09/05/2026
The Lincoln County War lasted from 1878 to 1881. Two wealthy businessmen named Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan ran a powerful business monopoly known as "The House." They controlled local stores, banks, and government contracts. An Englishman named John Tunstall opened a rival store and bank with his lawyer partner, Alexander McSween.
Ambivalence quickly turned into violence. In February 1878, a posse working for Murphy and Dolan killed John Tunstall. In response, Tunstall's workers and friends formed a group called the Regulators, including a young cowboy named Henry McCarty, remembered historically as Billy the Kid. The Regulators hunted down the men responsible for Tunstall's murder, with the vengeance cycle peaking during the Battle of Lincoln in July 1878. A five-day shootout destroyed buildings and left several men dead, including McSween. The United States military from Fort Stanton intervened on behalf of Murphy and Dolan.
