Dutch's Gang

“Ah yes, another group of renegades. Obviously the first group. Your group has shall we say, been disbanded.”

–Edgar Ross to John Marston about Dutch's new gang

Dutch's Gang is a major outlaw gang in Red Dead Redemption, based in West Elizabeth and led by the dangerously charismatic Dutch van der Linde.

The game refers to two distinct "Dutch's Gangs": the original "Old Gang" in which John Marston, Bill Williamson, and Javier Escuella ran before the start of the game; and the gang active at the time the game is set (1911 onwards) which is made up of mostly Native Americans.

The "Old Gang"

Dutch's old gang. From left to right: Javier, Dutch (behind John), John and Bill.

Dutch's "Old Gang" consisted of, at least, Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella , John Marston and Abigail Marston, as well as Dutch himself. There very likely have been other unnamed members. The gang was notorious and feared across West Elizabeth and the western states, committing murders and robbing banks, although they gave much of the money they stole to the poor. Over the years they robbed over forty banks - at one point Marston jovially comments, "they told us there was a prize when we got to fifty."

Dutch van der Linde seems to have been almost a father-figure to the gang; certainly he is credited with taking in and raising Marston and Abigail after the two youngsters ran from their orphanage. Dutch's "Transcendentalist philosophy" and paternal approach imbued the gang with a strong sense of loyalty and cohesion, almost a family quality.

For years the gang terrorized the West until the fateful day of the botched robbery in 1906. Details are missing, but it is known that the gang tried robbing a boat and/or bank. Dutch shot a woman named Heidi McCourt, which led to government agents and lawmen attacking the gang. There was a shootout, and John Marston was wounded. The gang made it out of the boat/bank, but Marston was left for dead. He recovered shortly afterwards and "retired" from the gang along with Abigail, and their children.

Not long after this, the gang split up, driven apart partly by Dutch van der Linde's increasing slide into insanity. Bill Williamson left to start his own gang, and Javier Escuella escaped from the government into Mexico, where he later became a hitman for Allende. Dutch simply vanished, before making himself known again in 1911.

Old Gang Members (known)

• Dutch van der Linde - Leader
• Bill Williamson
• Javier Escuella
• John Marston
• Abigail Marston - Prostitute

The "1911 Gang" or "Dutch's Tribe"

Dutch forms the "1911 Gang", also known as Dutch's Tribe, from disaffected young natives off the nearby Reservations who hate the US Government, and the white man in general, for taking their land, destroying their way of life, and forcing them into lives of squalor.

The gang's main hideout is the northern Tall Trees settlement of Cochinay; they are also known to use the abandoned logging camp at Bearclaw as a stopover. Dutch's gang can be found just about anywhere in West Elizabeth, occasionally, even in Blackwater during a Nightwatch job. They are also commonly seen in Manzanita Post, often playing Five Finger Fillet, occasionally riding through in a Wild Posse. Most of the criminal activity in West Elizabeth, indeed, is down to Dutch's wild boys - ambushes, bandit attack during an escort quest and the hijacking of supply wagons.

Dutch's Tribe

• Dutch van der Linde - Leader
• Dakota
• Enepay
• Hassun
• Helaku
• Hinto
• Honovi
• Kosumi
• Nashoba
• Nastas - Former member; turned informant for the Bureau of Investigation

Trivia

• Dutch's old gang may very well be inspired by Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch which was one of the last outlaw gangs and was also active during the late 1890s and early 1900s.
• Some members of Dutch's new gang wear pieces of military uniform, most notably coats and ammo belts. These coats oftentimes have chevrons on them.
• Almost all of the members of Dutch's gang possess a red bandana or cloth; the most notable characters who wear these pieces of cloth are: John Marston (wears his around his neck), Bill Williamson (wears around his neck), Javier Escuella (located hanging around his belt, dangling over his left leg). Interestingly, Dutch himself does not visibly wear one.
• Despite the members' insulting comments towards John, dialogue from Jack and Abigail suggests that the gang was fond of John's new family. Abigail states that Dutch and Bill would tell a young Jack stories of their crimes, also calling them "Uncle Dutch" and "Uncle Bill".
• Dutch's Gang, like the unaffiliated criminals in Mexico, are never encountered in Free Roam, as the counter for number of Dutch's Gang kills is missing.
• In singleplayer, Dutch's Gang is the only gang not to own a gang hideout that can be completed outside a mission.
• Dutch's Gang does not appear during Undead Nightmare. Their hideout, Cochinay is occupied by an unafilliated outlaw, Melvin Spinney. They also do not appear either as survivors or Undead.

Gallery

Javier standing infront Armadillo livery.

Bill Williamson in Gaptooth Ridge.

See also

• Cochinay
• West Elizabeth
• Tall Trees
• Dutch's Gang (Multiplayer)
• Random Encounters
• Factions in Redemption