Francis MacNab (the name has been misspelled as both "McNab" and "McNabb") is one of the most mysterious Regulators. It's most likely that he was born in the mid-1850s, but it's not for certain. He was also of Scottish descent, but other than that, nothing else is known of his origins or early life. He became a cattle detective for the beef contracting firm of Hunter & Evans in the mid 1870s. In January of 1877, MacNab was suspected of involvement in a robbery-turned-double murder along with two other cattle detectives, Frank Tipton and George Black, and this is the first time he is known to appear on any historical record. Eventually, he apparently convinced the authorities he had no part in the killings. Afterwards, he and Tipton trailed some lost cattle to several Mexicans who claimed them. MacNab and Tipton killed the Mexicans then drove the cattle to Colorado where they sold them. He then headed back to Texas. It was in Texas that he allegedly came to own a grudge for George Hindman, who would also move on to Lincoln County. In late 1877 or so, Hunter & Evans sent MacNab to New Mexico Territory to work on the ranches of John Chisum and his brothers. After the murder of John Tunstall, John Chisum 'loaned' the forming Regulators MacNab. MacNab was present when the Regulators captured Billy Morton and Frank Baker and later killed them. During this killing, a man who had been riding with the Regulators and alleged friend of Morton and Baker, William McCloskey, was also killed, by MacNab himself in most accounts. On April 1, 1878, MacNab, as well as Billy the Kid, Big Jim French, Henry Brown, John Middleton, and Fred Waite (and possibly Charlie Bowdre, Jose Chavez y Chavez, and/or Robert Widennman) ambushed Sheriff William Brady and deputies Billy Mathews, George Hindman, George Peppin, and Jack Long in the street of Lincoln. Brady was killed with nine shots (approx.) and Hindman was killed with two shots (the first being fired by MacNab and the second being fired by Waite). On April 4, 1878, fourteen Regulators, including MacNab, engaged in a classic gunfight with Andrew "Buckshot" Roberts at Blazer's Mills. When the fight was over, Roberts was mortally wounded, Regulator leader Dick Brewer was killed, and Regulators Doc Scurlock, George Coe, Charlie Bowdre, Billy the Kid, and John Middleton were wounded, their wounds ranging from major to minor. With Brewer dead, MacNab became the new leader of the Regulators. On April 29, 1878, MacNab, as well as Regulators Frank Coe and Ab Saunders, were riding past the Fritz Ranch when the combined might of Jessie Evans Gang and Seven Rivers Warriors opened fire on them. MacNab was shot out of his saddle and severely wounded. Saunders dismounted for some reason, but was then shot in the left hip and left ankle. Coe ran away, but was soon after talked into a surrender. MacNab, however, who was the real target of the ambush, tried to crawl away, only to be shot in the head and killed by a shotgun in the hands of Manuel "Indian" Segovia, who was himself killed by the Regulators the following month.
