Qualla: Battle of Lincoln (1878) https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878 en-us © 2026 Bendyline Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:21:03 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/hero-small.webp Qualla: Battle of Lincoln (1878) https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878 Battle of Lincoln (1878): Introduction https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Bob Boze Bell, CC0. On the night of July 18, 1878, someone set the McSween house on fire. Inside, ten men waited with rifles, knowing that stepping out meant death. Outside, a posse hired by the Murphy-Dolan faction held positions around the adobe building, waiting for the flames to flush their enemies into the open. When Alexander McSween finally emerged the next morning, he was cut down in a hail of gunfire. But one man made it out. William Bonney, not yet famous as Billy the Kid, led a desperate charge through the flames and into the darkness. The Five-Day Battle of Lincoln was over. The legend was just beginning.

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Image: Bob Boze Bell | CC0

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full Battle of Lincoln (1878): A War Over Beef and Dry Goods https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Jhon stowellr, Public domain. The Lincoln County War was, at its root, a fight over economic control of a vast and sparsely populated territory. On one side stood Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan, who ran a mercantile empire known as The House. They held contracts to supply beef to Fort Stanton and the Mescale...

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Image: Jhon stowellr | Public domain

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-a-war-over-beef-and-dry-goods.mp3 0:06 2 full Battle of Lincoln (1878): The Regulators Ride https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Frederick Nolan, CC0. Tunstall's murder galvanized his supporters into forming a vigilante group that called itself the Lincoln County Regulators. Led by Richard 'Dick' Brewer, the Regulators included men who would become legends of the Old West: Doc Scurlock, Charlie Bowdre, Big Jim French, and the y...

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Image: Frederick Nolan | CC0

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-the-regulators-ride.mp3 0:06 3 full Battle of Lincoln (1878): Five Days of Siege https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Jhon stowellr, Public domain. On July 15, 1878, Alexander McSween returned to Lincoln with roughly forty supporters. He placed ten men, including Bonney, inside his own house, while others took positions in nearby buildings. The Murphy-Dolan faction, led by Sheriff George Peppin, arrived with their own force ...

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Image: Jhon stowellr | Public domain

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-five-days-of-siege.mp3 0:06 4 full Battle of Lincoln (1878): The Burning House https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Jhon stowellr, Public domain. Dudley claimed neutrality, but his troops effectively shielded the Murphy-Dolan forces while their artillery threatened the Regulators' positions. One by one, McSween's supporters abandoned their defensive posts and slipped away. By the night of July 18, only the men inside the M...

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Image: Jhon stowellr | Public domain

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-the-burning-house.mp3 0:06 5 full Battle of Lincoln (1878): Aftermath and Legend https://qualla.com/battle-of-lincoln-1878/ Photo credit Jhon stowellr, Public domain. The Battle of Lincoln effectively ended the organized conflict, though sporadic violence continued. By September, Lew Wallace, the future author of Ben-Hur, arrived as territorial governor with orders to restore peace. He offered amnesty to most participants but made an exception...

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Image: Jhon stowellr | Public domain

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/9/t/v/n/battle-of-lincoln-1878-wp/9tvn-battle-of-lincoln-1878-aftermath-and-legend.mp3 0:06 6 full