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I agree the rep for violence of the West is overstated. I am always particularly amused by the trope of the townsfolk cowering in fear of two or three gunthugs. Probably a majority of the men running around the Old West had fought in the WBTS, and I find it hysterical that men who held the line a Antietam or Gettysburg hide in terror from a few bad guys.

The more common scenario when somebody tried it was Northfield, MN or Coffeyville, KS.

The 20th century was more violent in total killings than probably any previous, but it’s way back in the pack as a percentage of the population killed. For instance in the 30 Year’s War of the 20th, WWI and WWII, Germany lost somehwhere around 15% of its population. Roughly 12M.

In the original and still champion 30 Years War, they lost 25% to 35%.

Believe it or not, civilians died at much higher rates during the old time wars than in those of the 20th century.

I generally concur with your well-taken points in this post. The James-Younger Gang, however, attacked a bank owned by former Union General Ben Butler who had organized the town defenses to the nth degree. Rooftop snipers exercising patience in waiting for the bank to be robbed then shot members of the James-Younger Gang like fish in a barrel. The Youngers, led by Cole, never rode again with Frank and Jesse. Cole Younger voluntarily went to prison as did Frank James. Both were eventually pardoned and released and made a living on the lecture circuit. Jesse, living under the pseudonym Tom Howard, was assassinated by guest and fellow gang member Robert Ford in Jesse's home in 1882. About ten years later, Robert Ford was gunned down in Colorado.

I suspect but do not know that the Dalton Gang, most of whom were killed trying to rob two banks at Coffeyville, Kansas, were simply criminals who wanted to fill their pockets. The James-Younger Gang were Confederate guerrilas who robbed banks and trains for the cause and were the successors of William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson.

Jesse, Frank and Cole are revered to this day more than a century after their deaths. Not so as to the Daltons.

God bless you and yours!