Here's a flashback to explain the beginning.. If anyone needs the context..
So in May 1899, after a robbery goes wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Dutch Van der Linde and his gang, are forced to flee their hideout in Blackwater and attempt to cross the mountains west to evade law enforcement, leaving their substantial money stash behind, as well as gang member Sean MacQuire.
It's members include Arthur Morgan, a younger John Marston; Hosea Matthews (second in command), Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella; Lenny Summers, Charles Smith, Uncle, Abigail Roberts; Molly O'Shea, Tilly Jackson, Simon Pearson, Leopold Strauss; Karen Jones, Susan Grimshaw, Josiah Trelawny, Mary-Beth Gaskill, Reverend Swanson, and Micah Bell.
Up in the mountains, gang members Jenny and Davey (who were never seen in game) both die of hyperthermia. And John Marston goes missing, which Arthur believes Arthur wasn't an accident and John actually left. Which apparently happened once before, as John was still yet to grow into the hero we know and love. But is actually a deadbeat dad and husband, with temper issues.
Arthur and Javier go looking for John discovering he was attacked by wolves who gave John his famish scar.
Micah finds a house in the mountains, Dutch, Micah and Arthur investigate only to discover members of a rival gang, the O'Driscolls, and Micah finds a burnt up corpse in a wagon. Only thing we know of O'Driscolls is from what we see on screen. But they are all Irish assholes who wouldn't be above rape, so I'm sure they are quilty of it. They kill the O'Driscolls and find Sadie Adler inside the house, after they killed her husband and likely had their way with her. Micah gives a character establishing moment and is found chasing Sadie around her house, saying she's a O'Driscoll even though Sadie is clearly scared and unarmed.
In doing so, Micah accidentally causes the house to burn down as Dutch and Arthur try to comfort Sadie. So Sadie joins the group, not entirely by choice.
Later Dutch leads a full on assault on the current O'Driscoll camp. But don't find Colm, the leader of the gang, and Dutch's rival who killed Dutch's lover. But they do find Kieren Duffy, an anxious, soft spoken, only decent member of the O'Drisco gang. Making you wonder why he's even with the bastards. The gang holds Kieren hostage. And barely feed him as part of a torture. Leave Kieren hungry till he talks.
In order to fund their escape, Dutch has the gang rob a train belonging to the wealthy oil magnate Leviticus Cornwall. They succeed, but the man himself finds out later.
A furious and vengeful Cornwall then hires the Pinkerton Detective Agency, who send Agents Andrew Milton and Edgar Ross to apprehend the gang.
