As the story goes, Davey got into a shooting match, shooting second at
the target.  When the shots were fired there was one hole in the
target.  Davey said he was so good a shot that his ball passed through
the hole of the first.  The onlookers agreed.  This "myth" I believe
is a true story.  When discussing it with my attorney, he said that it
happened in Arkansas near Little Rock and that there is a published
account in an old Newspaper of that time as told by Crockett.  It is
thought to be a Newpaper in Washington Arkansas.  Could you provide me
any details or any information on the background and validity of this
story?

---

Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 28 Feb 2005 12:55 PST

Though I can't provide a satisfying answer for this question, I feel
that I should give you the results of my research:

The Little Rock shooting match is mentioned in John S. C. Abbott's
book "David Crockett: His Life and Adventures" (1874), chapter XI.
Abbott extensively quotes what he calls Crockett's "autobiography" and
"his own language":
http://www.webroots.org/library/usabios/dchlaa06.html

I have found the origin of those quotations, an account written in the
first person as if written down by Crockett himself. It is the 1860
book "Life of David Crockett", allegedly an autobiography. Here is the
full account of the events, titled "Target Shooting":
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/sw/crockett1.html

There is, however, a small problem. I found out that David Crockett
was in Little Rock on 12 November 1835. And he died in the Alamo on 6
March 1836. There was not much time left for him to write an
autobiography. And I could not find an earlier source describing this
event (which does, of course, not mean that there is no earlier
source). Maybe I am wrong, but I think that it is not completely
impossible that the event - at least in the way described in the
"autobiography" - has been made up by the real author of that 1860
book.

Regards,
Scriptor

---

Clarification of Question by robbywilsonjr-ga on 28 Feb 2005 20:26 PST

In reply to the responses my attorney now provides the following.

"I have found the source of the myth.  Or at least we are a little
further along the path.  The Old Town Speaks (Reflections of
Washington, Hempstead County, Arkansas) by Charlean Moss Williams
publ. 1951 has an exerpt from an article in the Ark. Gazette of April
20, 1930, based on materials by F.W. Allsopp, business manager of
Gazette, for his book, Myths and Legends of Arkansas.  I will scan and
email the article tomorrow.  However, the story is very similar to the
second account that google found (although the article I will send is
more detailed).  Note the quote in the second google reference:  "I
blazed away, and I wish I may be shot if I didn't miss the target. 
...   They searched for my satisfaction, and sure enough it all come
out just as I had told them; for I had picked up a bullet that had
been fired, and stuck it deep into the hole, without any one
perceiving it."
 
I think he answered the question with the second reference"

I feel satisfied that the question is no answered.

Dear robbywilsonjr,

I am happy to know that I could provide a reference that answered the
question to your satisfaction.

Best regards,
Scriptor

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 01 Mar 2005 04:52 PST

I would like to add that this may be the "autobiography" the second
reference refers to:

Title: "Life of Col. David Crockett, written by himself. Comprising
his early life, hunting adventures, services under General Jackson in
the Creek War, electioneering speeches, career in Congress, triumphal
tour in the northern states, and services in the Texan war. To which
is added an account of Colonel Crockett's glorious death at the Alamo,
while fighting in defense of Texan independence, by the editor."
Crockett, Davy, 1786-1836.
405 p. illus.
Philadelphia,
G.G. Evans,
1860

Note: Pages 239-405 first published in 1836 as "Col. Crockett's
exploits and adventures in Texas," a pseudo-autobiography generally
ascribed to Richard Penn Smith.

http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=AAW3946.0001.001
http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/b/bib/bibperm?q1=AAW3946

Regards,
Scriptor

Fast precise and always on target.  Scriptor leaves nothing to the imagination.

Something to keep in mind as well, the Deerslayer written by James
Fenimore Cooper,  has an almost exact scene in it and was printed in
1841. A companion volume contains The Pioneers (1823), The Last of the
Mohicans (1826), and The Prairie (1827)... Cooper reused many "scenes"
in his novels; when he found something that worked he stayed with it.
I read the Deerslayer, but not all of the others. I would not be
surprised if other characters had the same shooting game, with the
same results.

There is also, the "splitting of the arrow" telling in many stories
prior to this period.

I'm not suggesting that Davy didn't or couldn't make that shot, but I
am suggesting that even if he didn't, we would believe he did. He's
just too large of a hero not to have such a feat in his resume listing
of "Accomplishments".

webadept-ga

Appologies here, that was the Pathfinder, not the Deerslayer.. it was
ducks in the  Deerslayer. My personal favorite description of the
event is from Mark Twain.

http://www2.cddc.vt.edu/gutenberg/etext02/mtfco11.txt

--Quote -- 
The reader will find some examples of Cooper's high talent for inaccurate
observation in the account of the shooting-match in The Pathfinder.

          "A common wrought nail was driven lightly into the target, its
          head having been first touched with paint."

The color of the paint is not stated--an important omission, but Cooper
deals freely in important omissions.  No, after all, it was not an
important omission; for this nail-head is a hundred yards from the
marksmen, and could not be seen by them at that distance, no matter what
its color might be.

How far can the best eyes see a common house-fly?  A hundred yards?  It
is quite impossible.  Very well; eyes that cannot see a house-fly that is
a hundred yards away cannot see an ordinary nailhead at that distance,
for the size of the two objects is the same.  It takes a keen eye to see
a fly or a nailhead at fifty yards--one hundred and fifty feet.  Can the
reader do it?

The nail was lightly driven, its head painted, and game called.  Then the
Cooper miracles began.  The bullet of the first marksman chipped an edge
off the nail-head; the next man's bullet drove the nail a little way into
the target--and removed all the paint.  Haven't the miracles gone far
enough now?  Not to suit Cooper; for the purpose of this whole scheme is
to show off his prodigy, Deerslayer Hawkeye--Long-Rifle-Leather-Stocking-
Pathfinder-Bumppo before the ladies.

          "'Be all ready to clench it, boys I' cried out Pathfinder,
          stepping into his friend's tracks the instant they were vacant.
          'Never mind a new nail; I can see that, though the paint is
          gone, and what I can see I can hit at a hundred yards, though
          it were only a mosquito's eye.  Be ready to clench!'

"The rifle cracked, the bullet sped its way, and the head of the nail was
buried in the wood, covered by the piece of flattened lead."

There, you see, is a man who could hunt flies with a rifle, and command a
ducal salary in a Wild West show to-day if we had him back with us.
-- End Quote --

So, if "Deerslayer Hawkeye--Long-Rifle-Leather-Stocking-
Pathfinder-Bumppo" could pull off such a shot, Mr. Crocket simply had
to be able to do that, and more. It is just a given.
 

webadept-ga