I appreciate your comments but I feel you put too much faith in a man who changed his name to hide the fact that he was a member of the KKK. Forest Carter is actually Asa Carter and was not a native of Texas. He did have an affinity for the old west and before he moved to Texas it is possible he read The Bushwacker before writing the book in 1972. That being said Bill Wilson was known throughout Texas at the time and was a friend of Jim Crow, the owner of the Saloon in Sherman, TX depicted in the movie. Furthermore this is backed by the fact that Josey is asked about to other bushwackers namely Simp Dixon and Bob Lee both of whom were known to Bill Wilson. Also the Indian girl in the movie may have been a reference to Mary Noaks who was the second wife of Bill Wilson and was Cherokee Indian. Also I have heard the stories from his grandkids (my grandma and her siblings, 11 in all) after the movie came out and how they basically stole his life. Yes there other elements that do not belong to Bill and that is the author's privelage in writing a work of fiction. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Carter had foreknowledge of Bill Wilson before he set ink to paper. And by the way Bill loved the Rose of Alabama and played it on his fiddle which is still in family. How much p