The above photo is of the ranchhouse at the Chisum South Spring Ranch. However, this is not the original building that was around during the Lincoln County War. This building was not built until after the war ended, replacing the one that served as a Regulator refuge.
July 4-5, 1878; Chisum South Spring Ranch, Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory---The Regulators, along with Alex McSween, are on the run again, having fled their haven of San Patricio due to assaults on the village by Dolan men. They decide to ride east down the Hondo to the massive South Spring Ranch of John Chisum and his brothers, where they know they will be taken in. They arrive there in the early morning and McSween and most of the Regulators enter the large ranch house to rest. Five other Regulators, Billy Bonney, Henry Brown, George Coe, Frank Coe, and newcomer Tom Folliard (who had probably fought his first battle with the Regulators at the San Pat fights), ride to the small nearby village of Roswell to buy supplies at Ash Upson's general store and post office.At the store, Billy buys several candy hearts for Sallie Chisum, Old John's niece. Shortly thereafter, the five Regulators get word that a posse made up of a dozen or so Seven Rivers Warriors and led by Deputy Buck Powell is on its way to the Chisum ranch, knowing the Regulators are thre. Billy, Henry, Frank, George, and Tom instantly saddle up and begin riding back to the ranch. On the way, they spot the Powell posse following them, although they are several hundred yards away.
The five Regulators arrive back at the ranch and tell their compadres what's up. They then all barricade the doors and windows of the ranch house and prepare for battle. They all know that they are nearly perfectly safe as long as they stay inside the house, for the adobe walls are four-feet thick. In short time, the Powell posse arrives, but stay back on the open prarie and do not approach the house, knowing they'll be massacred by the Regulators if they do. For several hours, sporadic shots are fired by both parties. However, the Powell posse is too far away for any of the Regulators' bullets to take affect, and the house is too impenetrable for any of the posse's bullets to take affect. Apparently, the posse is simply buying time until more reniforcments, namely another posse led by Deputy Marion Turner, can arrive. For whatever reason though, the Turner posse does not show and Powell decides to keep his posse in position throughout the night.
The next morning, after the Turner posse still has not arrived, Powell elects to take his posse and leave the ranch, find the Turner posse, and return with them later. Shortly after they leave, the Regulators and McSween also decide to leave. Realizing they are greatly outnumbered by the three gangs Dolan has scouring the country side for them (the Evans Gang, Kinney Gang, and Seven Rivers Warriors), they now plan to spend the next few days looking for new recruits.
Regulators involved
Murphy-Dolan-Riley men involved
