The New Mexico blood feud that turned Billy the Kid into a household name

The Lincoln County War

Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan controlled every dollar that flowed through Lincoln County, Well, until English lawyer Alexander McSween and rancher John Tunstall decided to break their iron grip in 1878.

At the time, the Murphy-Dolan faction owned the only general store, charged outrageous prices, and had the sheriff in their pocket. When Tunstall opened a competing store and bank, Murphy’s men gunned him down on a lonely trail.

That murder sparked five months of revenge killings that left 22 people dead and turned a teenage ranch hand named Billy the Kid into an outlaw legend.

Here’s how a business feud became a shooting war, preserved today at Lincoln Historic Site.

How A Business Rivalry Sparked A Bloody Conflict

Murphy and Dolan ran “The House,” the only store in Lincoln County. They made money selling beef to the army at Fort Stanton and to nearby Apache tribes.

Tunstall came from England in 1876 with plenty of money. He opened a rival store with lawyer McSween and backing from cattle boss Chisum.

By 1878, “The House” was losing customers and money to Tunstall’s store. Murphy and Dolan used friends in government to strike back.

The fighting started over money from an insurance policy that McSween had collected.

The Murder That Started The War

Sheriff William Brady rode to Tunstall’s ranch on February 18, 1878. He came to take Tunstall’s horses as payment for a debt.

Tunstall and his workers, including Billy the Kid, tried moving nine horses to safety. The sheriff’s men caught up to them on the trail.

When Tunstall stopped to talk, Deputy William Morton shot him in the chest. Jesse Evans then shot Tunstall in the head as he lay on the ground.

Billy the Kid watched from a distance. He had liked Tunstall, who treated him with respect.

The Birth Of The Regulators

Ranch boss Dick Brewer gathered Tunstall’s workers after the murder. They formed a group called “The Regulators” to hunt down the killers.

A local judge named John Wilson made them legal deputies. This gave them the right to arrest Tunstall’s murderers.

Billy the Kid joined right away, promising to get revenge. Other members included Charlie Bowdre, Doc Scurlock and several Mexican cowboys.

The governor later said Wilson had no right to make them deputies. This turned the Regulators into outlaws themselves.

The Regulators’ First Revenge Killings

The Regulators found Frank Baker and William Morton on March 6, 1878. Morton had shot Tunstall, and both men were part of the sheriff’s group.

After chasing them for five miles, the two men gave up. Brewer promised to take them to Lincoln for trial.

Three days later, the Regulators shot both men dead, claiming they tried to escape near Blackwater Creek.

William McCloskey, a Regulator who knew Morton, also died that day. Many think the other Regulators killed him for trying to stop the planned killings.

The Ambush Of Sheriff Brady

The Regulators blamed Sheriff Brady for sending the men who killed Tunstall. They set a trap for him in Lincoln.

On April 1, 1878, six Regulators, including Billy the Kid, hid behind a wall on the main street. When Brady walked by, they opened fire.

Brady died from at least twelve bullet wounds. Deputy George Hindman was also killed.

Billy the Kid ran into the street to grab his rifle from Brady’s body. A deputy shot Billy in the leg as he ran away.

The Gunfight At Blazer’s Mill

Three days after killing Brady, the Regulators stopped at Blazer’s Mill, a trading post between Lincoln and Tularosa.

They found Andrew “Buckshot” Roberts, another man they blamed for Tunstall’s death. Frank Coe tried to talk Roberts into giving up.

When Roberts refused, shooting broke out. Roberts shot Charlie Bowdre in the belt while taking a bullet to the stomach.

Despite being badly hurt, Roberts kept firing. He shot Dick Brewer in the head, killing him, and wounded four other Regulators before dying.

The Leadership Changes

After Brewer died, the Regulators chose Frank McNab as their new leader. They kept hunting men linked to Murphy and Dolan.

On April 29, 1878, new Sheriff George Peppin and his men attacked the Regulators at Fritz Ranch. McNab died in the fight.

The next day, four men from the Seven Rivers Warriors, friends of Murphy and Dolan, were killed in Lincoln. The Regulators were blamed but their involvement wasn’t proven.

Both sides lost more men as the fighting got worse. No one could stop the growing violence.

The Five-Day Battle Begins

Alexander McSween returned to Lincoln on July 14, 1878, after hiding for months. He brought about forty supporters, including Billy the Kid.

The next day, Sheriff Peppin’s men surrounded the Regulators in two places. Most were in McSween’s house while others were in the Ellis store.

For three days, both sides shot at each other across the main street. No one was hit during this time.

On July 18, Colonel Nathan Dudley came from Fort Stanton with soldiers. Instead of making peace, his arrival made Sheriff Peppin’s side bolder.

The Burning Of McSween’s House

As night fell on July 18, Sheriff Peppin’s men set fire to McSween’s house. The soldiers from Fort Stanton watched and did nothing.

The fire spread quickly through the house. The people trapped inside ran out of water as the siege entered its fourth day.

The trapped Regulators faced two choices: burn alive or run through gunfire.

Billy the Kid led the first escape. He took a small group out the back door after sunset.

The Final Casualties

McSween waited too long to escape the burning house. When he finally ran out, Peppin’s men shot him multiple times.

Bob Beckwith, who fought for the Seven Rivers side, also died in the shooting. He had moved too close to the burning house.

At least three Mexican Regulators—Francisco Zamora, Vicente Romero, and Eugenio Salazar—were shot while trying to escape.

Billy the Kid reached the river behind the house. In the darkness, he escaped to Fort Sumner, 160 miles away.

Visiting Lincoln Historic Site, New Mexico

You’ll find Lincoln Historic Site on Highway 380 in Lincoln, New Mexico, about 12 miles east of Capitan. The site spans along both sides of the main road through town.

A self-guided walking tour takes you through 17 historic buildings including the Tunstall Store, Old Lincoln County Courthouse, and the Montaño Store. Most buildings have museum exhibits about the Lincoln County War.

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