Arthur Morgan

Morgan c. 1896

**Arthur Morgan** (July 14th, 1863 - September 7th, 1899) was an American train, coach, and bank robber, as well as bounty hunter and debt collector within the infamous Van der Linde criminal gang sometimes simply referred to as "Dutch's Boys." Born in rural Illinois, Morgan spent the majority of his early childhood on the trail with his parents, often fleeing local lawmen and searching for work. After his mother died from illness, and his outlaw father was captured and hung, Morgan lived on his own as a petty thief in the streets of Chicago, where he'd meet and join a gang led by Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews.

As a predominant member of the Van der Linde gang, Morgan partook in a wide variety of crimes such as robbery, extortion, murder, ransom-taking, and assassination for over two decades at the end of the nineteenth century. Morgan was involved in such events including the Blackwater Massacre, the Guarma Revolution, and the dismantling of the terroristic "Lemoyne Raiders" neo-Confederate militia. Arthur Morgan rode under the influence of outlaws Dutch van der Linde, and his accomplice, Hosea Matthews, along with potentially dozens of other outlaws. Ultimately, an ambush led by Pinkerton militias in New Hanover led to the gang's downfall. Morgan, who had been suffering from tuberculosis, is supposed to have succumbed to his illnesses during the ambush. Other historians debate that he may have been killed by Micah Bell, a fellow member of Dutch’s Gang who worked with the Pinkertons as an insider.

Though relatively unknown to all but law enforcement and bounty hunters in his time, Arthur Morgan has become a household name in recent decades thanks to the fact that he verifiably held the record for most men killed among any American outlaw in the 19th century, as well as to the classic 1939 novel "American Venom" by Jack Marston- the dramatic saga of "Dutch's Boys" final year as seen through the eyes of Morgan. Arthur Morgan's life and death has been extensively dramatized in film and television as well, with the groundbreaking 1982 film adaptation "Red Dead Redemption," directed by Francis Ford Coppola, shining a light on the mythos of the fading West.

## Early Life (1863-1876)

Arthur Morgan was born on July 14th, 1863, born to Lyle and Beatrice Morgan in the rural landscapes of Illinois. Arthur's formative years were characterized by a nomadic existence. The Morgan family frequently traversed the expanse of the American Midwest, driven by a pursuit of favorable prospects.

During his infancy, Arthur Morgan caught illnesses that were exacerbated by the constant on-the-trail lifestyle. Afflicted by illnesses that strained the family's limited resources, his parents faced a critical juncture. In an act of desperation and recklessness, Lyle Morgan orchestrated a daring heist, targeting a stagecoach en route to Chicago, which was laden with valuable banknotes and checks. The illicit acquisition of funds enabled Arthur's access to medical treatment and allowed for the purchasing of a homestead, albeit at the cost of attracting legal attention due to Lyle's newfound status as a fugitive.

Subsequently, the Morgan family transitioned to a more settled existence, residing in a log cabin a few dozen miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Despite this, Lyle Morgan would not stay at home often. His involvement in criminal activities caused frequent and extended absences from the household, often spanning several weeks at a time. These prolonged absences left Beatrice to shoulder the responsibilities of parenthood largely on her own.

When Lyle was home, he often was harsh on Arthur, hitting him when he made mistakes and constantly yelling at him. Yet, Lyle still tried to bond with Arthur, often taking him out fishing or on perilous supply runs, much to Beatrice's disapproval. In 1871, while Lyle was away, Beatrice caught food poisoning from diseased cow milk, and fell sick. By the time Lyle arrived, she had just died. This left Arthur extremely depressed, especially now that his only parent was hardly one at all.

Lyle attempted to take care of Arthur on many occasions, but Arthur refused to stay with him. In 1872, Arthur would flee his homestead and run for the urban life in hopes of a better life. He stowed away in several wagons, eventually ending up in Chicago. However, still being only nine years old, not many people wanted to give him work. He temporarily became a stablehand for a few weeks, until he was fired after being falsely suspected of stealing valuables from customers. As a result, Arthur aimlessly wandered the alleyways of Chicago, becoming a street urchin, making friends with several other children. To survive, he became a petty criminal, stealing food and valuables from pedestrians while attempting to avoid the law.

In early 1874, while Arthur still roamed the streets of Chicago, he stumbled upon his father, who was robbing a bank. They only shared a brief exchange before Lyle fled from the law. A few weeks later, he would find Arthur again and try to make amends, giving him money and telling Arthur to "run and never look back." Lyle intended for Arthur to live a happy life away from worries of financial instability or law. The two would begin to spend more time together, riding outside the city and often going on long hunting trips, and they would eventually rebuild their bond.

But just as things seem to get better, a posse of bounty hunters confronted Lyle, demanding he turn himself in. This led to a wild goose chase lasting until 1877, when Lyle and Arthur were finally cornered. Lyle would be shot dead in front of Arthur, devastating him. The bounty hunters would then kidnap Arthur, bringing him to a jail in Chicago, where the police held him captive.

## Criminal Career

### Formation of Dutch's Boys

In a desperate attempt to escape, Arthur choked a guard to death- his first murder, and stole the jail cell keys. Unlocking the doors, he fled the jail and ran as far as he could, evading lawmen. During this frantic chase, Arthur's luck took an unexpected turn when he collided with two individuals, their presence a serendipitous blessing. These men, Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews, extended a lifeline to the young fugitive. Their timely intervention shielded Arthur from the grasp of the police, offering refuge in the confines of their wagon. Dutch and Hosea, themselves con-men and fledgling outlaws disillusioned with conventional society, welcomed Arthur into their fold.

Hosea asked Arthur if he had any parents, to which Arthur said he had none. Touched by his plight, Dutch and Hosea assumed an unforeseen role as surrogate father figures, setting in motion a pivotal chapter in Arthur's life.

Dutch preached ideas about a life liberated from societal norms and legal strictures. Over time, Arthur's perspective aligned with Dutch's philosophy. Meanwhile, Hosea, a man of practical wisdom, imparted invaluable life skills upon Arthur. From basic reading and writing to hunting, combat, marksmanship, and horseback riding, Hosea's tutelage transformed Arthur into a capable young man, becoming their first protégé as well as one of the founding members of the Van der Linde gang. Arthur felt more of a belonging to the Van der Linde gang than "he ever did with his father or mother." Despite, this, he held some sentimentality towards them, especially his mother. Arthur still held on to several photos of Beatrice and Lyle, along with Lyle's journal, which Arthur occasionally wrote in as Dutch taught him how to write.

In 1879, two new members would join the gang: Susan Grimshaw and Bessie Matthews. Susan Grimshaw, a thief, joined after falling in love with Dutch, while Bessie Matthews, a former childhood friend and wife of Hosea, joined after meeting Hosea on a whim. The bond between everyone would increase, often spending long nights talking and playing poker. That same year, Dutch and Hose also brought Arthur along for his first major heist: a train robbery. The trio would ambush a train in the Iowa countryside, stealing cash and gold. The heist was a major success, and the trio left without being recognized.

After fourteen months of dating, Dutch and Susan broke up, with Susan briefly leaving the gang as Dutch started a relationship with a woman named Annabelle Pearce, who he called "the one." In 1882, Susan would rejoin after encountering Hosea and Arthur in a stagecoach robbery, of which both sides were attempting to rob. These years marked the culmination of Arthur's journey from a solitary street urchin to a cherished member of an unconventional yet fiercely loyal family.

### Meeting Mary Gillis and Hosea's Absence (1882-1885)

The Van der Linde gang roamed the midwest for several years, being tightly knit and always optimistic. However, in 1882, Dutch decided to venture a little southwest, traveling to the mountains of Missouri, where they would stay for several months. Here, Arthur would spend a lot of time in the local towns, where he would meet a young woman of similar age named Mary Gillis. She was a young adult living with her father and younger brother, Jamie, who was only an infant. Mary and Arthur would gain a close relationship, despite her father disapproving of it, and Mary would spend a lot of time at the gang's camp.

The two loved each other, but Mary never fancied the outlaw life, nor having to always be on the run, away from family. Despite their strained and oftentimes long distance relationship, they still remained in love, Arthur sometimes riding out for days just to meet her. While Arthur was conflicted with Mary's opinions of a life with crime, Hosea felt the same burden too, as Bessie grew tired of it. In 1883, Hosea and Bessie left the gang in hopes of a quieter life. During their absence, they explored the whole country before settling down at a homestead in the Grizzlies North. Hosea would still occasionally visit the gang, eventually drifting back into the lifestyle, which Bessie accepted. Unfortunately, one day in 1884, Bessie died in her sleep. With nowhere else to go, Hosea stayed with the gang, becoming a drunk to cope with the loss.

Following Bessie's death, Mary offered for Arthur to leave the gang and stay with her, but Arthur declined, saying the gang was his family. Thusly, the pair split and drifted apart as the gang roamed the United States aimlessly.

### Continuing the Outlaw Life (1885-1892)

For a year, the Van der Linde gang moved left and right from state to state in hopes of finding money or scores. Along the way, Arthur would buy a new horse named Boadicea. In 1885, while staying in the remote Illinois town of Cedar Ridge, Arthur befriended a twelve year old street urchin named John Marston, who was saved by Arthur in a fistfight. On day, a few weeks later, Arthur, Hosea, and Dutch rode out to the town to scope out a lead, but were interrupted by a ruckus at the town square. Arthur noticed several angry homesteaders preparing to lynch John Marston, so the gang sprung into action and saved the boy, inducting him into the gang. John was much like Arthur, being saved by the gang as a child and later inducted, being taught how to read, write, hunt, shoot, and so on. John would especially develop a close bond with Arthur, being raised "brothers," and Dutch's two favorite "sons."

That same year, Dutch began to work with the O'Driscoll Boys, a big and rowdy criminal faction led by Colm O'Driscoll and his brother, Darragh. Despite his distaste for the gang and its views on society, Dutch continued to work with the gang in mutual efforts to gain money. But as the days passed, the two sides grew more suspicious of each other, eventually reaching a breaking point. Dutch, Arthur, and Darragh O'Driscoll, along with a few men, were robbing a train, and successfully escaped with the money. But as Dutch began to split the earnings, Darragh and his men drew their guns on Dutch and Arthur. This led to an ensuing gunfight, where Darragh was shot and killed.

Meanwhile, Dutch's relationship with Annabelle Pearce intensified, and the two became engaged. But while the gang was out drinking, Susan rushed to them and cried that the O'Driscolls had kidnapped Annabelle and John. In a fit of fury, the gang rode out to the O'Driscoll gang's main hideout- an abandoned settlement nestled deep in the mountains. A massive firefight broke out, causing a fire to start, engulfing the abandoned town. John Marston was tied to a pole inside the buildings, and Arthur managed to save him just in time. As the O'Driscolls were defeated, there was still no sign of Annabelle, until Colm O'Driscoll appeared with several men, holding her at gunpoint. Colm shot Annabelle dead in front of Dutch before riding away. This sealed the seemingly eternal bloodfeud between Dutch's Boys and the O'Driscolls.

Throughout the remainder of the 1880's, Arthur matured and refined his gunslinging skills, becoming the lead enforcer for the gang. Despite the gaping hole left by the loss of Annabelle, several more people would join the gang, including new guns and camp hands. In 1886, Hosea met a man while drinking and brought him into the gang- an elderly and indolent man only known as Uncle. The following year, brothers Davey and Mac Callender would join the gang after partnering with Dutch in a heist. Then in 1888, Simon Pearson, a navy veteran on the run from loan sharks, joined the gang and assisted Susan Grimshaw in running the camp. Meanwhile, in 1887, the Van der Linde gang also notably pulled off their first bank heist.

Along with the many new members, Arthur would have an on-and-off relationship with Mary Gillis, before splitting up once more in 1891. Other outlaws, such as Sean MacGuire and Bill Williamson would join the gang.

### Becoming a Father and "Uncle" (1892-1896)

In 1892, Arthur would meet a waitress named Eliza, who he would get into a relationship with. After a sexual encounter, Eliza became pregnant and gave birth to a boy named Isaac. Arthur became a father- an inexperienced one, and he was troubled. Juggling life with the Van der Linde gang and Eliza proved difficult as Arthur tried to avoid walking in the footsteps of his father's parenting. He would make an effort to visit Eliza and Isaac often, watching him grow until one fateful day. Arthur arrived at their home and saw two crosses outside. He knew immediately that they were both dead, and later learned that they had been shot and killed by robbers, all for ten dollars. This traumatic incident hardened Arthur as a result as he never truly coped with the pain and gave him the understanding to not live the life of an outlaw and expect good things to happen to him.

But despite the loss of a child, a new one would be brought into the gang. Abigail Roberts, a former prostitute introduced to the gang by Uncle, would fall in love with John Marston and become pregnant with their child. When she gave birth in 1895, naming him Jack, John refused to believe that it was his son, refusing responsibility over the child. This dynamic led to the gang becoming Jack's "aunts" and "uncles," with Arthur especially becoming a father-figure. Although he never loved Abigail romantically, Arthur always thought he would've made a better husband than John.

When Jack was still only a few months old, John abandoned the gang, which Arthur viewed as betrayal after "all them years." Around a year later, John returned, while Dutch and the majority of the gang welcomed him back with open arms, Arthur felt betrayed by his actions and a rift was formed between the two which steadily grew over the years.

### Montana (1897-1898)

Throughout the years, the gang would grow even more and continue moving across America, going as far west as San Francisco. After picking up several new members, including Mary-Beth Gaskill and Orville Swanson, Dutch decided to move north to Montana, a sparsely populated frontier away from civilization. They camped out in a scenic location just south of a mining town named Hullings. Although the town looked rather unappealing from the outside, Hosea learned that there were many scores that could be hit in the town. While Bill Williamson and Javier Escuella went scouting, they picked up a rogue outlaw named Emmet Therlow, who had knowledge of heists around the area. Dutch welcomed him into the gang, although Arthur was suspicious of his odd and often reckless behavior.

Hosea began working on a grand scheme with John Marston to scam one of the wealthy entrepreneurs owning the mines, while Arthur lead the rest of gang's guns in planning a major score. Therlow suggested the bank, which was laden with cash and easier to rob with the flimsy infrastructure. They spent spent weeks planning, while Hosea managed to pull off his heist quick and efficiently. As a reward, Hosea prepared a massive feast, catching several salmon from the local river. However, the feast was cut short when Copper, Arthur's pet dog for almost a decade, found and ate the fish, passing away soon after.

After spending a few months in Montana, Dutch decided it was finally time to strike the bank. Dutch, Arthur, Emmet, Bill, Sean, and the Callender brothers rode out to the bank while Javier rigged explosives nearby to distract the law. The heist seemed to be going well, but the explosion Javier created went out of control and began to engulf the town, along with the bank. The gang narrowly escaped with the money, although Arthur and Emmet stayed behind to fend off the law. As they did so, Arthur would trip on a plank and become surrounded by lawmen, to which Emmet would laugh and show Arthur his hidden badge. Emmet informed Arthur that the law would find and kill the Van der Linde gang very soon, before leaving the bank and riding back to the camp.

Arthur narrowly escaped, losing his satchel and journal in the process, and he rode back to camp with fury. As he arrived, the gang believed that Arthur had died. But, contrary to their belief, Arthur stomped into camp, confirming he was alive and exposing Emmet Therlow as a traitor. In response, a heated argument would grow until Arthur drew his gun and shot Therlow in the head, killing him. Right after Therlow's sudden death, the law ambushed the gang, causing a shootout. Arthur led the muscle of the gang out into the plains to distract the law from the rest of the gang, who were hastily packing up camp.

After the firefight subsided, the gang was forced on a long and tortuous caravan trail in order to avoid any law. Hosea suggested riding back east to the frontiers of Ambarino, where they'd stay in the Grizzlies North.

### Grizzlies North (1898-1899)

The Van der Linde gang arrived in the mountains of Ambarino by the end of fall, just as the cold began to set in. Dutch, Arthur, and the Callender brothers went scouting for a place to camp in the area while Hosea took charge of the caravan. As the four were riding aimlessly on the trails, they ran into a man galloping on horseback, with a victim hogtied behind him, pleading for help. In order to free the victim, Dutch tried to charm the captor before shooting him and freeing the victim. As they untied him, he introduced himself as Charles Smith, and informed the four that he was going to take him to this gang hideout up in a secluded mountain-view known as Iron Cloud, where they'd likely kill him. Arthur saw an opportunity to take down the gang and camp there, so the four, along with Charles Smith, rode out for the homestead and took down the enemies.

With the hideout now cleared, Dutch told Davey and Mac Callender to stay in the area and clean up the bodies before the gang arrives, while he, Arthur, and Charles will ride back out to the caravan to inform them of their new camp. As they arrived, Dutch introduced Charles to Hosea, and Hosea responded with "what a coincidence," as he also picked up a new straggler into the gang: a young, starving outlaw left abandoned on the trail named Lenny Summers. As the gang settled into Iron Cloud, hopes were high. The gang proceeded to spend the winter in the area, with plentiful food and opportunities.

Iron Cloud was situated close to Deer Creek, the bustling capital town of Ambarino and, what many people say, the "equestrian capital of the world." Along with Deer Creek, there was the backwater outlaw town of Crenshaw Hills, and the military outpost of Tempest fortified deep in the mountains. Throughout their stay, the gang hit many scores, such as the daring theft of gold hidden Fort Tempest while soldiers were off-duty for a parade in Deer Creek.

As more money was collected from heists, Dutch began working on his visions for a future in paradise. Arthur suggested buying a large ranch out California, free from civilization. Around Christmastime, while Lenny, Arthur, and Hosea were returning back to camp from a night of drinking in the Deer Creek Saloon, they came across an injured teenager on the roadside. She wore only rags and was starving, so the trio decided to take in her in. Her name was Jenny Kirk, and Lenny grew a fondness to her. What they did not expect was that Jenny Kirk was a fiery woman, with a "spark in her eyes." She often participated in several heists, being handy with guns.

In January of 1899, Dutch began work on a plan to scam some prospectors in Crenshaw Hills out of gold. The plan seemed to be going well, as Dutch was to meet the prospectors in the local saloon, but chaos rung out as they discovered Dutch's true intentions. A shootout broke out, in which one man stepped in and saved Dutch's life- a career outlaw named Micah Bell. In appreciation, Dutch allowed him to join the gang. Although Dutch found a liking to Micah, Arthur openly disliked him for his hot-headed tendencies. Being directly brought in by Dutch, Micah immediately rose the ranks of the gang, despite just joining.

The gang stayed in the Grizzlies North until March, when an ordinary night out went awry. Hosea, Arthur, and the Callender brothers went out drinking, and while they were doing so, Hosea's saddle got stolen. In drunken threats, Mac threatened to kill the whole town while Davey initiated a brawl. The four had to quickly flee the town, and Davey was passed out cold from drinking. The following day, lawmen began to become suspicious of the Van der Linde gang's presence in the area, and Dutch decided to begin packing before things got too out of hand. Contrary to Arthur's suggestions of moving to California, Dutch thought it was too early for that. Instead, he marked his map for Blackwater, the capital of West Elizabeth, yet "nothing more than a small trading post."

### Blackwater (March - April 1899)

The caravan traveled for a few weeks before finally arriving in West Elizabeth. Dutch sent Arthur and John out to scout for a place to camp, although pickings were slim, as the whole region was an expanse of plains that provided little cover. John suggested hiding out in plain sight outside of Blackwater, which Arthur was cautious of. As the pair rode closer to the town, they saw that it was not just a small trading post. It was a large town- a small city, moreover, and it was rapidly industrializing. With cobblestone streets, an ornate town hall, and industrial wharfs, it gave Arthur a lump in his stomach in silent fear of how close they were to civilization in all its glory. The pair decided to camp at a small peninsula just north of Blackwater, with a cluster of trees providing cover.

As the gang settled in, Dutch was surprised by how much the town grew since he last visited. He instructed the gang to look out for big scores, as this was a big town, but be cautious. For the first few weeks, the gang settled down, scoping out various scores. One day out, while Arthur went on a hunting trip into Tall Trees with Dutch and Hosea, they came across a camp of outlaws, holding a man hostage. The trio killed the outlaws and freed the man, who was a sharply dressed entrepreneur. He introduced himself as Giuseppe Medonni, an incredibly rich realtor and investor who was staying in West Elizabeth for the time being. In gratitude for the trio saving his life, he invited them to the Annual Governor's Gala which would be hosted in a few days in the Blackwater Capital Building. With the new information, Dutch was almost giddy with excitement as they've now been invited to a hotbed of untapped scores.

Arthur, Hosea, Dutch, and Molly O'Shea would attend the gala, dressing smartly and mingling with various guests. Many famous people attended the gala, hoping to find new projects in the town to invest in, including industrial titans Leviticus Cornwall and J.D. McKnight, along with famed gunslinger Landon Ricketts. During the gala, Arthur and Hosea began thinking out a real estate scam, targeted at none other than Giuseppe Medonni. Hosea informed Medonni of an untapped property just west of Blackwater known as Beecher's Hope, ridden with gold and platinum underground, but their conversation was cut short when a band of five outlaws broke in the building, fired their weapons, and demanded everyone's money. Arthur was quick to intervene, along with other guests, who apprehended the outlaws. Unfortunately, policemen arrived and shut down the gala, forcing Dutch, Hosea, Molly, and Arthur to leave. However, Giuseppe gave Hosea his business card, asking to meet him at his temporary estate outside of Blackwater.

Arthur and Hosea would meet Medonni on many occasions, inching further to scamming him out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, but Dutch began devising other plans. Micah informed Dutch of a ferry coming in from Saint Denis filled with banknotes and loads of cash. Arthur was wary of this plan, as Blackwater was not short on lawmen, and ferries were very unreliable heists. Along with that, his plan with Hosea carried a lot less of a risk, with a similar reward. Regardless, Dutch was completely on board with the ferry heist, suggesting that this would be their last big score before they finally flee west into paradise. His plan was to carry out the heist then flee west to a safe spot scoped out by Bill and Javier in New Austin. Then, after Arthur and Hosea carried out their scam, they would join the gang the following day. And with the money collected, they would begin planning on their paradise.

Almost the entire gang rode out for the ferry heist, with those remaining at camp starting to pack up. Arthur and Hosea rode to Beecher's Hope, where they would meet Medonni and make the transaction. But their ventures were interrupted with the sound of an explosion coming from Blackwater. Smoke was seen billowing from the town, and Arthur and Hosea immediately thought the worst. They were forced to abandon their scam, leaving Medonni in Beecher's Hope as they rode to Blackwater.

As they arrived at the scene, they saw the much of the gang barely holding on against an onslaught of firepower from lawmen and members of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Dutch informed the pair that Jenny was killed and that Davey was shot in the gut. He then told Hosea to ride back to camp with Davey and tell the rest of the gang to get moving. The ferry heist was a complete disaster, with Pinkertons ambushing the gang, littering the streets of Blackwater with the dead. After hours of fighting, Dutch made a desperate plan. Everyone would escape the town and ride across the Great Plains on horseback to distract the lawmen from the camp, and then meet up somewhere up north as the heat died down. It proved to be hard, as several gang members were injured. Mac Callender was shot in the stomach, while Sean lost his horse, so both of them had to ride with Arthur. John was shot in the shoulder while Charles burned his hand from the explosion. As the gang rode out, Arthur, Sean, and Mac were flung off Boadicea as a bullet pierced her head. Arthur was stricken with grief, but had no time to mourn. Mac was passed out while Sean was stuck under Boadicea. Sean told Arthur to run, and that he could still make it.

In a fury of rage, Arthur stole a lawman's horse and fled north into the forests of Big Valley, where he'd finally lose the law. Reuniting with the gang's caravan, Arthur recounted the harrowing events to Dutch. Seeking respite from the relentless pursuit, Dutch resolved to retreat into the Ambarino mountains, an ominous journey awaiting them amidst a frigid blizzard. In the face of uncertainty, Arthur's suspicions grew, suspecting a larger conspiracy that had led them into the maelstrom of Blackwater.

### Colter Chapter (May 1899)

After the botched ferry heist, Dutch and the gang are forced to flee Blackwater and attempt to cross the mountains west to evade law enforcement. Not long after taking shelter in the abandoned mining town of Colter, Dutch and Arthur go looking for either John Marston or Micah Bell, both of whom went scouting ahead. Arthur and Dutch find Micah, who informs them of a homestead he found, which appears to have a party going on inside. They stop at the homestead to ask for help, where they encounter members of the O'Driscoll Boys. After meeting them, a gunfight breaks out, which results in the deaths of the O'Driscolls. After looting the ranch, they encounter Sadie Adler, whose husband was killed by the O'Driscolls. Taking pity on her condition, they bring her back to camp. Not long after returning, Arthur is asked by Abigail Roberts to find John Marston, who has gone missing. Arthur and Javier Escuella find John seriously wounded and scarred across the face after being attacked by wolves. They bring him back to camp, where he begins to recover.

A few days later, Dutch plans an ambush on the O'Driscoll camp, which is situated nearby according to an O'Driscoll they interrogated at the homestead. The gang attacks the camp, and after defeating them, find dynamite and information about a train belonging to Leviticus Cornwall that the O'Driscolls intended to rob. On their way back to Colter, they come across an O'Driscoll that they previously saw being reprimanded by Colm. Arthur volunteers to catch him and succeeds, learning that his name is Kieran. The gang ties him up in the stables, starving him for information.

Due to the gang's hasty escape from Blackwater, food and supplies were in short supply. Arthur ventures out with Charles Smith to find some food, during which Charles gives Arthur a bow and tells him that he'll have to use it, due to the hand injury which the former sustained during the failed ferry robbery. The two share a friendly conversation, discussing their history both in and outside of the gang, while Charles provides Arthur with some hunting tips. Arthur manages to take down two deer, and so he and Charles return to camp with enough food to last the gang for the next few days.

In order to fund their escape from the mountains, Dutch has the gang rob the Cornwall train. However, the detonator that the gang planned to use fails, so they have to chase after the train. Arthur, Lenny, and Javier jump onto the train from above, although Javier falls off immediately and Lenny also slips, but manages to grasp onto the carriage. After Arthur helps him up, the two manage to fight their way through the train and slay most of the guards, before the rest of the gang arrives and finishes off the remaining few. The gang then use dynamite to enter the private car, where they manage to find some highly-valuable state bonds. Dutch then leaves Arthur to deal with the last three guards as he wishes, all of whom had surrendered; their fate is therefore left to the player. After dealing with them, Arthur rides back to Colter.

### Horseshoe Overlook Chapter (May - June 1899)

After the thaw comes in, the gang leaves the mountains for a new location in The Heartlands, near the town of Valentine. Arthur goes to the saloon in Valentine, where he meets Javier, Charles, and later Bill. A bar fight breaks out after Bill drunkenly attacks someone after entering the saloon. After fighting off some men, Arthur eventually engages a huge, burly man named Tommy, who overpowers Arthur and throws him out the saloon window on to the muddy street outside. After a bitter brawl, Arthur defeats him and beats him severely, stopping only when Thomas Downes pleads for him to do so. After the fight has ended, Arthur is called over by Dutch, where he meets Josiah Trelawny again. He learns that Sean MacGuire is alive, and they make plans to rescue him. Dutch sends Arthur to accompany Trelawny, Charles Smith and Javier Escuella in rescuing Sean. During the rescue attempt, Arthur takes part in the frontal assault along with Trelawny and Javier, while Charles scouts from a distance. After a bloody firefight with the bounty hunters, Sean is rescued and the gang members return to camp, throwing a party celebrating his safe return.

Arthur also goes on a hunt for a "1000 pound bear" with Hosea, who gives Arthur a raven black Shire horse, of which he can choose to either sell or keep at the stables in Valentine. The two set out to Grizzlies East to find the bear. After setting some bait, the two wait for the bear, who attacks them. Hosea thanks Arthur for saving his life and gives him a map of Legendary Animals. The two can either part ways or go back to camp together.

Arthur proceeds to interrogate the O'Driscoll that the gang captured in the mountains. Dutch calls Bill over to castrate Kieran with burning hot tongs if he doesn't reveal the location of Colm O'Driscoll. Kieran then says that he's at Six Point Cabin, and is accompanied there by Arthur, John, and Bill. Upon reaching the hideout, the trio stealthily take out some of the O'Driscolls, before a shootout eventually ensues. Arthur enters a cabin in the hope of finding Colm but is instead surprised by an O'Driscoll goon. Before Arthur can be killed, Kieran appears and fatally shoots the O'Driscoll, saving Arthur's life. Arthur then threatens him after Colm is not there, believing that he set them up. Kieran points out that he wouldn't have saved Arthur's life if that were the case and, with some more prompting from John and Bill, Kieran is allowed to stay with the gang. Arthur can also go buffalo hunting with Charles at some point during this chapter, and he can also rob the homestead of Chez Porter with Javier.

At some point, Arthur will receive a letter from Mary Linton, who asks Arthur to meet her. After reading the letter, Arthur is told by Leopold Strauss that he needs to recover a debt from Thomas Downes, a rancher. Arthur goes to Downes Ranch and confronts Mr. Downes. Thomas says that he is destitute, prompting Arthur to beat him. Eventually, Thomas' wife Edith arrives, saying that her husband is ill and they truly are destitute, leading to Arthur leaving the ranch. Arthur can meet Mary soon afterward, who tells him that her brother Jamie has been inducted into a batty cult known as the Chelonians. If Arthur agrees to help her, he will find Jamie with them near Cumberland Forest. Arthur scares them off and then chases the escaping Jamie, eventually catching him and shooting the gun out of his hand when he tries to kill himself, before returning him to Mary.

After returning from a scouting mission, Lenny Summers tells Arthur and Dutch that Micah started a gunfight in Strawberry after getting drunk and subsequently killed two O'Driscolls, which led to his arrest. Before attending to Micah, Arthur brings Lenny to Valentine for a drink to calm his nerves, and both of them get very drunk. Once he has sobered up, Arthur heads for Strawberry to rescue Micah. The Sheriff refuses to release Micah, so Arthur breaks the bars on his cell and a firefight ensues, with Micah immediately killing his cellmate, who was an O'Driscoll. Arthur says to Micah that they need to leave immediately, but Micah refuses, saying he has something to do. The two are forced to kill almost every lawman in the town until at last Micah arrives at a house and knocks on the door, kills the man living there and his wife, and retrieves his prized revolvers from them. The two then flee on their horses and fight off the pursuing lawmen, after which Arthur berates Micah for his recklessness for the unnecessary violence and going back for the guns. Micah says that he won't return to Dutch until he does something to redeem himself - he asks Arthur to meet him somewhere nearby to carry out a robbery.

Afterwards, Arthur goes out to meet Micah, as promised earlier, and so they set out to rob a stagecoach that Micah found out about from his O'Driscoll cellmate. After commandeering the carriage, they are then attacked by O'Driscolls, who try to rob them. Arthur and Micah eventually manage to fight them off from the other side of a river, allowing the two to finally claim the money. Later on, while at camp, Abigail asks Arthur to take Jack Marston fishing at the Dakota River. While there, they are approached by Andrew Milton and Edgar Ross; agents of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Milton reveals that they caught and killed Mac Callander, and tells Arthur that in exchange for turning Dutch in he will be spared the noose. Arthur angrily refuses and takes Jack back to camp after the agents leave.

John contacts Arthur and tells him that he heard of a train that will be moving through Valentine. He suggests that in order to get the train to stop, Arthur should steal a stagecoach carrying Cornwall oil. Arthur can steal the stagecoach, and rendezvous with Sean, Charles, and John. After putting the stagecoach in front of the train, it screeches to a halt and the gang boards it. Charles deals with the engineer, John goes down the train with a bag for the loot, and Arthur provides some encouragement for those not so willing to give. He then goes looking for Sean, who was supposed to have been dealing with the baggage car, only for him to have gone. Arthur eventually finds him in a tussle with a guard, who Arthur kills. The robbery is then cut short, with the law descending upon them. The four gang members are forced to flee and manage to escape the law.

John, who thinks they still need more money, talks to Arthur and tells him that he hears of a herd of sheep coming in. He tells Arthur to buy a sniper rifle and they ride up to a hill, shooting bullets at the ranch-hands. They flee, and Arthur corrals the sheep to the auction. The man who runs the auction recognizes the sheep and says if they pay him twenty-five percent of all profits, he will keep his mouth shut. This sum falls to eighteen percent after John negotiates with him. Arthur and John then go to the nearby saloon, where they meet Strauss and Dutch. During the meeting, Leviticus Cornwall and his hired guns capture Strauss and John. Dutch and Arthur rescue them, before fighting their way out of the town back to camp. Realizing that they can't stay in the area, Dutch sends Arthur and Charles to investigate Dewberry Creek, a possible camp location suggested by Micah. Arthur and Charles instead discover a German mother and her children, with their father missing. Charles manages to trace the father to Clemens Point, where they fight off some bandits and free him. Arthur returns him to his family while Charles returns to the others to divert the caravan to Clemens Point, a much better location for camp.

### Clemens Point Chapter (June - July 1899)

After moving to the new camp location, Hosea, Arthur, and Dutch go out riding. They encounter Sheriff Leigh Gray, who has captured Trelawny due to him running an illegal gold prospecting operation. After Arthur recaptures a group of outlaws who escaped, Trelawny is released. In addition, Gray decides to deputize Arthur, Dutch, and Bill Williamson in order to crack down on a Lemoyne Raiders moonshine operation. With the help of Deputy Archibald MacGregor, the three gang members succeed in bringing down the moonshine operation, earning favor with the Sheriff.

Dutch tells Arthur to go to Caliga Hall to gather more information about the Gray family. He ends up talking to Beau Gray, who asks him to go to Braithwaite Manor and deliver a letter to his secret lover, Penelope Braithwaite. After delivering the letter to her, she gives him one of her own back, to give to Beau. The letter will say that Penelope is planning on going to a women's suffrage rally. The news that Penelope is going to a women's suffrage rally alarms Beau, and he tells Arthur that her life is in danger, offering him money if he will help him save her. Arthur and Beau ride up to the carriage where the protesters will be riding in, and when they are unsuccessful in convincing her to leave, Arthur is tasked with driving the carriage to protect her. At Penelope's request, Arthur takes Beau away to save him from his cousins. Arthur is subsequently paid by Beau, before he then returns to camp.

Dutch grows concerned over Trelawny's disappearance and sends Arthur and Charles to find him. They find the caravan he had been staying in, which has blood on the floor and signs that Trelawny had left in a hurry. The two track his trail to a small camp, where they discover some of his belongings. The pair are attacked by two bounty hunters at the camp, whom they promptly subdue. They interrogate one of the bounty hunters, who reveals that Trelawny is being held at a nearby farmhouse. The duo ride over and find him being escorted into a cabin by a few bounty hunters. They attack the bounty hunters, and they flee into the nearby tobacco field. The two venture into the field, and hunt down the remaining bounty hunters, before returning to Trelawny. He insists that he told them nothing, and they bring him back to camp safely.

Later on, Arthur is asked by Uncle if he wants to join a stagecoach robbery. Along with Charles and Bill, Arthur accepts the offer. Unfortunately for them, the stagecoach turns out to be owned by Cornwall, who has hired a small army of private mercenaries to protect the stagecoach. After robbing the stagecoach, the gang members are forced to flee to a nearby barn, where they attempt to hide. The hired guns, however, find them and light the barn on fire while opening fire on them at the same time. The men are forced to fight their way out of the barn and into the forest, where they engage some of Cornwall's men in combat before escaping back to camp.

Not long after, Lenny approaches Arthur and tells him that after talking to some of the black community in Rhodes, he has learned that the Lemoyne Raiders have a large store of military-grade weapons stockpiled. Arthur agrees to rob the raiders, and he and Lenny ride to where Lenny's contacts said to go to. The two men see a coach coming by, and they follow it at a safe distance before coming upon Shady Belle. The two attack the manor, and after eliminating the Lemoyne Raiders there, take the coach and drive it away. Some other raiders attempt to intercept them but are vanquished by the two. After getting back to camp, Arthur claims a Bolt Action Rifle from the stash as his own and says they will sell the rest to get some more cash for the camp. Arthur can also take part in various robberies with other gang members, such as robbing a homestead with Sean, robbing a stagecoach with Sean and Mary-Beth, and another stagecoach with Bill and Tilly. Aside from this, he can go fishing with Kieran at some point, and later with Javier.

Almost immediately after returning, Bill and Karen Jones approach Lenny and Arthur and propose robbing the Valentine bank, which they have already collected information on. After a bit of prodding, he agrees, and the four ride to Valentine. Karen pretends to be either a lost girl or a harlot, and after confusing the guard, knocks him out. Arthur can then either place dynamite on the safes to blow the locks off, or silently crack them. On the way out, they are attacked by the law, but the four gang members succeed in fighting their way to safety. Afterward, Arthur rides to Downes Ranch, to get the money from Edith Downes that her husband owed.

At some point, the gang hears that the O'Driscolls have planned a truce meeting for Dutch and Colm. Although Hosea instantly sees it as a trap, Dutch agrees to check it out, after some persuasion from Micah. Arthur, who is also suspicious, accompanies them. He is sent to be a sniper on a cliff overlooking the meeting but is captured by the O'Driscolls and later imprisoned in their hideout, as well as being shot in the shoulder. Colm reveals himself to Arthur and says that they captured Arthur as a way of luring Dutch so that they could give him to the Pinkertons. After Colm leaves, Arthur cauterizes his wound and makes his escape back to camp, where he takes a few weeks to recover.

The gang will then decide that in order to get some more money for their stores, they will rob both the Braithwaites and the Grays. Arthur will first go with Sean, and the two will light the Gray's tobacco fields on fire using moonshine, in exchange for a significant sum of money from the Braithwaites. He will then go with John and Javier, and the two will go to Braithwaite manor, and steal the family's prized horses. Although they are told by Tavish Gray that they can sell the horses to a horse-fence for five-thousand in cash, this proves to be a lie and they end up with a measly seven-hundred. The gang is then told by the Grays to meet them at Rhodes for a potential job opportunity. Bill, Micah, and Sean go to Rhodes, shortly followed by Arthur, however, it turns out to be an ambush. Sean is shot dead almost immediately, and Bill is taken captive by the Sheriff. Micah and Arthur clear the street, before confronting Sheriff Gray and his deputies. Sheriff Gray exits his office holding Bill hostage, but is immediately shot and killed by Arthur, before deputies are then gunned down by Arthur and Micah. Afterwards, Arthur expresses his affection for Sean and asks Bill to give him a proper burial.

Upon returning to camp, Arthur hears that the Braithwaites have taken Jack captive, in revenge for stealing their horses. A large posse of gang members attack Braithwaite Manor, and after a long fight take Catherine Braithwaite captive. After she refuses to reveal the location of Jack, they burn down her manor. She then reveals that her sons gave him to Angelo Bronte, an Italian crime lord living in Saint Denis, before running into her burning home as the gang leaves her. After returning to camp, Agents Milton and Ross appear once again with a proposition for Dutch to turn himself in, in exchange for the rest of the gang being allowed to flee and be pardoned. The offer is turned down and Milton leaves, promising to return with fifty men. The gang then quickly prepares to relocate to Shady Belle, which Lenny and Arthur had previously cleared of Lemoyne Raiders. John and Arthur will go to scope it out and kill the remaining Raiders. Once this is done, the gang will move into their new home.

### Saint Denis Chapter (July - August 1899)

After relocating to Shady Belle, John, Dutch, and Arthur go to Saint Denis, to find out where Bronte lives. Arthur eventually learns he lives at a mansion near the river after chasing a street urchin that stole from him, and the trio goes to confront him. The three gang members enter the house, and after almost starting a gunfight with his men, they strike a deal: John and Arthur will deal with a group of grave-robbers, and in exchange, Bronte will give Jack back. The two men go the graveyard, and after being ambushed by the criminals, gun them down. They then grab their loot and escape before the law shows up. The two will return to Bronte with the loot, and Bronte will release Jack, after offering Dutch an invite to the Mayor's party.

Bill, Hosea, Arthur, and Dutch will arrive at the Mayor's party, and quickly break up so that they can pursue different leads. Arthur will hear a servant talking about Leviticus Cornwall, and after being prompted by Dutch, will follow him. Arthur will steal documents relating to him, before fleeing the mansion and meeting up with the rest of the gang. Although Bill complains that they have found no leads, Hosea will say he has a few, including a potential riverboat robbery involving a high stakes poker game, and even Lemoyne National Bank.

After hearing about the riverboat tip, Trelawny decides to use it to their advantage. He pulls some strings and succeeds in getting Javier, Strauss, Arthur and himself on board as well as befriending the dealer to rig a poker game. While onboard, Javier manages to pose as a guard on the riverboat and Strauss finds a seat in Arthur's view. Arthur then gets into the poker game with Desmond Blythe and some others on the boat, and with Strauss's help in cheating, Arthur wins. After losing all of his money to Arthur, Blythe offers one final bet, in which he uses his Reutlinger pocket watch as credit. Arthur accepts Blythe's offer and beats him. The pit boss arrives and congratulates Arthur on his win, before escorting both him and Javier upstairs to the vault where the Reutlinger is located. After he opens up the vault, Javier and Arthur point their guns at him and tell him to surrender his hidden pistol. While Arthur loots the vault, the pit boss draws a second hidden gun, so Arthur is forced to shoot him. Unfortunately, the sound of the gunshot alerts the guards, who rush to see what happened. Arthur and Javier reunite with Strauss and Trelawny, but the guards discover that they were the culprits and attack them. After fighting off some of the guards, the group jump off the ship and swim to shore, where they divide the spoils.

Later on, Arthur goes to talk to an Indian chief named Rains Fall. He finds him at Saint Denis, along with his son Eagle Flies. Rains Fall tells Arthur that the US Army plans on moving his tribe off of their land, and he has a proposition for him. He asks Arthur to steal incriminating documents from the Cornwall Refinery, which could potentially put a stop to their relocation. Arthur accepts, and later sneaks into the refinery using a wagon destined for the storage area. After forcing a man to give him the papers, he makes his escape. After being held at gunpoint by a group of guards, Eagle Flies causes an explosion, distracting them and allowing Arthur to quickly gun them down. The two escape together, after which Eagle Flies pays Arthur and says that he hopes that the documents will help.

In camp, Susan tells Arthur that Tilly has been kidnapped by the Foreman brothers and that they need to go and rescue her. They come across a safehouse and rescue Tilly, before setting off to find Anthony Foreman, the leader. After he is captured, he is brought back to Tilly, where the player is given a choice to either kill him or spare him, with Susan advocating the former, and Tilly the latter. No matter which option is chosen, Tilly will not be disturbed by the Foreman brothers ever again.

Sadie asks Arthur to talk and tells him that Kieran has disappeared and she is worried about him. Almost immediately after she has finished speaking, Kieran's decapitated body comes into camp and O'Driscolls assault the gang. The gang attempts to hold them off at the road, but are forced to retreat inside the plantation house. It is then that Dutch realizes that Sadie is outside, and is fighting for her life. Arthur charges out and kills the people attacking Sadie, but she refuses to go inside, preferring to avenge her husband. The two engage members of the enemy gang, and force the O'Driscolls to retreat.

At some point in this chapter, Arthur can join Micah in robbing a stagecoach, bringing Bill along. As well as this, he can also rob a stagecoach with Lenny, although it proves to be a setup. Additionally, Arthur can also go rustling with Uncle.

Dutch tells Arthur to come over and tells him that the two of them, as well as Lenny, are going to rob the Saint Denis trolley station after getting a tip from Angelo Bronte. The three break into the station and hold the clerks at gunpoint, before realizing that only ninety dollars are in the vault. The three then attempt to escape, but police are now everywhere. They board a trolley and use it to ride out of the city centre. The trolley eventually crashes, forcing the three to fight the policemen on foot. Eventually, they commandeer a stagecoach and ride to safety. Dutch then comments on how he thinks Lenny saved them, and Arthur gives them each fifteen dollars.

Later, Arthur is contacted by Mary, who asks him to meet her in Saint Denis. Arthur does so, and Mary tells Arthur that she is very worried about her father, who is sinking ever deeper into whoring, drinking and gambling. Mary eventually encounters her father, who storms out soon after she begins talking to him. To find out what he’s doing, Mary and Arthur tail him, witnessing him vomit, and then meeting Ashton, who Mr. Gillis sells a brooch to. Recognizing it as a family heirloom from her mother, Mary confronts him about it while Arthur chases Ashton to get the brooch back. After retrieving the brooch, Arthur gives it to Mary and asks where her father went, to which Mary responds by saying that she doesn’t know and no longer cares. She then invites Arthur to go to the theatre with her, where the player can choose if they’d like to go or not. Afterwards, Mary asks Arthur to run away with her, but Arthur declines, saying that he is a wanted man which would only put her in danger, and that he has people to take care of. Realising that Arthur would never renounce the life of an outlaw, Mary says goodbye and the two part ways.

Back at camp, Dutch asks Arthur to come to the balcony, and he tells him that he and Hosea can't agree on what to do next and that he is the tiebreaker. Dutch says that he wants to kill Angelo Bronte for tricking them, and says it will make robbing the bank easier. Hosea, meanwhile, says the plan is foolhardy, and will only endanger them. Arthur sides with Dutch and the two go to Lagras where they are going to broker a deal with a fisherman named Thomas. Dutch talks to him, and they agree that they will aid him in finding his assistant who has gone missing. In exchange, he will ferry the gang to Bronte's mansion. The three men find him in the swamp, bring him to the boat, and start rowing back to Lagras. Unfortunately, along the way, they are attacked by a massive alligator. He bites the young man's leg and throws him into the water. They pull him out, then shoot at the giant alligator, scaring it off, before returning to Lagras.

When Arthur returns to Lagras, the gang boards Thomas's boat and make their way toward Angelo Bronte's mansion. Once there, the gang gets shot at and takes cover and opens fire on the guards positioned in the courtyard. Reinforcements arrive, but the gang secures the area, and approach the door. Arthur blasts the lock off of the door, and the gang begins clearing the rooms. Arthur goes upstairs and enters a room, only to be surprise attacked by the crime lord. After subduing Bronte, Arthur carries him downstairs, and they head toward the boat. Unfortunately, policemen hear the gunshots and arrive, forcing the gang to fight their way to the boat. Once on the boat, they set off to Lagras, planning on ransoming back Bronte. Bronte, however, believes that the gang will turn on Dutch for money. He offers thousands of dollars to whoever kills Dutch, and when no one takes him up on the offer, begins insulting Dutch. An enraged Dutch responds by drowning Bronte and then throwing his body overboard to be ravaged by alligators, shocking the rest of the gang.

Back at camp, Dutch and Hosea finalize the plan for the robbing of the Saint Denis Bank. The gang readies and rides out the next morning, and on the ride, Dutch goes over the plan. Hosea and Abigail will cause a diversion to divert police away from the bank, while the rest of the gang will enter the bank's front doors. Once inside, Arthur loots the safe, when suddenly the Pinkertons arrive. The bank is completely surrounded, and Agent Milton calls for them to surrender, holding Hosea hostage. After refusing Dutch's pleads for negotiation, Milton shoots Hosea in the chest, killing him. The gang attacks the Pinkertons in full force and a shootout ensues. Dutch instructs Arthur to use dynamite to blow a hole through the side of the bank in order to create a path of escape. Arthur blows open the wall and makes his way to the rooftop, where he proceeds to lay down cover fire so the gang to make a run for it. The gang joins Arthur on the roof without John, who has been captured by the Pinkertons. As the group tries to escape on the roof, Lenny is gunned down by Pinkertons, and Arthur pauses a moment to mourn his fallen friend. The gang then make their way to an abandoned building where they wait until nightfall, before heading to the docks where they hope to find a boat to ferry them away. Unfortunately, the police have the area under heavy surveillance, and they cannot continue. Charles causes a distraction, allowing the rest of the gang to reach the dock. They then board a ship destined for Cuba, but the boat sinks and Arthur is separated from the rest of the gang.

### Guarma Chapter (August 1899)

Arthur washes up on the shore of Guarma and searches for civilization. He comes upon the gang at a campfire, but the reunion is cut short by the arrival of the local military, who arrest them and transport them in shackles to jail. Along the way to the jail, rebels bombard the soldiers with bullets. In the confusion, Arthur collects keys from a dead soldier's corpse and uses them to unlock the shackles. After killing off the guards leading them, Hercule Fontaine, the revolutionary leader tells the gang to follow him. As they rush away, Javier is shot in the leg by reinforcements, and they are forced to leave without him. Despite this, Hercule leads the remaining gang to a small rebel outpost, stocked with rifles. Reinforcements soon arrive, but the gang and Hercule are ultimately victorious. They then proceed to a church turned rebel outpost called La Capilla.

After arriving at La Capilla, Arthur rests for a short time, before setting out to find a way off the island. One of the two things he does to get off the island is going with Dutch to rescue Javier. The two of them go to a cave where an old lady named Gloria is. Dutch pays her a gold ingot to lead them through the cave, up to a ladder that would bring them up to Aguasdulces. It is then that she demands more money, and when Dutch can't pay the rest of the promised money, she pulls a knife on him. Dutch then grabs her, and kills her, prompting dismay from Arthur. The two of them then enter Aguadulces, where they see Colonel Fussar and a group of soldiers, who are dragging Javier along with a donkey and beating him for information on who the gang are. The pair quickly begins looking for ways to find a distraction, which they find in the sugar refinery. Dutch cuts up the bags of sugar, spilling it all over the floor, before they blow up the furnace. In the distraction, they fight their way to Javier. After Dutch picks him up, they flee the settlement, until they reach the river of Arroyo de la Vibora. At the river, Arthur tells Dutch to take Javier while he holds the bank. Waves of enemies assault his position, but Arthur prevails and departs.

Arthur then goes and investigates a group of workers who have disappeared. Arthur is unfortunately captured, and imprisoned with two other militants. A guard approaches him and is about to beat him up when he attacks. Arthur swiftly slays the guard, and then with another militant sneak through the camp. They save three men from execution, before engaging and defeating the soldiers.

After doing this, he goes with the gang to Cinco Torres. Here, they see a Cuban warship approaching, and swarms of enemies attacking. The gang and Hercule shoot at them from above, until they reach the fort. Hercule, Dutch, and Arthur then rush out and clear out the soldiers that are preparing to take the fort. They then rush back to the top of Cinco Torres and man the cannon as the warship approaches. After many shots, the warship falls, and they begin planning on making their escape off the island.

The gang is preparing to leave when they see a gun battery preventing their escape. Realizing it has to be silenced, the gang assaults the battery, and Arthur blows up the cannons. They then set out cutting their way to the ship. While fighting Aguasdulces, Arthur breaks into the worker's cabin to find the captain and is put on gunpoint by Levi Simon. Dutch breaks in, and puts Simon on gunpoint before Fussar aims his own gun at Dutch. The standoff ends when Arthur kicks the ship captain his rifle, and he kills Simon by shooting him in the chest. Fussar flees the cabin in the confusion and runs. They then set out fighting their way to the ship in earnest, when they find Fussar has occupied the final tower with a machine gun. Arthur blows down the tower, killing Fussar and allowing the gang to depart the island at last.

Arthur arrives at Van Horn Trading Post, where he steals a horse to return to Shady Belle. The site is abandoned when he gets there, but he finds a letter written by “Caroline” which says that they are at Lakay. As he prepares to head out, a group of Pinkertons arrives; Arthur either leaves silently and without alerting them or fights them. Regardless of his choice, he heads to Lakay immediately after. When he arrives, he finds the entire gang who weren't stranded on Guarma. They welcome him and Abigail informs Arthur of John’s imprisonment at Sisika Penitentiary before the rest of the gang arrive. However, their reunion is cut short by the arrival of Agent Milton and a group of Pinkerton agents who attack the camp, with the help of Sadie and Bill they repel the attack with the aid of the Gatling gun. Sadie then asks Arthur to meet her at some point in Saint Denis so they can brainstorm how best to break John out of prison.

Dutch orders Arthur to clear out an old hideout called Beaver Hollow, home to a group of cannibals called the Murfree Brood, Arthur brings Charles along, and Arthur tells Charles about Guarma while he tells Arthur about the scramble to flee to Lakay. Eventually, whether through canoe or horse riding, they eventually reach Beaver Hollow. The pair sneaks through the camp, quietly killing the enemies until the alarm is sounded. The two then forcibly storm the hollow and clear out all the enemies. In doing so, they find a young girl named Meredith, who had been captured and tortured by the Brood. Arthur takes her back to her mother in Annesburg, before returning to the Hollow where the rest of the gang has assembled. Drunk, Molly then stumbles into the camp and says that she was the rat, telling the Pinkertons about the Saint Denis Bank robbery. While the rest of the gang looks on shocked, Susan puts an end to her by peppering her with a shotgun.

### Beaver Hollow Chapter (August - September 1899)

Arthur goes to Saint Denis to meet Sadie, but is seized by a violent coughing fit and collapses. A stranger escorts him to a clinic, and a doctor named Joseph R. Barnes diagnoses Arthur with tuberculosis, having contracted it from Thomas Downes several months earlier. Arthur is overcome with emotion at this news, as such an illness would mean certain death. The news shakes Arthur to his core and ultimately causes him to change and become a better man.

Arthur meets up with Sadie following his diagnosis. She says that she wants to survey the prison to make sure that John is actually there before launching a rescue attempt, and has paid a hot air balloon operator, Arturo Bullard, to give Arthur a tour. Arthur then uses the balloon to inspect Sisika Penitentiary to see if John is still there. He spots John working field detail and the guard opens fire, forcing them to leave. When they reach the mainland, Arthur spots Sadie being chased by a group of O'Driscolls and opens fire upon them from the balloon. Bullard is shot and killed by the rival gang, and the balloon crashes. Arthur and Sadie then engage the assailants in a bloody gunfight in which they are victorious.

Arthur then heads to the docks at Copperhead Landing, located a few miles from Sisika Penitentiary, to help Sadie break John out of prison. Abigail protests that she should come, but Sadie and Arthur shut her down saying that she would be an extra burden. Abigail reluctantly accepts this and thanks them for what they are doing, before Arthur and Sadie sail and dock along the islands shore. The pair climb a watchtower that overlooks the fields, and take down the guard in the tower, before opening fire and killing two other guards in the fields. They take a prison guard named Milliken captive, and Milliken tells them that John is not working that day. With Milliken hostage, they march up to the main gate of the fortress and tell them that they want to trade John for the guard. They make the trade, and the three flee the island with enemy guards hot in pursuit.

Arthur is called on by Dutch and Micah to go help them confront Cornwall in Annesburg. They hide in the harbor, near to where Cornwall is expected to arrive. Dutch waits with Arthur, while Micah is sent to follow one of Cornwall's aides. After hearing Cornwall talking to the Pinkertons, Dutch reveals himself. He demands that Cornwall give him $10,000, his boat, and safe passage out of the country. Cornwall refuses, and Dutch shoots him in the chest, killing him. Pinkertons and hired guns swarm the gang, and the three men narrowly fight their way out of town. During the operation, Micah manages to steal papers from the Cornwall company, which he and Dutch keep so that they might make plans.

Arthur eventually heads to Saint Denis with Sadie and Dutch to ensure Colm is hanged. Arthur and Dutch disguise themselves as police officers and Sadie disguises herself as a lady of high society, all to lessen the chances of them being recognized. They find two O'Driscolls in the crowd and realize that there is a sniper on top of the building. Arthur eliminates the sniper, Dutch and Sadie capture the O'Driscolls, and with no one left to save him from the noose, Colm is hanged. Sadie then kills both her hostage and Dutch's in a fit of rage, leading to a shootout. After the O'Driscolls are dealt with, Dutch and Sadie return to Beaver Hollow, followed by Arthur.

Arthur receives a letter from Mary, which says that she wishes to cut ties with him, as it is the only way she can move on, while expressing regret that they could never be together. As well as sending Arthur a letter, she also sends him back his wedding ring. Mary was, however, unaware that Arthur was terminally ill with Tuberculosis and that he would die soon.

The papers that Micah stole reveal a large shipment of dynamite being transported from Annesburg to Saint Denis, so Bill and Arthur are sent to intercept it and take it for the gang. They go to Van Horn Trading Post and set up an ambush: Bill plays drunk in the middle of the road and Arthur positions himself afar so that he may act as a sniper. When the stagecoach stops, the two open fire on the guards and seize the carriage. Waves of hired guns pursue them, but the pair manage to fend them off and escape with their lives. Once they get to safety, Micah instructs John to take the dynamite to Bacchus Bridge, and then asks Arthur to join him there later on to set up the dynamite.

Arthur is also tasked by Strauss to go after two debtors: a deserter from Fort Wallace named J. John Weathers, and Arthur Londonderry, a miner. Arthur first goes after Weathers, who offers supplies from the wagon to pay off his debt, only to be attacked by soldiers who were after him. Arthur is forced to help Weathers defend the wagon, but the wagon is set alight by a lantern and destroyed. After killing the soldiers, Arthur sees Weathers lead a Wapiti Indian woman who he is in a relationship with and sees the situation they’re in. Weather’s offers a locket for the debt, leaving Arthur with the choice of accepting it or absolving the debt. Arthur then goes after Londonderry, only to find out that he has died. Arthur then goes after the widow looking for the money, but after finding her and seeing that she and her son are destitute, Arthur can choose to either absolve the debt, or do that in addition to giving Mrs. Londonderry some money to live on.

Arthur returns to camp, angry at the suffering Strauss had caused. He tells Strauss to get up and takes him over to where his belongings are. Confused at what Arthur is doing, Strauss protests, but Arthur ignores his attempts at reconciliation. He throws money at Strauss' feet and orders him to leave, which Strauss does.

Arthur meets with John by Bacchus Bridge, and the two blow it up in order to cut off the government supplies. This endeavor almost costs them their lives, as they are almost struck by the train. Afterwards, John tells Arthur that he is afraid for his family due to Dutch's descent into madness. Arthur tells John that he agrees, and John tells him that Abigail thinks that she knows where the money is. Arthur tells him to investigate further and talk to him afterwards.

Eagle Flies rides into Beaver Hollow and tells the gang that the army stationed at Fort Wallace has taken their horses, and he needs help to get them back. Dutch, seeing an opportunity to damage the government, agrees. He calls for Charles and Arthur to follow him, the two worry seeing Dutch take advantage considering Dutch’s recent changes in behavior and the four men ride east, where they plan on stealing horses from a government ferry. The four of them swim to the boat, sneak on board, and knock out the guards. They then grab the horses and flee back to shore. After reaching the shore, Eagle Flies and Dutch take the horses back to the reservation, while Arthur goes to meet Rains Fall.

Arthur reaches the reservation and meets Rains Fall. After the Indian chief realizes that Arthur has tuberculosis, he tells him that he has some things that could ease the pain and they go riding out onto the mountain looking for the herbs. While traveling, a man named Captain Monroe asks for his help, and Arthur pledges to help him. After gathering up all the herbs, the two go to a sacred place to the Wapiti, only to find it burned and its sacred objects were gone. After realizing that it was the Army's doing, Arthur sneaks into the camp, steals the objects back, and gives them to Rains Fall, who thanks him. The two then return to camp and separate.

Arthur goes and meets up with Monroe, who shows him a young child who has caught smallpox, due to Colonel Favours stopping a shipment of vaccines from reaching the reservation. Disgusted by this, Arthur demands that Monroe show him where the shipment is traveling. He then rides after the wagon carrying the vaccines and steals them back. He then returns to the reservation with the supplies and gives them to Monroe.

At the order of Dutch, Arthur meets up with him and a group of Indians led by Paytah and Eagle Flies. Dutch tells him that they plan on trapping the soldiers in the canyon to tar and feather them. However, Arthur sees that Dutch is simply using them and not helping them. He tries to dissuade Dutch from being involved, only to be disappointed when Dutch brushes off his concerns. Reluctantly, Arthur gets to work; he and Dutch place dynamite next to the trees and wait for the soldiers to arrive. When they do, Dutch pushes the detonator and the trees collapse, blocking the road. The group demands that the soldiers surrender, but Army reinforcements arrive and swarm the would-be ambushers. Arthur, Dutch, and the Indians fight their way down the pass, but the majority of the Indians are killed or captured, forcing Arthur and Dutch to run. They flee to the top of a cliff, and after being surrounded by the army, jump to the safety of the waters below.

Following the capture of Eagle Flies, a meeting is called between Colonel Favours and Rains Fall. Rains Fall asks Arthur and Charles to come along, and Arthur agrees due to pleading from Charles. During the meeting, Arthur breaks out in a fit of coughing and has to take a break in a tent. In the tent, he hears that Favours plans on executing Monroe, and puts himself on his guard. After the meeting breaks down, Favours arrests Monroe and announces his plans to execute him. Charles and Arthur attack, grab him and flee. They hide behind a rock and defeat the army in a long battle, before taking the captain to Emerald Station.

Charles and Arthur learn that Eagle Flies is being held at Fort Wallace, and decide to break him out. They cross the river and ride up the fort, where they wait until night. They then slay several sentries silently with bows, before climbing the back wall with a rope. They then slay several guards on the walls, before attacking the army and fighting their way into the jail. After releasing Eagle Flies, they blow a hole in the back wall and run to canoes lying along the river. Although soldiers attempt to shoot them out of the canoes, they succeed in escaping the area, and Charles brings Eagle Flies back to his father.

Eagle Flies shows up at Beaver Hollow with a large force of warriors from the reservation and tells the gang that the army raided the reservation. He then asks for the gangs to help in destroying the Cornwall company refinery in retaliation. It is then that Rains Fall rides in, and begs for his tribe not to go to war. They instead ride off, leaving the gang behind. After a quick discussion, the majority of the gang follows. When they arrive at the scene, they see many that many of the Wapiti Indians have been killed. Arthur soon spots Eagle Flies, and the gang splits into two groups – with Arthur leading a force to rescue Eagle Flies. They succeed in rescuing Eagle Flies, and then meet up with Dutch's force near the warehouse. After fighting to the warehouse doors, Dutch and Arthur enter, and take the government bonds. As they leave, however, a pipe bursts, which incapacitates Arthur. Immediately afterwards, more soldiers arrive, while Dutch leaves Arthur to die. Just before he can be killed by the soldiers, however, Eagle Flies appears and kills the soldiers in rapid succession, only to be fatally shot in the abdomen by Colonel Favours himself. Favours then turns towards Arthur to kill him too, but Arthur manages to shoot and kill him first. He then exits the warehouse, and after a brief exchange with Dutch over the latter abandoning him, Arthur takes Eagle Flies back to the reservation with Charles and Paytah. When they reach the reservation, Eagle Flies succumbs to his wounds, while Arthur says goodbye to Charles, who stays with the Indians to help them escape the Army. Soon after leaving the reservation, Arthur suffers from a second, severe coughing fit and falls into unconsciousness. Luckily for him, the German family who he had helped earlier that year find him and take him to Annesburg, where Arthur regains consciousness.

Dutch announces to the gang that they are pulling off one more big heist, before leaving the country. He tells them that they are going to rob an Army train going through Saint Denis, containing payroll and supplies to repair Bacchus Bridge. They ride to Saint Denis, but the train goes right through the city and so they are forced to go in pursuit of it. After boarding the train, swarms of enemies assault the gang, and although Arthur fights them off, John is shot in the left shoulder after uncoupling a burning train carriage. Dutch says that he will rescue him, and goes after him while the rest of the gang eliminate the final soldiers guarding the train and take the loot. After this, Dutch appears and tells him that John had died, leaving Arthur saddened.

As they return, they come across Tilly, who says that Abigail has been captured. Dutch and Micah decide to leave her, followed by the others. Refusing to leave his old friend to die and have Jack become an orphan, Arthur and Sadie go to Van Horn where she is being held. Arthur covers Sadie from a lighthouse while she fights her way through the town, but after reaching the building where Abigail is being held, she is ambushed by two Pinkertons and captured. Arthur then fights his way through the town to rescue her and kills the guards who she was ambushed by, only to be held at gunpoint by Agent Milton. Milton tells him that Micah betrayed the gang and fed information to the Pinkertons since his return from Guarma, before being locked in a struggle with Arthur. Suddenly, Abigail shoots Milton in the temple with Sadie’s revolver, killing him and saving Arthur. Arthur takes Abigail back to Tilly and Jack, and tells them to leave with Sadie, while he confronts Micah. Before she leaves, Abigail gives Arthur the keys to Dutch's money stash and tells him where to find the money before saying goodbye.

Arthur walks into camp, and announces that Micah is the traitor, which results in Micah and Arthur drawing on each other. At first, no one is willing to take sides, until John stumbles into camp saying that Dutch left him to die. Susan also sides with Arthur, and threatens Micah with a shotgun. Unfortunately for her, Javier announces that Pinkertons are coming, distracting her and allowing Micah to kill her. The rest of the gang unites behind Dutch and Micah, but Pinkertons arrive before Arthur and John can be killed by the others. Arthur and John escape through the cave, where Arthur reveals to him that Micah is the rat. After reaching the surface Arthur tells John that his family are safe at Copperhead Landing, and tells him to make a good life for him and his family with second chance he has before they are forced to escape into the woods, with Dutch and the others on their tail, exclaiming that John and Arthur are traitors. Eventually, Arthur and John have their horses shot from under them, forcing them to go on foot after killing Pinkerton attackers. Arthur then has a difficult choice to make: he can either return for the money or assist John's escape.

***If Arthur helps John to escape**:* Arthur continues on with John and the two head towards the mountains. Eventually, Arthur tells John to continue alone while he holds off the Pinkertons, before giving him his hat and belongings. John reluctantly parts ways with Arthur, while the latter is attacked by Micah; both men fall from a ledge onto the ground below, and subsequently engage in a fistfight. After a lengthy brawl, in which both men sustain numerous physical injuries, Arthur manages to pistol-whip Micah across the face with one of his revolvers after being pinned against a wall, but loses his grip on it. Arthur then crawls towards this revolver in order to kill Micah, but is ultimately prevented from doing so by Dutch. Arthur tells Dutch again that Micah is the rat, that he gave him everything, and that John is the only one who made it, while Micah picks up another of his revolvers from the ground and prompts Dutch to come with him and get the money. In the end, Dutch discontentedly walks away, abandoning both Arthur and Micah.

* **High Honor:** After Dutch abandons him, Micah angrily walks away from the area, leaving Arthur to die. Arthur then crawls to the edge of the cliff and witnesses his final sunrise as he passes away, succumbing to his tuberculosis, his injuries, and exhaustion.
* **Low Honor:** Instead of fleeing after Dutch walks away, Micah approaches Arthur and aims a revolver at his head, vengefully claiming that Arthur is not better than him. Micah then shoots Arthur in the forehead, killing him instantly, before laughing, spitting on his corpse, and leaving.

***If Arthur goes back for the money**:* Arthur gives John his hat and belongings and leaves John to flee by himself, before fighting his way back to the gang's camp, where he manages to find the sack of money in Dutch's chest inside the cavern. As he exits the caves, he is suddenly attacked by Micah and stabbed in the side with his own knife. After wrestling Micah off him and taking back his knife, Micah takes out his own blade and the two engage in a knife fight.

* **High Honor:** Eventually, Arthur manages to slash Micah's left eye, blinding it. Enraged, Micah tackles Arthur to the ground and tries to stab him, but to no avail, as Arthur bites Micah's hand and punches him in the face, forcing him off. Dutch arrives to break it up but, after Arthur re-iterates that Micah betrayed the gang, Dutch decides to abandon both of them, despite Micah dismissing the claim as "nonsense". Micah then leaves, taking the sack of money which Arthur took from the chest. Arthur is left to die, and watches the sunrise shortly before he succumbs to his Tuberculosis, his initial stab wound, and exhaustion.
* **Low Honor:** Instead of slashing Micah‘s left eye during the fight, Arthur loses his balance and is tackled to the ground. Micah manages to stab Arthur in the chest during the struggle before Dutch arrives to break it up. Arthur says again that Micah is the rat and demands that Dutch kill him, but Dutch walks away. Arthur then begins to crawl away, but Micah approaches him with a knife in hand and finishes Arthur off by stabbing him in the back.

Depending on how Arthur died, a deer basking in the sunlight (High Honor) or a coyote in the rain (Low Honor) is seen, while the song "Crash of Worlds" by Rocco DeLuca plays in the background (its tone differs according to Honor). At some point after his death, Arthur's body was found by Charles Smith, who buried him in a beautiful location facing the evening sun, the way he would have wanted. The grave can be found in Ambarino, northeast of Bacchus Bridge.

### Epilogue (May 1907)

Arthur's attempt in giving Marston a second chance in life proved fruitful as, eight years later, John and his family manage to buy land in Beecher's Hope to live a new life as ranchers.

Years after Arthur's death, Mary is seen visiting his grave, mourning his loss, as well as an eagle or a coyote, depending on his honor.

Arthur's death is avenged in 1907 when John, Sadie and Charles manage to track down Micah and his gang at Mount Hagen. Micah gets his comeuppance and is jointly killed by John and Dutch for betraying the Van der Linde gang to the Pinkertons. Ironically, John's act of hunting down Micah and avenging Arthur's death ultimately leads to Edgar Ross kidnapping his family and his own death four years later.

After the player has reached 100% completion, a short cutscene plays where John visits Arthur's grave. John will be shown completing Arthur's journal while uttering the words "Guess we're just about done, my friend" before the cutscene transitions back to normal gameplay.

## In Popular Culture

In the nineteenth century, Arthur Morgan was relatively unknown to all but law enforcement, bounty hunters, and fellow outlaws in the United States. However, Arthur Morgan has become a household name in recent decades thanks to the fact that he verifiably held the record for most men killed among any American outlaw in the nineteenth century, as well as several novels published and released by Jack Marston; "American Venom" covers the dramatic saga of the Van der Linde gang's final years as seen through the eyes of Arthur Morgan himself. Marston also released a non-fiction collection of journal entries that Arthur had written from 1899, entailing his thoughts of the declining west.

Along with the novels published by Jack Marston in the mid-twentieth century, a trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola- the "Red Dead" trilogy, only further propelled his fame, even though the trilogy was primarily focused on Johnathan Marston, a fellow outlaw from the same gang. When the trilogy was first announced in 1975, and finished in 1979, it became regarded as some of the best westerns to ever have existed.

In 1976, just weeks prior to his death, Jack Marston sold Arthur Morgan's journal and iconic hat to the Smithsonian Museum, where they would be put on display. In the twenty-first century, plans came about for an expansion on Coppola's film trilogy. The descendants of Jack Marston suggested a television series on the life of Arthur Morgan, using his journal and Jack's books as sources. As a result, a massive television series was created by Warner Bros. in partnership with the family estate, naming the show "Red Dead Redemption." When the show premiered in 2017, it broke records regarding its streaming hours and outstanding critical responses.