The Lincoln County War

The Lincoln County War was a struggle for power and influence. During the late 19th-century, rapid changes in the economy and population of Lincoln County created an environment where feuding citizens often resorted to violence as a means of settling disputes.

Using their connections in the Santa Fe Ring, L.G. Murphy, Emil Fritz, James Dolan, and John Riley created an economic empire in Lincoln County. Their firm controlled the coveted beef contracts at Fort Stanton and the Mescalero Agency and controlled much of the county’s population through debts owed to their store in Lincoln.

Alexander McSween, John Tunstall, and John Chisum saw an opportunity to rid Lincoln County of unpopular overlords while working to establish their own empire. Their intentions were no less underhanded than those of L.G. Murphy and his allies as they were just as willing to exploit the local population for personal gain.

The power struggle between these groups of men led directly to the Lincoln County War but the conflict was fueled deeper by decades of economic, social, and political tensions among the citizens of the county. Neighbors took up arms against each other, forced to choose sides or risk being caught in the crossfire. The Lincoln County War left dozens of people dead and led to major changes in the how the federal government administered the Territory of New Mexico.