The Bloodthirsty Arizona Legend That Inspired America’s Most Violent Novel

Cormac McCarthy is one of America's most accomplished and lauded authors. His novels have captured the American public like few others have, and his work has stood the test of time.

The author behind No Country For Old Men and The Road has written dozens of critically acclaimed novels, but none have had the impact of his magnum opus, Blood Meridian.

Blood Meridian: A Breakdown

Initially published in 1985, Blood Meridian; or, The Evening Redness in the West quickly became known as, not one of, but the great American novel. The story follows a young man, known solely as "The Kid" who joins the infamous Glanton Gang and follows them into the depths of depravity as they murder, mutilate, and rob anyone in their path.

The novel touches on themes of morality, religion, and the ever-present nature of evil. It is a highly controversial publishing, as the evil in between its pages is too much for most to bear. Unfortunately, its stories are based in truth from right here in Arizona.

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The Real Glanton Gang

While not entirely accurate, the events of Blood Meridian are based in truth. The Glanton Gang were a real group, founded by John Joel Glanton, a former Texas Ranger and Veteran of the Mexican-American War. In 1849, the gang was hired to hunt and eliminate Apaches in northern Mexico and the southwest United States.

By winter of that same year, a bounty was placed on the gang's head, and they moved up north to the Arizona territory. Most of their time was spent at the Yuma Crossing, where they operated a ferry, robbing the passengers on their way back from the California gold fields.

Their reign of terror on the American Southwest came to an end on April 23rd, 1850, when the gang was violently murdered by a group of Quechans. During their reign of terror, the Glantons chose to scalp their victims for no reason other than fun, so it's ironic that after their bloody deaths, the Quechans decided to scalp the Glantons as vengeance.

[John Joel Glanton via Wikipedia]