Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

In Short

This memoir is a candid, unfiltered account of life as a professional gambler on Mississippi River steamboats during the mid-to-late 19th century. Through a series of loosely connected vignettes, the author details his mastery of card-sharping, his physical prowess in rough-and-tumble fights, and his constant pursuit of easy money from travelers, cotton buyers, and even preachers. It has lasted because it provides an authentic, albeit ethically dubious, window into the grit, danger, and chaotic opportunism of the American river frontier, captured in the voice of a man who lived entirely by his wits.

The Story

The narrative follows the author’s rise from a cabin boy in 1839 to one of the most feared and skilled gamblers on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Growing up in a family with deep roots in the settlement of Ohio, he quickly turns his attention away from conventional labor, mastering the arts of cheating, "cold decking," and reading marks on cards by his early teens. His career is defined by mobility; he moves from boat to boat, constantly reinventing his persona to avoid detection by angry losers or law enforcement.

The arc of the story is not one of moral growth or redemption, but of sustained, aggressive endurance. He describes himself as a man who could hold an entire deck of cards in his palm, a skill that allowed him to win small fortunes from unsuspecting passengers. These victories are rarely simple; they often lead to confrontations with "rough characters," steamboat mates, or desperate men who have lost their life savings. He recounts dozens of brutal, "rough-and-tumble" fights, including one incident where he utilizes his head—a move known as "butting"—to defeat a much larger stevedore while armed onlookers watch.

His exploits are not limited to the river. When the Civil War concludes, he moves to Mobile, Alabama, to capitalize on the influx of money, opening faro banks and gaming resorts. He navigates these changing environments with a mixture of charm and ruthlessness, occasionally showing rare flashes of leniency—such as returning a preacher’s watch and money after a heavy win—only to emphasize his own strange moral code. He survives the sinking of a steamer in icy waters, various legal entanglements involving local law enforcement, and constant threats from vengeful losers who would "fill his hide full of lead" if they could.

As the narrative progresses, the author recounts his aging process with a sense of lingering pride in his physical resilience. He describes his reputation among the "sporting men" of New Orleans and his ability to outmaneuver both local gangs and high-ranking officials. The book concludes not with a quiet retirement, but with a collection of testimonials and anecdotes that reinforce his status as a legendary, if notorious, figure. He remains the same man throughout: a gambler who views the world as a series of opportunities to be exploited, unbothered by the trail of broken men, lost fortunes, and legal threats left in his wake.

How It Unfolds

The education of a gambler The author begins by establishing his early mastery of cards and his lineage, noting that by age fourteen he was already rigging decks. He frames his journey from a cabin boy to a professional cheat as a natural evolution of skill and "cheek."

Mastering the river trade Much of the middle section details the intricate mechanics of card-sharping, including the use of hidden wires and confederates to signal hands during games. He recounts specific "jobs" against unsuspecting passengers, cotton buyers, and even groups of preachers, highlighting the constant tension of avoiding detection.

Surviving the elements and the law The narrative shifts to the physical perils of river travel, most notably a harrowing account of a sinking ship in the Ohio River. He balances these life-or-death struggles with his ongoing cat-and-mouse games against conductors and local toughs who attempt to shut down his operations.

The Post-War hustle In the final stages, the author moves to Mobile and New Orleans, where he establishes more permanent gambling halls. The beat of the story follows his volatile relationship with business partners and his continued reliance on his reputation as a "rough" fighter to maintain control over his games.

The legend persists The book closes with reflections on his aging process and anecdotes from acquaintances who testify to his past dominance. He portrays himself as a survivor, leaving the reader with the image of a man who, even in his fifties, remained an unrepentant and formidable presence in the underworld.

The People

The author, George H. Devol, is the central figure who frames every interaction through the lens of gain. He is proud, physically imposing, and entirely devoid of remorse, defining his success by his ability to "best" his opponents. His partners, such as Alexander or the Creole gambler Pettypan, serve as extensions of his own will, though they are often depicted as less capable or more prone to emotional outbursts. The "suckers"—a rotating cast of cotton buyers, preachers, and travelers—are little more than obstacles to be cleared. They are defined by their greed or their naivety, and they usually end up penniless, leaving the reader to contrast their desperate state with the author’s calculated indifference.

In Its Own Voice

"I caught a preacher once for all his money, his gold spectacles, and his sermons."

When recounting his encounters with clergy members, the author highlights his ability to exploit anyone, regardless of their social standing.

"I have had more fights in the cabin and bar of steamboats than any other man in this country."

The author justifies his violent history as a necessary component of his profession, where one must fight to maintain respect.

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a study in survival through deception. The author argues that in the lawless vacuum of the nineteenth-century river frontier, morality is a luxury that those in his profession cannot afford. The book interrogates the thin line between the "professional" gambler and the "thief," suggesting that the former is merely a more disciplined version of the latter. There is an implicit argument that the world is inherently predatory, and that the only honest way to exist within it is to acknowledge one's own predatory nature. By focusing on the "suckers," the author frames gambling not just as a game, but as a Darwinian contest where intelligence and physical strength determine the outcome.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the raw, unpolished history of the American frontier will find this book fascinating. It is a rare, first-person account of an underworld that usually left few written records. However, the experience of reading it requires a tolerance for the author’s arrogance and his stark, often brutal, attitudes toward his victims. The dialect and period-specific language provide a vivid sense of time and place, though they can make the prose feel repetitive at times. You will walk away with an unsettling appreciation for the sheer audacity required to live as a professional cheat in a world where a wrong move meant a bullet or a drowning. It is not a book for those seeking a moral compass, but for those curious about the dark, adventurous, and unapologetic character of the American past, it serves as an essential, if jarring, historical document.