K.A., 'Buenos Noches', was an old cowboy name that has visited me a few times over the years probably in mention during some old TV western back in the sixties, or in 1995's Streets of Laredo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FL6PIVASHYwhen James Gammon played Goodnight in this stellar 47-second bit. "How would you know, son?"

 

Seeing a parallel of memory I was elated when I realized the foundation of a scene in Western author Larry McMurtry's TV movie starring Rob't Duval as retired Texas Rangers 'Gus' and Tommy Lee Jones as 'Call' in 1985, "Lonesome Dove,"   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove  was derived from Charles Goodnight's biography.

 

Wikipedia: "According to McMurtry, Gus and Call were not modeled after historical characters, but similarities exist with real-life cattle drivers Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. When Goodnight and Loving's African American guide Bose Ikard died, Goodnight carved a wooden grave marker for him, just as Call does for Deets. Upon Loving's death, Goodnight brought him home to be buried in Texas, as Call does for Augustus. (Goodnight himself appears as a minor but generally sympathetic character in this novel, and more so in the sequel, Streets of Laredo, and the prequels Dead Man's Walk and Comanche Moon.) Blue Duck also was a historical person, a paramour of Belle Starr, Queen of the Oklahoma Outlaws."

 

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that in 1877, while Goodnight was on his way in a pack train from Camp Supply, in the Indian Territory, Charles Goodnight purposely engaged Dutch Henry, a well-known cattle thief, whom I know was murdered 120 years ago (December 1905) here in Palmville Township, Roseau County, Minnesota, four miles west of where I reside, because he happened to chance upon him and his gang identified as such by an old military trail guide in his employ.

"Stop the pack, I want to talk with him," Goodnight is said to have said.

Astonished at Goodnight's apparent ignorance as who Henry was, he cautioned him about it. 

"Nevertheless,: Goodnight said. "I want to talk to him..." Then rode over and asked to see Mr. Henry

 

"I am the man," answered Henry.

 

Goodnight went on to say, in so many words, that he was settling on the upper Red River with the notion of being peaceful and lawful, and would much prefer to have no trouble with him or anyone, but sought understanding that if he depredated in that country they would have to clash."

 

He went on to say, "I have a bunch of good men, well armed and good shots, but I dislike to be compelled to use them in that way. I would like to divide territories with you; if you keep out of my part of the territory, I will never cross the Salt Fork."

Dutch Henry, more or less said, "Well, old man you are damned straight about it, but it is a fair proposition, and you have a deal.

 

"I suppose," Goodnight said, stepping off his horse, and reaching into a mule pack. "That you boys have been on a long trip and might enjoy a good drink."

 

"Just try us," Dutch Henry said pleasantly. And they sealed the bargain with a drink and parted friends. While they never came in contact again, they never gave Goodnight any trouble.

 

There may have been several Dutch Henry personages, for as late as 1924, there was a story titled, "Dutch Henry's Raid Near Fort Elliott," in the Frontier Times, in January that year. Other records indicate he was scouting with Custer in 1867; in 1874, he took part in the Battle at Adobe Walls; arrested in 1878, a year after meeting Goodnight, the local newspaper there saying he was ".... a rather genteel-looking man for a horse thief, road agent, and murderer."

Bat Masterson brought who he thought was Dutch Henry, to Dodge City, to stand trial, but was later acquitted because of mistaken identity. Masterson was later heard saying, "Better watch yersef, John Bouchard. I'll be gunning for ya," referring to an ornery immigrant from Rainy River Ontario, whom he thought severely resembled the desperado. (Didn't say much for Dutch Henry, I'm thinkin'.)

 

Although I see another website that disputed Dutch Henry's murder here with no mention of his ultimate demise in Palmville, I'll not link to it just to save time and paper, but will include Gary A. Wilson's, Outlaw Tales of Montana, in which he devoted a whole chapter of his book to Palmville Township and Dutch Henry's murder in 1905.

 

 

Gary A. Wilson, Outlaw Tales of Montana.

https://www.betterworldbooks.com