The Lincoln County War

The Lincoln County War is one of the most prominent and profound pieces of New Mexico’s history, yet it is also one of the bloodiest encounters the region ever experienced. Passed down through stories and the set of countless old western movies, the War featured some of New Mexico’s most recognizable and historic characters and events. The most intriguing parts of the War include the cause of the dispute, the fighting which occurred during the War, and the lasting effects the War has on New Mexico.

The main cause of the War in Lincoln County includes the tensions that arose in the County because of the lawlessness of the land. The roots of the War lay nearly five years before any fighting actually occurred. In 1873, two Irish-Americans by
Since the Lincoln County War led to the deaths of Tunstall and McSween, Dolan succeeded in his attempt to eliminate those who posed a threat to his business monopoly. Yet, John Chisum still posed a threat to Dolan and his monopoly. Avoiding the many bloody gunfights of the Lincoln County War, Chisum still owned thousands of cattle and acres of land in Lincoln County. While Dolan started to buy land previously owned by Tunstall, tensions between supporters and competitors of “The House” started to rise again. This led to occasional outbreaks of violence in the County, which, while they did not end in vast bloodshed, still terrified the citizens of Lincoln County. However, this fighting ended on December 22, 1884, when John Chisum died of cancer, which finally reestablished Dolan’s monopoly on products and goods in Lincoln County. Another effect of the Lincoln County War is the fact it highlighted the lawlessness and brutality of the Wild West. While this lawlessness in the west did not originate with the Lincoln County War, this War helped to bring the issues of the west to the attention of national politicians. The War escalated to the point to where, as stated previously, U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes forcibly removed New Mexico Governor Samuel Axtell from office under pressure of other western politicians. Furthermore, the Lincoln County War garnered international attention with the death of Tunstall. When Tunstall died, British Minister Sir Edward Thornton started to question U.S. Secretary of State William Evarts about the mysterious conditions surrounding Tunstall’s death. Thornton eventually gained insight into the corruptness and violence of the American west, therefore pressuring Evarts to prioritize issues in the western frontier. The attention New Mexico gathered from national politicians helped to illustrate what the American west truly