The above photo shows the town of White Oaks as it appeared in its heyday. Within a few short years, the mines would go dry, reducing the once thriving community into little more than the ghost town that it is today.
November 22, 1880; Coyote Springs, near White Oaks, Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory---A few days ago, several members of the Rustlers (namely, Billy the Kid, Charlie Bowdre, Tom Folliard, Dave Rudabaugh, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, Joe Cook, and Buck Edwards) stole sixteen horses from Alexander Grzelachowski's ranch near Puerto de Luna. While Bowdre, Folliard, and Pickett returned to the area around Fort Sumner, Billy and the other four rode in the direction of the new gold-mining boomtown, White Oaks, intent on selling the horses there. Another motive the gang had for riding to White Oaks is that Billy had plans to meet with lawyer Ira Leonard to discuss possible terms of his pardon. On the way to the Oaks, the gang stopped at the ranch/way station of Jim Greathouse and Fred Kuch, where they sold four of the horses. Arriving in White Oaks on Nov. 20, the Rustlers put the remaining twelve horses in the livery stable of Sam Dedrick and Harvey West, allies of the gang. The gang then entered a general store and stocked up on supplies, such as rifles, coats, blankets, etc., then walked out without paying. The supplies were then left at the Dedrick-West livery stable and the gang rode to their camp, located at Blake's Mill, not far from town. The supplies left at the stable were to be delievered to the camp by wagon at some later time. On the next day, the gang returned to town and hung around the Dedrick-West stable. During the day, Barney Mason, a former gang member who (unbeknownst to the gang) had recently turned informant, walked into the stable as well and had a brief conversation with Bonney and Wilson. At the first opportunity, Mason left the stable and alerted the authorities in town of the Rustlers' presence. A small posse was quickly put together, but by the time they reached Dedrick and West's, all the Rustlers were gone.On this morning, the 22nd, rumors begin spreading around the Oaks about the Rustlers' camp at Blake's Mill. Storekeeper, and deputy, Will Hudgens hears this and quickly rounds up an eight-man posse. The posse quickly rides to Blake's, only to find the outlaws' camp abandoned. Spotting a fresh trail in the snow, the posse presses on. About five miles outside of town, the posse crosses paths with a wagon being driven by Mose Dedrick (Sam's younger brother) and W. J. Lamper, both Rustlers. Knowing that the two men are returning to town after having just delivered the supplies stolen from the general store to their fellow Rustlers, Hudgens puts them under arrest. Not wanting to give up on catching the other outlaws, the posse continues on their trail with Dedrick and Lamper as captives.
After riding a short distance further, the posse nears Coyote Springs, where the five Rustlers have made their new camp. The posse rides directly into camp, understandibly startling the Rustlers, who all draw their guns and run for their horses. As shots from each side are fired, all five outlaws manage to mount their horses. One of the outlaws fires a shot at Will Hudgens, but Hudgens's horse rears its head just in time to catch the bullet. The horse falls dead and spills Hudgens to the ground, who is otherwise unhurt, although had his horse not moved at that last second, he surely would have been killed by the outlaw's bullet. As the outlaws try to flee, the horses of Bonney and Wilson are shot and killed as well, likewise dropping their riders to the ground. While Rudabaugh, Cook, and Edwards ride off in their seperate directions, Bonney and Wilson flee together on foot. Somehow, all the outlaws succeed in their escape without being wounded.
With the outlaws gone, the posse searches their camp and confiscate whatever they want. Someone takes a fine saddle off of Bonney's dead horse and James Carlyle takes a new pair of gloves that belong to Bonney as well. Also located at the camp is an overcoat belonging to Mose Dedrick, proving beyond any doubt that he had indeed been at the Rustlers' camp earlier in the day. With their appropriated supplies and Dedrick and Lamper as prisoners, the posse rides back to White Oaks. Once back in town, both men are taken before Probate Judge James Tomlinson. Tomlinson discharges Lamper and places Dedrick under bond to appear in the next term of district court. Dedrick quickly posts the bail and flees the town, never to return. As for the other outlaws, Joe Cook rides back to the Roswell area, where in a matter of a few days he manages to get arrested by a posse led by Sheriff-elect Pat Garrett and Treasury Department Agent Azariah Wild. Buck Edwards makes it to somewhere where he is able to lay low for the next couple months. Meanwhile, as Billy Bonney and Billy Wilson walk through the snow, they are quickly reunited with Dave Rudabaugh and, not wanting to attempt riding all the way back to the safety of Fort Sumner in the freezing cold weather, the three outlaws return to the Greathouse-Kuch ranch. It is there that the gang's next gunfight ensues.
Rustlers involved
White Oaks posse
