The Blackwater Massacre

This timeline details the events of the Blackwater Massacre, a pivotal and tragic turning point for the Van der Linde gang.

Phase 1: The Planning (Early-to-Mid 1899)

The Blackwater Massacre was precipitated by Dutch van der Linde's decision to rob a ferry laden with $150,000 in banknotes. With encouragement from the newer gang member, Micah Bell, Dutch presented this heist as their "one last job," assuring the gang that the money would enable them to abandon their criminal past and establish new lives in the West. Despite the absence of senior members Arthur Morgan and Hosea Matthews, the rest of the gang proceeded with the robbery. Their meticulous plan, which involved extensive scouting of the ferry and its route, was disrupted by the unexpected presence of numerous Pinkerton agents. This sudden appearance led Dutch, and likely others, to suspect that the entire operation had been a setup from the very beginning.

Phase 2: The Heist and the Chaos (Late May 1899)

The heist began with Dutch, Micah, Davey, Mac Callander, Javier Escuella, Sean MacGuire, and John Marston approaching the Blackwater dock. Javier reported that the initial phase went smoothly, allowing the gang to easily board the ferry and access the money. However, the situation quickly devolved into a chaotic gunfight as Pinkerton agents and local police descended upon them, "raining bullets" on the outlaws. During the mayhem, Dutch fatally shot a young woman named Heidi McCourt, an act witnessed by John and Javier. John later claimed Micah encouraged the killing, which Dutch justified as essential for the gang's survival. John and Javier also noted that Arthur and other gang members arrived on the opposite side of town to help free the entrapped outlaws. Ultimately, the gang failed to escape with the money, which Dutch and Hosea had hidden in the city, its location known only to them.

Phase 3: The Casualties

The gunfight had severe consequences, causing numerous casualties and injuries. John Marston sustained a minor arm injury, but a subsequent wolf attack while scouting in the mountains left him incapacitated. Charles Smith's hand was burned, preventing him from using a bow but still allowing him to assist with other camp duties. Davey Callander suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the gut and died shortly after the gang reached the mountains, where he was buried. Mac Callander was shot multiple times and couldn't escape; he was found by Agent Milton, who later killed him after he refused to betray the gang. Jenny Kirk was mortally wounded during the escape and died soon after, being buried north of Colter. Sean MacGuire, though unharmed, was knocked unconscious and captured by bounty hunters; however, he refused to reveal the gang's location and was eventually rescued.

Phase 4: The Escape and the Aftermath (Late May - Early June 1899)

After the bloody massacre, the gang frantically escaped Blackwater. Karen Jones later recounted how the boys rode back into camp covered in blood. With the Pinkertons in hot pursuit, they fled north into a brutal blizzard, successfully losing their pursuers and finding refuge in an abandoned settlement called Colter. The fallout from the heist led to Blackwater and the surrounding regions being put on a long-term lockdown. While the Pinkertons and law enforcement couldn't confirm the gang's theft of the money, locals desperately searched for it—a futile effort that underscored the town's struggle to recover.

Within the gang, morale was extremely low. Arthur and Hosea, in particular, blamed Micah for persuading Dutch to go through with such a reckless plan, marking the definitive beginning of the gang's downfall. Trust was broken, and Dutch's idealism began to crack, replaced by a growing paranoia. The dream of a new life was gone, replaced by a desperate fight for survival. Years later, after the disastrous bank robbery in Saint Denis, Arthur would again blame Micah, claiming the Pinkertons knew they were coming, just like in Blackwater.

Unexplained Occurrences

The Blackwater Massacre appears to have had an otherworldly dimension. The Strange Man, whose origins are unknown, recounts Heidi McCourt's death with gruesome detail, recalling specifics that even John Marston couldn't remember. This suggests a presence that observed more than was apparent. Further adding to the mystery, Arthur's journal mentions a man in Blackwater who "sounded like Trelawny," blurring the lines of who might have been watching the events unfold.