William Angus, AKA Red Angus, was born in Zanesville, Ohio and served as a teamster for the military taking supplies to various forts along the Kansas frontier. He briefly joined the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and was with Custer in his assault on Black Kettle's village along the Washita River in Oklahoma. Red Angus returned to driving wagons in the Oklahoma Indian Territory.
In 1880 he was a drover with a herd from Texas arriving at a ranch near present day Sheridan, Wyoming where he stayed on as a foreman and eventually he made his way to Buffalo, WY.
In Buffalo, he purchased a liquor store and in 1888, he was elected Sheriff of Johnson County, even though his election had been opposed by the cattle barons because he favored the small ranchers called "rustlers". He was involved in the The Johnson County War in 1892, which placed him forever in history.
The cattle barons decided to snuff out these "rustlers" and hired some 25 gunmen from Texas called "invaders". The invaders included such notables as Frank Canton and Buck Garrett. They headed towards Johnson County where their first act was to kill Nate Champion and Nick Ray. Word of this vigilante justice reached the town of Buffalo and Red Angus.
Angus acted quickly by assembling a group of 48 men whom eventually became an army of sorts totaling 200. People from as far away as Montana joined this army when they heard the cattle barons were on the attack. Angus and his group cornered the invaders at the TA ranch and for two days the invaders were held captive in the ranch buildings. The Angus army was held at bay by rifle shots and a moving wall from a wagon was constructed in hopes this would allow the Angus army closer access to the ranch buildings, but the ranch's terrain did not corporate and the moving wall failed.
The invaders were saved by a military column from Fort McKinney and Angus issued arrest warrants for the invaders, but they were denied as it was known that if the cattle barons were placed in Red Angus' hands, they would be killed. Neither side of The Johnson County war was sentenced for their actions.
In 1863 Red Angus lost his re-election as sheriff and he stayed on in Buffalo working at the Occidental Hotel, served as a Deputy County Clerk, and Johnson County Treasurer.
In 1880 he was a drover with a herd from Texas arriving at a ranch near present day Sheridan, Wyoming where he stayed on as a foreman and eventually he made his way to Buffalo, WY.
In Buffalo, he purchased a liquor store and in 1888, he was elected Sheriff of Johnson County, even though his election had been opposed by the cattle barons because he favored the small ranchers called "rustlers". He was involved in the The Johnson County War in 1892, which placed him forever in history.
The cattle barons decided to snuff out these "rustlers" and hired some 25 gunmen from Texas called "invaders". The invaders included such notables as Frank Canton and Buck Garrett. They headed towards Johnson County where their first act was to kill Nate Champion and Nick Ray. Word of this vigilante justice reached the town of Buffalo and Red Angus.
Angus acted quickly by assembling a group of 48 men whom eventually became an army of sorts totaling 200. People from as far away as Montana joined this army when they heard the cattle barons were on the attack. Angus and his group cornered the invaders at the TA ranch and for two days the invaders were held captive in the ranch buildings. The Angus army was held at bay by rifle shots and a moving wall from a wagon was constructed in hopes this would allow the Angus army closer access to the ranch buildings, but the ranch's terrain did not corporate and the moving wall failed.
The invaders were saved by a military column from Fort McKinney and Angus issued arrest warrants for the invaders, but they were denied as it was known that if the cattle barons were placed in Red Angus' hands, they would be killed. Neither side of The Johnson County war was sentenced for their actions.
In 1863 Red Angus lost his re-election as sheriff and he stayed on in Buffalo working at the Occidental Hotel, served as a Deputy County Clerk, and Johnson County Treasurer.
William Angus, AKA Red Angus, was born in Zanesville, Ohio and served as a teamster for the military taking supplies to various forts along the Kansas frontier. He briefly joined the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and was with Custer in his assault on Black Kettle's village along the Washita River in Oklahoma. Red Angus returned to driving wagons in the Oklahoma Indian Territory.
In 1880 he was a drover with a herd from Texas arriving at a ranch near present day Sheridan, Wyoming where he stayed on as a foreman and eventually he made his way to Buffalo, WY.
In Buffalo, he purchased a liquor store and in 1888, he was elected Sheriff of Johnson County, even though his election had been opposed by the cattle barons because he favored the small ranchers called "rustlers". He was involved in the The Johnson County War in 1892, which placed him forever in history.
The cattle barons decided to snuff out these "rustlers" and hired some 25 gunmen from Texas called "invaders". The invaders included such notables as Frank Canton and Buck Garrett. They headed towards Johnson County where their first act was to kill Nate Champion and Nick Ray. Word of this vigilante justice reached the town of Buffalo and Red Angus.
Angus acted quickly by assembling a group of 48 men whom eventually became an army of sorts totaling 200. People from as far away as Montana joined this army when they heard the cattle barons were on the attack. Angus and his group cornered the invaders at the TA ranch and for two days the invaders were held captive in the ranch buildings. The Angus army was held at bay by rifle shots and a moving wall from a wagon was constructed in hopes this would allow the Angus army closer access to the ranch buildings, but the ranch's terrain did not corporate and the moving wall failed.
The invaders were saved by a military column from Fort McKinney and Angus issued arrest warrants for the invaders, but they were denied as it was known that if the cattle barons were placed in Red Angus' hands, they would be killed. Neither side of The Johnson County war was sentenced for their actions.
In 1863 Red Angus lost his re-election as sheriff and he stayed on in Buffalo working at the Occidental Hotel, served as a Deputy County Clerk, and Johnson County Treasurer.
In 1880 he was a drover with a herd from Texas arriving at a ranch near present day Sheridan, Wyoming where he stayed on as a foreman and eventually he made his way to Buffalo, WY.
In Buffalo, he purchased a liquor store and in 1888, he was elected Sheriff of Johnson County, even though his election had been opposed by the cattle barons because he favored the small ranchers called "rustlers". He was involved in the The Johnson County War in 1892, which placed him forever in history.
The cattle barons decided to snuff out these "rustlers" and hired some 25 gunmen from Texas called "invaders". The invaders included such notables as Frank Canton and Buck Garrett. They headed towards Johnson County where their first act was to kill Nate Champion and Nick Ray. Word of this vigilante justice reached the town of Buffalo and Red Angus.
Angus acted quickly by assembling a group of 48 men whom eventually became an army of sorts totaling 200. People from as far away as Montana joined this army when they heard the cattle barons were on the attack. Angus and his group cornered the invaders at the TA ranch and for two days the invaders were held captive in the ranch buildings. The Angus army was held at bay by rifle shots and a moving wall from a wagon was constructed in hopes this would allow the Angus army closer access to the ranch buildings, but the ranch's terrain did not corporate and the moving wall failed.
The invaders were saved by a military column from Fort McKinney and Angus issued arrest warrants for the invaders, but they were denied as it was known that if the cattle barons were placed in Red Angus' hands, they would be killed. Neither side of The Johnson County war was sentenced for their actions.
In 1863 Red Angus lost his re-election as sheriff and he stayed on in Buffalo working at the Occidental Hotel, served as a Deputy County Clerk, and Johnson County Treasurer.
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