Historical Study: Billy the Kid

Well I've finally turned the page on my Colombia and Latin American phase to give full appreciation to the fall season. As per annual tradition I just love to dip into some of that rural Americana around this time of the year. Whether that be watching football, drinking beer, going on long runs, appreciating the foliage, visiting small country towns, eating apple pies, or drinking apple cider. Although I feel like we only get 2 proper months of autumn from October thru November. September is still too hot and December it's on to the Christmas season. Nonetheless the fall season it is still without question my favorite of the 4 seasons. 

For me another annual fall element is a heightened appreciation of our folklore tradition. Since I am quite the historical nerd, I just love to dip into some of that Old West/1800s history which I believe is the basis of much our folklore tales. It was in the era of Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Edgar Allen Poe, and even the great Abraham Lincoln where our American culture finally established an identity. These frontiersmen, poets, and great leaders became considered American Folk heroes. However while there were good folk heroes there were also bad ones that were for some strange reason admired by the general public. 

After the Civil War, there was a wave of American outlaws, gangs, and bandits spread across the western regions. This era of lawlessness, has become the staple of what we know as the Old West, an era frequently depicted in movies and stories. Some of the most infamous outlaws of this time were Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, and Billy the Kid. Perhaps they represented a new form of freedom and adventure that sold hotly in the press. A second wave of criminal glorification occurred during the Public Enemies era of the 1920-1930s which I have already written about here. Both eras captured the public's imagination and fascination. While they were ultimately criminals they have somehow transformed into American folk heroes. I have already written about the Jesse James Gang and the Cochise Cowboy Gang but now I want to focus on the iconic Billy the Kid.

This guy has become one of the leading figures from the Old West era, and yet he did not live pass the age of 21. I got a little familiar with Billy the Kid during my Old Western phase of 2021 whilst playing the video game Red Redemption and reading up on the outlaws of the late 1800s. He was even a character in the book series I read; The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. However I have yet to see a proper movie about Billy the Kid that has truly inspired me until recently watching the Michael Hirst television production of 2022 starring Tom Blyth. Here we finally get a drawn out story of Billy the Kid and how he became this iconic outlaw. What I've most gathered from the show is that he was an orphan with nothing to lose, and perhaps explains how he was able to live such a carefree and fearless life.  

Early Years

Born with the name Henry McCarty in 1859, his parents were both Irish immigrants living in New York City. Following the death of his father, his mother moved the family to Indianapolis Indiana where they lived for several years during the 1860s. He lived there with his mother and brother Joe in the neighborhood today known as Mass Ave. His mother re-married and moved the family to Wichita Kansas in 1870 and then to Santa Fe, New Mexico. She died of tuberculosis in 1874 leaving both Joe and Henry as orphans. 

Henry moved into a boarding house at the age of 14 and changed his name to William H. Bonney. He began committing his first crimes around this time of robbery and was eventually captured and arrested. He managed to escape prison where he became an outlaw fugitive and left the town of Santa Fe for the southeastern region of Arizona. He found work as a ranch-hand where he began to associate with other criminal gang members. By 1876 Bonney had gotten the nickname of the Kid due to his youthful clean cut cocky personality. A year later he killed his first man out of self defense and was once again arrested but fled from the law. A two time fugitive now he fled to Lincoln County, New Mexico where he joined a group of cattle rustlers led by an English businessman named Henry Tunstall. 

Lincoln County War

In 1878 a major dispute broke-out between Henry Tunstall's posse and his rival gang of Irish-Americans led by Lawrence Murphy, James Dolan, and John Riley. In a dispute over land and cattle, Henry Tunstall was shot and killed in the back of the head by Sheriff Brady's men who supported the Murphy-Dolan-Riley posse. William Boney and his friend Dick Brewer swore vengeance on Sherriff Brady and his corrupt jail guards. They joined the Lincoln County Regulators in partnership with deputy Robert Widenmann and killed two of the men who killed Tunstall.

In April of 1878 the Regulators then attacked Sherriff Brady's posse and Billy the Kid shot and killed Sherriff Brady. A few days later the Shootout at Blazer's Mill occurred where Billy's friend Dick Brewer was killed. Bonney was once again charged with murder and went into hiding for a while in the midst of another manhunt. In July the Regulators amassed a small army of 60 men to take over the town of Lincoln. Sherrif George Pippen called upon the US military to assist and break up this takeover. Another shootout ensued that resulted in over 20 deaths including Tunstall's lawyer Alexander McSween.

Outlaw Status

Following the Lincoln War, William H. Bonney emerged as one the most notorious gunfighters from the dispute and further warrants were issued for his arrest. He witnessed the harsh execution of lawyer Huston Chapman, by his enemy Jesse Evans. In an attempt to free himself of all charges he struck a deal with the governor of New Mexico to provide a testimony in court on the murder of Huston Chapman. In doing so Bonney had to give himself up to the police who did not let him free. Bonney was once again able to escape prison for the 3rd time and found hide-out in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. 

By 1880 he was now referred to as Billy the Kid, and shot and killed Joe Grant in a bar saloon dispute. In November of 1880 he got involved in another shootout at the Greathouse Ranch with the local sheriff dept. He later returned to town with his friend Tom Folliard where they were ambushed by the lawman Patt Garret and his posse. Billy the Kid was able to escape however his good friend Folliard was shot and killed in the shootout. Shortly after this the governor of New Mexico put a bounty on Billy the Kid's head. In December of 1880 Pat Garrett captured Billy the Kid and his posse and were surronded by curious onlookers. By this point Billy the Kid had become a famous outlaw through the press.

Billy the Kid was sent to a jail in Lincoln New Mexico where he was frequently visited by the curious public and journalists. He was admired for his unique calmness in the face of public execution. He however managed to escape yet again by shooting and killing two of the local jail guards. He stole a horse and fled the town of Lincoln. Once again Pat Garrett hunted Billy the Kid down with two deputies where they found his hideout house. In a darkened bedroom, they awaited Billy to arrive where Pat Garrett shot him in the chest. He died shortly after at the young age of 21 on July 14, 1881.

His legacy continued to grow overtime as one of the most famous figures of the Old West. He was best renown for his gunfighting skills and cool demeanor under pressure. Despite his lack of education he showed very clever wit and was fluent in Spanish. There are claims that Billy the Kid killed 21 people throughout his life, however factual evidence states the number was actually 9 (the most notorious being the murder of Sheriff Brady and two deputies). I believe his true claim to fame and fascination was his reckless confidence of youth.