The Lincoln County War

by J. Younger

The Lincoln County War was a violent conflict in 1878 in Lincoln County, New Mexico, rooted in economic rivalry, political corruption, and lawlessness in the American West. This bloody feud, centered around control of the county’s lucrative cattle and mercantile trade, pitted two factions against each other, drawing in legendary figures and culminating in a dramatic showdown.

In the 1870s, Lincoln County was a sparsely populated frontier region where economic power translated into political dominance. The town of Lincoln was controlled by a powerful mercantile monopoly led by Lawrence G. Murphy and James J. Dolan, who ran “The House,” a general store that dominated local trade and government contracts. Their influence, backed by corrupt officials and the Santa Fe Ring (a group of powerful New Mexico politicians and businessmen), stifled competition and bred resentment.

The House (Murphy-Dolan Faction):

Lawrence G. Murphy: A former soldier and influential merchant who, with his partner James Dolan, controlled Lincoln’s economy through their store and ties to the Santa Fe Ring.

James J. Dolan: Murphy’s ambitious protégé, who took over much of The House’s operations as Murphy’s health declined.

Sheriff William J. Brady: The corrupt sheriff of Lincoln County, aligned with The House, who used his authority to protect their interests.

This faction relied on political connections, hired gunmen, and control of cattle contracts to maintain dominance.

The Tunstall/McSween Faction:

John H. Tunstall: A young English businessman who arrived in Lincoln in 1876, seeking to challenge The House’s monopoly by opening a competing store and bank with Alexander McSween.

Alexander A. McSween: A lawyer and Tunstall’s partner, who aimed to break The House’s grip through legal and economic means.

Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney): A young cowboy and gunman hired by Tunstall as a ranch hand, who became a central figure in the conflict after Tunstall’s murder.

This faction, supported by local ranchers and Tunstall’s hired men (known as the Regulators), sought to dismantle The House’s control.

The war erupted in February 1878 when John Tunstall was murdered by a posse sent by The House, likely under Sheriff Brady’s orders. Tunstall’s death, seen as an attempt to eliminate competition, ignited outrage among his allies. His ranch hands, including Billy the Kid, formed the Lincoln County Regulators, a vigilante group led by Dick Brewer, Tunstall’s foreman, to seek justice. A few key points below:

April 1, 1878: The Regulators ambushed and killed Sheriff Brady and deputy George Hindman in Lincoln, escalating the feud into open warfare.
April 4, 1878: The Regulator’s gun down Andrew “Buckshot” Roberts after he would not surrender and killed Regulator captain, Richard Brewer at Blazer’s Mill.

July 15-19, 1878: The Battle of Lincoln, a five day siege, saw the Regulators, led by McSween and Billy the Kid, trapped in McSween’s home by Dolan’s forces and a U.S. Army detachment. The house was set ablaze, McSween was killed, and Billy the Kid narrowly escaped, cementing his outlaw legend.

The Lincoln County War ended with The House’s victory, as Dolan consolidated power, but the conflict had lasting consequences. Billy the Kid, now a fugitive, became a folk hero and notorious outlaw, hunted by Sheriff Pat Garrett until his alleged death in 1881. The war exposed the corruption of the Santa Fe Ring, prompting federal investigations and reforms in New Mexico.

The Lincoln County War remains a defining episode of the Old West, illustrating the volatile mix of ambition, greed, and violence in a lawless frontier. Its main characters, Murphy, Dolan, Tunstall, McSween, and Billy the Kid, left an indelible mark on American history, their stories romanticized in folklore and entertainment culture.

Newspapers

Las Vegas Gazette March 23, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent March 30, 1878

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878 Part 2

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878 part 3

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878 part 4

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878 part 5

The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume], March 30, 1878 part 6

The Mesilla Valley Independent March 30, 1878

Las Vegas Gazette March 30, 1878

Las Vegas Gazette April 13, 1878

The Rocky Mountain News (Daily) April 18, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent. April 27, 1878

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p3

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p4

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p5

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p6

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The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p8

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p9.

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p10

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p11

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p12

The Mesilla Valley independent. April 27, 1878 p13.

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 4, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 4, 1878 p4

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 4, 1878 p7

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 11, 1878

The Mesilla Valley independent. May 11, 1878 p3

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The Mesilla Valley independent. May 11, 1878 p11

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 11, 1878

Las Vegas Gazette July 20, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent July 27, 1878

The Colorado Daily Chieftain, July 31, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent August 3, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent August 03, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent August 03, 1878 p8

Las Vegas Gazette August 17, 1878

Las Vegas Gazette. August 17, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent October 12, 1878

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 10, 1879

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 24, 1879

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 24, 1879 P3

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The Mesilla Valley Independent May 24, 1879 P9

The Mesilla Valley Independent May 24, 1879 P10

Intel*WArs

The Newspaper Wars of the Lincoln County War: Truth vs. Turmoil

In the late 1870s, the Lincoln County War tore through New Mexico Territory, a brutal conflict driven by economic rivalries and raw power struggles. At its heart were two newspapers, The Mesilla Valley Independent and The Las Vegas Gazette, each wielding ink as a weapon in a battle that extended far beyond the printed page. Their competing narratives shaped public perception of the war, with one striving for truth and the other fanning the flames of chaos as you can tell by the Newspaper contents above.
The Mesilla Valley Independent, under the editorship of Col. Albert Jennings Fountain, emerged as a beacon of integrity. Launched in 1877 in Mesilla, the paper aimed to serve the region’s diverse population with both English and Spanish sections. Fountain, a lawyer, former Union Army lieutenant, and Republican stalwart, was no stranger to standing up to corruption. His paper covered the Lincoln County War, a clash between the monopolistic Murphy-Dolan faction (“The House”) and challengers like John Tunstall, Alexander McSween, and cattle baron John Chisum with a commitment to exposing the truth. Fountain’s editorials called out the shady dealings of The House, which controlled Lincoln County’s economy through its general store and lucrative government beef contracts. He didn’t shy away from criticizing their hired gunmen, like the Jesse Evans Gang, even when it put his life at risk. Evans once threatened Fountain with a “free pass to hell” for urging citizens to lynch his gang, yet Fountain persisted, using his platform to advocate for justice and reform.

Contrastingly, The Las Vegas Gazette, based in Las Vegas, New Mexico, often took a different tack. While specific issues from the period are scarce, historical accounts suggest the Gazette leaned toward supporting the Murphy/Dolan faction, which included James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy. Their coverage reportedly downplayed The House’s monopolistic grip and instead painted Tunstall, McSween, and their allies, including Chisum, as troublemakers threatening the status quo. Worse, the Gazette sometimes published details about the locations of Chisum’s massive cattle herds, which spanned over 100,000 head along the Pecos River. These reports, whether intentional or reckless, acted as a roadmap for rustlers, including the Jesse Evans Gang, who plundered Chisum’s stock with impunity. This not only weakened Chisum’s financial support for the Tunstall/McSween faction but also escalated the war’s violence, as stolen cattle fueled tensions and reprisals.

The stakes were high in this newspaper war. Fountain’s Independent sought to rally public support for breaking The House’s stranglehold, reporting on events like Tunstall’s 1878 murder by a sheriff’s posse, which ignited the conflict, and the subsequent vengeance of the Regulators, including Billy the Kid. Meanwhile, the Gazette’s alleged bias toward Dolan and company deepened divisions, undermining efforts to restore peace. Its reports may have emboldened rustlers, contributing to the chaos that saw Sheriff William Brady gunned down and McSween’s house burned with him inside.

Fountain’s courage came at a cost. His outspokenness made him a target, yet his commitment to truth cemented The Mesilla Valley Independent’s role as a critical voice against corruption. The Gazette, by contrast, played a murkier role, its pages stoking the very conflict it claimed to chronicle. In the end, the Lincoln County War’s legacy marked by bloodshed and betrayal was shaped not just by guns but by the words that fueled or fought it. Fountain’s Independent stood for accountability, while the Gazette’s complicity left a stain on the Wild West’s turbulent history.

Las Vegas New Mexico — Las Vegas, NM. The Las Vegas Gazette was first published on September 27, 1872 and underwent several changes throughout its existence. It was reported to have temporarily ceased publication from October 1873 to March 22, 1874, and in 1886, the title was changed to the Las Vegas Gazette. Before the publication of the Gazette, Simon H. Newman and W.N. Bollinger published the Las Vegas Mail. In 1872, Newman and his co-editor were forced to sell the Mail while Newman was imprisoned for political publishings against The Santa Fe Ring. The new owner, May Hays, renamed the publication to the Las Vegas Gazette. The Las Vegas Gazette proved its endurance by including a Spanish-language companion paper, La Gaceta, from March 15, 1877, through December 1878. The paper went through various title changes, from Las Vegas Weekly Main to Las Vegas Gazette (1886). The publication’s consistent evolution over the years speaks to its unwavering confidence. The Gazette started as a bilingual newspaper, offering Spanish translations of the English news. Subscriptions were affordable, with options for one year, six months, and three months. Advertising rates were also reasonable: $2.50 for the initial insertion of one square inch, and $1.50 thereafter. As the paper gained popularity, it grew from weekly to daily publication, with the exception of Mondays. And while the language became English-only, the Las Vegas Gazette remained committed to delivering the most up-to-date news to its readers. Subscription rates reflected the paper’s growing success, but remained accessible: $10.00 for a year, $6.00 for six months, and $1.00 for three months. The Las Vegas Gazette’s first editor and publisher was Louis Hommel. The newspaper announced in its second issue that it would be published every Saturday in Las Vegas, N.M. as a 24-column weekly paper. The newspaper would remain independent but have the best interests of Las Vegas and San Miguel County in mind, as well as the progress of New Mexico Territory. On March 13, 1875, Hommel resigned from his position as editor. He cited his lack of education in English Grammar and his tendency to let his emotions override his judgement as reasons why he believes he is unfit to edit a paper. Shortly after, J.H. Koogler, a respected member of the bar in Las Vegas and former publisher from The Cimarron News, purchased the paper and took over as editor. The Gazette provided coverage of local, territorial, national, and international news, as well as updates on Apache raids and negotiations between the Indians and government officials. In 1885, the Las Vegas Gazette reprinted a scathing critique from another publication accusing the Gazette of having a fantastical imagination. The Las Vegas Gazette ceased publication the subsequent year.

Mesilla, 1877. The Mesilla Valley Independent can be found on the left near the saloon. The Mesilla Valley Independent: A Brief Chronicle of a Frontier Newspaper. Nestled in the verdant Mesilla Valley along the Rio Grande, the town of Mesilla, New Mexico, was once a bustling hub of culture, trade, and history. From 1877 to 1879, The Mesilla Valley Independent was owned and edited by Albert Jennings Fountain and served as a vital voice for this vibrant community, capturing the spirit of a frontier town in transition. Published weekly by the Mesilla Valley Publishing Company, this newspaper offered a unique blend of English and Spanish content, reflecting the region’s diverse cultural heritage. Though its run was short, the paper left an indelible mark on the historical record of Mesilla and the broader New Mexico Territory.The Mesilla Valley Independent was published every Saturday, with a five-page English section and a three-page Spanish section titled El Independiente del Valle de la Mesilla. The bilingual format was a nod to Mesilla’s cultural diversity, shaped by its proximity to Mexico and its history as a Mexican territory. However, the Spanish section was not merely a translation of the English content. Instead, it focused heavily on events in Mexico, providing news tailored to the interests of Spanish-speaking readersWhen Orla Casad and John Crouch later took over the paper, they acknowledged the limitations of the Spanish section, pledging to “increase and make better our Spanish Columns, and to afford our Spanish reading patrons the same matter that will appear in English.” Despite these ambitions, the Spanish section remained largely unchanged, maintaining its focus on Mexican affairs rather than fully mirroring the English contentThe Mesilla Valley Independent covered a range of topics that reflected the concerns and aspirations of its readership. Its pages chronicled local events in Mesilla, neighboring Grant County, and nearby El Paso, as well as broader regional issues. they were: The Lincoln County War (1878–79): The newspaper reported on this violent conflict between rival factions in New Mexico Territory, offering insights into a turbulent chapter of the region’s history.Irrigation and Agriculture: As a vital agricultural hub, Mesilla relied on acequias (traditional irrigation channels), and the paper frequently discussed water management and farming challenges.Railroad Developments: The arrival of railroads was transforming the American Southwest, and the newspaper covered these changes, which promised to boost Mesilla’s role as a trade center.Local News and Culture: From community events to Masonic activities (reflecting Fountain’s ties to the group), the paper captured the pulse of Mesilla’s social life.Each issue featured a Masonic Column, likely tied to Fountain’s involvement with the Freemasons, and advertisements for local businesses, including dry goods, grocers, jewelry, and hotels. In 1878, a subscription cost $3.00 for a year, $1.50 for six months, or $1.00 for three months—a modest price for a wealth of local and regional news.

This page is under construction, more news, documents, images & content coming soon!

Mugshots

Click image for more information & use tabs to switch factions

Alex McSween — Alexander McSween (MacSwain)

Bloodstained photo of Charlie Bowdre and wife

William Henry McCarthy aka William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid

Fred Waite. Waite was present during the Brady assassination and possibly more

Jose Chavez y Chavez — Jose Chavez. Chavez was the constable in charge of San Patricio and was in the McSween house as it burned

Fred Waite and Henry N. Brown — Henry N. Brown with Fred Waite

James Ab Saunders. Saunders was mortally wounded in an ambush at The Fritz ranch east of Lincoln

Juan Patron. Leader of the Lincoln County Rifles a task force organized by Lew Wallace to capture Jesse Evans, Bill Campbell and others. Patron earlier survived a gunshot wound to the back at the hand of John Riley, Dolan’s partner

Tommy Folliard. Rode into Lincoln after just after Tunstall’s death. It is unclear if Tommy took part in any battles with the Regulators

Samuel B. Axtell. Santa Fe Ring and Governor of New Mexico Territory

Sheriff Brady 1870s — Sheriff William Brady

Judge Warren Bristol. Bristol sentenced Billy to be hung in Lincoln

William Rynerson. Inducted into The Santa Fe Ring through bribery or by other unknown reasons

Possible Jessie Evans. Allegedly a family in Mexico had this photo and claimed it was Jesse Evans bandit of NM

Seven Rivers Gang. John Jones seated on right of Bob Speaks. Standing left is Jim Jones and Marion Turner stands with cigar in mouth.

Pecos Bob Olinger, rode with the Seven Rivers Gang and was a coordinator for fencing stolen goods through John Kinney and later was tasked with guarding Billy the Kid after his arrest

More Mugshots coming soon!

Lincoln County War Landmarks

Mescalero Apache at Fort Stanton. The root cause of the Lincoln County War was over the beef contracts to the Mescalero reservation at Fort Stanton

Lincoln New Mexico. The LCW was fought over control to the beef contracts at Stanton as well as the mercantile stores in Lincoln

The Grave site of Buck Morton and Frank Baker — The Grave of Morton and Baker near to where they were killed at Agua Negra. (private property) Visited by Cold West Detectives in 2008. Photo by Steve Sederwall

Sheriff William Brady — The spot marked at Lincoln is close to where Brady fell but not exact. Photo taken by Jay Younger

Blazer's Mill — Blazers Mill where Richard Brewer and Buckshot Roberts were killed in a gun battle on April 4, 1878

San Patricio where the Regulators lived as a retreat from Lincoln. Charlie Bowdre and Billy the Kid supposedly lived in a home here. There was also a late night battle that occured here between the Regulators and Peppin’s Posse. John Kinney’s Rio Grande posse ransacked the village later as a warning to not allow The Regulators to stay here

George Coe points to the ruins of The old McSween home, beyond the pile of wood

the Fritz Ranch where Ab Saunders was mortally wounded and Frank McNabb was killed in an ambush. Frank Coe was taken prisoner

Ellis House in Lincoln. A day long battle occured in Lincoln when George Coe and Henry Brown took a stand from the roof of this building in 1878 prompting army and law enforcement to appear on the scene. This building was also used by The Regulators during the 5 day battle in Lincoln

Videos

Inside the Lincoln County Regulators

Billy the Kid & The Lincoln County War

Shootout at Blazers Mill

The Five Day War in Lincoln

Lincoln County War Art Department

Gregg

Gregg Burch — A painting by Gregg of Blazer’s Mill

“Last Stand” Artwork painted by Gregg Burch

Time to go . This is a Historical painting , it depicts the end of the 5 day siege in Lincoln county N.M. . It is said that there was over 2000 rounds expended the night Billy made there dating escape Billy exits the Mcsween house in a hail of bullets and gunfire ,,, his saving grace was the smoke ,smoke leading credence to the chaos fixing to ensue This was inspired by [Brandon Dickson]

Angie

(Billy addresses the crowd. Artwork by Angie Hinojosa)

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