Tom O'Folliard is not as famous as Billy the Kid, but he may have been just as dangerous. He rode hard, fought harder, and stood at the Kid's side during some of the bloodiest moments of the Lincoln County War.
With a reputation for loyalty, recklessness, and a quick trigger, O'Folliard earned his place in the outlaw ranks, not as a shadow of Billy the Kid, but as a feared figure in his own right. The question of whether he was truly the most vicious gunman of the conflict, or simply a fiercely devoted friend caught in a deadly power struggle, remains part of his little-known story.
Tom O'Folliard was born around 1858 in Texas. He is best remembered as the closest companion of William H. Bonney, more famously known to history as Billy the Kid.
Their friendship was not just a passing alliance. It was forged through shared experiences, mutual loyalty, and the turbulent backdrop of the Lincoln County War.
During that conflict, O'Folliard and Billy the Kid rode with the Regulators, a group formed in opposition to the Murphy-Dolan faction that had dominated Lincoln County's political and economic landscape. The war itself was complex and rooted in economic competition, cattle interests, and legal corruption.
For many young men like Tom, joining a side was more about survival and loyalty than law or outlaw.
Following the conclusion of the Lincoln County War in 1878, many former combatants, now branded outlaws regardless of which side they had fought on, drifted toward cattle rustling as a means of survival. Tom and Billy remained close and eventually became central figures in what came to be known as the Bonney Gang.
This group also included other notable figures such as Dave Rudabaugh, Charlie Bowdre, Tom Pickett, and Billy Wilson. O'Folliard's involvement in these post-war activities was not born purely out of rebellion. The legal system in New Mexico Territory was still in disarray, and opportunities for honest work were slim for those associated with the conflict.
Rustling, though illegal, became an alternative path in a region still reeling from instability.
Tom also played a role in the five-day battle in Lincoln in July 1878, a key and chaotic chapter in the Lincoln County War. Though the fighting raged through the streets and buildings of the small town, Tom managed to survive, continuing to ride alongside Billy as the Kid's legend grew.
Though history often places O'Folliard in Billy the Kid's shadow, he was far more than a sidekick. He was a product of his times, a young man swept into a territorial feud, shaped by loyalty and hardship, and remembered as one of the Kid's most trusted allies.
The Lincoln County Regulators, commonly referred to simply as the Regulators, were a loosely organized group of ranchers, cowhands, and young men who took up arms during the Lincoln County War in New Mexico in the late 1870s. While they are often remembered today because of their association with Billy the Kid, the group had already existed in some form before he joined their ranks.
By 1876, tensions had been simmering in Lincoln County for years due to fierce competition between rival economic interests. The area was dominated by a monopoly involving local businessmen James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy, whose store and cattle operations controlled much of the trade.
In response, a number of small ranchers and independent settlers began to align themselves in quiet resistance, forming the roots of what would later become the Regulators. Many of the young men who would gain fame as members of the group had known each other well before the conflict broke out.
Figures like A.B. Saunders, Charlie Bowdre, Doc Scurlock, Frank Coe, and George Coe had already developed strong ties through their shared efforts in protecting livestock and property from rustling, which was a persistent problem on the frontier. Their cooperation laid the foundation for a group that was bound by personal loyalty as much as any legal or formal authority.
Historical records indicate that these early members had taken justice into their own hands on more than one occasion. In July 1876, for example, several future Regulators entered the Lincoln County Jail and removed a man accused of horse theft, Jesus Largo. Instead of facing trial, Largo was taken outside and summarily executed by hanging.
Local authorities did not intervene, which reflected the chaotic and often lawless state of local governance at the time. That same month, Saunders and one of the Coes were involved in tracking down another suspected cattle thief, Nikos Meras, in Baca Canyon.
These early episodes were not just about frontier justice. They were part of a broader struggle to assert control over a region rife with economic and political rivalry. The violence was not arbitrary. It was strategic and born out of a deep mistrust of the established powers in Lincoln County.
Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty and later known by several aliases, including Henry Antrim and William Bonney, entered the picture around the spring of 1876. He arrived in Lincoln County and took up work at a small cheese factory operated by Scurlock and Bowdre.
Over time, he became more involved with the tight-knit group of ranchers and cowboys, eventually finding steady work with rancher Henry Hooker and later with Saunders and the Coes. By the time the Lincoln County War erupted in earnest, Billy was still a relatively new figure among the Regulators.
While later newspaper accounts would place him at the center of nearly every skirmish, historical analysis suggests that other members, those often called the Ironclad, were the more experienced and central players in the early stages of the conflict. Their long-standing relationships, local knowledge, and prior collaboration gave them an edge in navigating the political and economic complexities of the region.
In essence, the Regulators were not just a group of young outlaws roaming the countryside. They were a reaction to a failed justice system in a deeply divided community. While Billy the Kid may have become the most famous member, it was the combined efforts and personal alliances of men like Scurlock, Bowdre, Saunders, and the Coe brothers that gave the group its backbone and direction.
The Lincoln County War, one of the most complex conflicts in Old West history, was sparked by a confrontation that took place on February 18, 1878. On that day, a group of three men deputized by Sheriff William J. Brady encountered a young English rancher named John Henry Tunstall.
Tunstall, who had recently begun building a competing cattle and mercantile operation in New Mexico Territory, had become a rising economic force in Lincoln County and a direct competitor to an already established business alliance led by James Dolan and Lawrence G. Murphy.
According to official accounts, the posse, comprising deputies William Morton, Jesse Evans, and Tom Hill, claimed they were pursuing Tunstall to enforce a legal attachment on livestock. These animals were being herded from Tunstall's Rio Feliz property toward the town of Lincoln, and the posse asserted their authority to seize them under the law.
However, many at the time and later historians questioned the true purpose of this action. There was growing suspicion that Tunstall was targeted not for any legal misstep, but because his expanding cattle business posed a serious threat to the Murphy-Dolan monopoly. Sheriff Brady, closely aligned with Dolan and Murphy's interests, appeared to support their efforts to maintain control over the local economy and political landscape.
The precise details of what occurred during the encounter are still debated. Historian Robert M. Utley, a respected authority on the American West, points out that Tunstall may have attempted to surrender, or perhaps he acted to defend his property and men. The situation quickly escalated, and Tunstall lost his life.
Though the incident was framed as an attempt to enforce the law, many believed it was a targeted act designed to eliminate him as a competitor.
In the wake of Tunstall's death, his loyal ranch hands and several sympathetic citizens banded together in protest. This group would soon be known as the Regulators. Their goal was to pursue justice in a system they believed was deeply compromised by powerful economic and political interests.
Seeking legal legitimacy for their actions, the Regulators turned to Justice of the Peace John B. Wilson in Lincoln. Wilson issued formal arrest warrants for the men believed to be responsible for Tunstall's death. He also appointed Dick Brewer, one of Tunstall's trusted allies, as a special constable with authority to carry out the warrants.
Another key figure, Robert Widenmann, who held a federal appointment as a deputy U.S. marshal, was authorized to form a civilian posse to pursue the accused. With these steps, the Regulators were not merely vigilantes. They were acting under the jurisdiction of local and federal authority, at least initially.
Thus began a drawn-out and deeply personal struggle over justice, power, and control in Lincoln County. What started as a conflict over cattle and influence quickly spiraled into a regional feud that would draw in young men like Billy the Kid and reshape the history of New Mexico Territory.
The Lincoln County War played a central role in shaping the legend of Billy the Kid. While popular culture would later elevate him as the face of the conflict, historical records suggest that other members of the Regulators, such as Doc Scurlock, may have had more experience and involvement in direct confrontations.
Over time, Billy the Kid became the most recognizable name associated with the Regulators. Many events that occurred during the conflict, especially those involving armed resistance, were increasingly attributed to him, regardless of whether he was directly involved.
This pattern of attribution likely grew from a combination of his charismatic personality, youthful boldness, and the public's fascination with a dramatic narrative. As the Lincoln County War escalated, the identity of the Regulators became entangled with Billy's growing mythos.
While he was undoubtedly a loyal and active member of the group, there is no clear evidence that he ever sought to lead them or dominate their operations. In fact, the Regulators cycled through several leaders during their existence.
Their first leader, Richard "Dick" Brewer, was succeeded by Frank McNab, who in turn was followed by Doc Scurlock. All of these men had stronger claims to leadership in strategic decision-making within the group.
The association of every major action with Billy the Kid created long-term consequences. When he later sought amnesty for his role in the range war, the inflated perception of his involvement worked against him. Whether fair or not, he had become a symbolic figure representing the entire rebellion, which made it harder for authorities to view him as a candidate for clemency.
Interestingly, those who knew Billy personally offered a different perspective. Frank Coe, a fellow Regulator, would later recall that Billy rarely pushed his views or tried to dominate conversations. Instead, he was respected for his calm under pressure and his natural instinct for survival, qualities that earned him admiration among his peers, even if he was not the one making the decisions.
In the end, it was the stories told about him, some true, others exaggerated, that propelled Billy the Kid into lasting fame. The Lincoln County War was a complex political and economic struggle, but for many, it is remembered most vividly through the lens of one young man whose legend far outgrew the facts.
On February 18, 1878, a pivotal event ignited the Lincoln County War. John Tunstall, a young English rancher and businessman, was traveling with several of his ranch hands, including Billy the Kid, Dick Brewer, Fred Waite, and others, moving nine horses from his Rio Feliz property to the town of Lincoln.
Along the way, Tunstall was confronted and ultimately lost his life in an encounter with armed men affiliated with the Murphy-Dolan faction: William Morton, Frank Baker, Jesse Evans, and Tom Hill. The group that confronted Tunstall represented growing tensions between rival economic interests in the area, one side backed by the established Murphy-Dolan partnership, the other supported by newcomer Tunstall and attorney Alexander McSween.
The very next day, seeking justice for their employer and friend, Billy the Kid and Dick Brewer gave sworn statements regarding the incident. Justice of the Peace John Wilson responded by issuing legal warrants for the men believed to be responsible.
However, when Fred Waite, Billy the Kid, and Constable Martinez attempted to enforce those warrants, they were unexpectedly held in custody by Sheriff William J. Brady, a known ally of the Murphy-Dolan faction. As a result, Waite and Bonney were unable to attend Tunstall's funeral. Martinez was later released, and by February 23, both Waite and Billy were also freed.
On March 1, in an effort to restore a sense of order, Justice Wilson formally appointed Dick Brewer as town constable and named Billy the Kid as his deputy. Their mission was clear: to legally apprehend those believed responsible for Tunstall's death. To strengthen their position, additional men were sworn in, forming a posse that began to refer to themselves as the Regulators.
On March 6, the Regulators successfully detained William Morton and Frank Baker, two men implicated in the killing of Tunstall. However, just three days later, both Morton and Baker were found dead near Agua Negra. Another member of the group, William McCloskey, also perished under circumstances that raised internal suspicions. Some believed he may have betrayed the Regulators' trust. These events caused further complications in an already fragile legal situation.
On March 9, Governor Samuel B. Axtell intervened in a way that drastically altered the legal standing of the Regulators. He declared that Justice John Wilson had been improperly appointed by Lincoln County officials and thus lacked the authority to deputize anyone or issue warrants.
This decision meant that all actions previously taken by the Regulators were no longer recognized as legal. Additionally, Axtell revoked Bob Widenmann's commission as a deputy U.S. marshal, consolidating law enforcement authority entirely under Sheriff Brady and his men, further isolating the Regulators.
By April 1, tensions reached a boiling point. Several members of the Regulators, Jim French, Frank McNab, John Middleton, Fred Waite, Henry Brown, Billy the Kid, and possibly Bob Widenmann, found themselves in a direct confrontation with Sheriff Brady and his deputies. A skirmish occurred near an adobe wall where the Regulators had taken cover.
During the exchange, Billy Bonney sustained a minor injury while trying to retrieve a weapon taken from him. Sheriff Brady and Deputy Hindman were fatally struck in the process.
Just a few days later, on April 4, the conflict continued to escalate. The Regulators attempted to apprehend Buckshot Roberts, a man connected to the Murphy-Dolan faction, at Blazer's Mill. What began as an arrest attempt turned into a chaotic shootout.
In the aftermath, both Buckshot Roberts and Dick Brewer lost their lives. Other Regulators were injured as well. John Middleton was seriously hurt, Billy the Kid received a grazing wound, and George Coe suffered the loss of a finger.
By April 18, tensions from the Lincoln County War had reached a critical point in the legal system. Billy the Kid, along with Middleton, Waite, and Brown, faced formal charges connected to the death of Sheriff William Brady. On the other side, James Dolan, Jesse Evans, and others aligned with the Murphy-Dolan faction were also charged, this time in relation to the earlier killing of English rancher John Tunstall, whose death had ignited the entire conflict.
The final weeks of April marked an escalation in the cycle of retaliation. On April 29, Frank McNab, who had stepped in as a leader of the Regulators, was ambushed and lost his life in a confrontation attributed to members of the Seven Rivers group. A.B. Saunders, a known associate of the Regulators, sustained severe injuries, while Frank Coe was captured during the incident. These developments seriously disrupted the Regulator leadership and weakened their capacity for organized action.
Just a day later, on April 30, Frank's cousin, George Coe, became involved in another dramatic episode. He fired upon a member of the Seven Rivers group, Charles "Dutch Charlie" Kruling, injuring him in Lincoln.
That same day, several men connected to the Seven Rivers faction, Tom Green, Charles Marshall, Jim Patterson, and John Galvin, were found dead under unclear circumstances. While many at the time pointed to the Regulators as being responsible, historical accounts remain inconclusive. What is clear is that internal divisions were beginning to fracture the Seven Rivers group from within, with personal rivalries and vendettas causing deep unrest.
By mid-May, the Regulators launched a determined effort to reassert themselves. On May 15, they moved through the area around the settlement of Seven Rivers. Their objective appeared to be the apprehension of Manuel Segovia, a cowboy who had been linked to the earlier death of McNab. Segovia was located and died during the encounter, symbolizing a moment of retribution in the eyes of the Regulators.
Then came the climactic showdown in Lincoln, which would mark the war's final chapter. On July 15, the Regulators, including Billy the Kid, were cornered inside the home of attorney Alexander McSween. Outside, the opposing alliance, made up of Dolan's faction, Murphy supporters, and members of the Seven Rivers group, gathered in large numbers.
Four days later, on July 19, the standoff came to a dramatic end when the house was deliberately set on fire. As the flames intensified and darkness fell, Susan McSween was permitted to exit the building safely. The men inside, meanwhile, scrambled to contain the blaze, knowing that their options were rapidly disappearing.
Around 9:00 p.m., a small group attempted to flee the burning structure through the back. Jim French led the way, followed closely by Billy the Kid, Tom O'Folliard, and Jose Chavez y Chavez. As they ran, gunfire broke out. Harvey Morris, McSween's law partner, was struck and did not survive the chaos.
A group of soldiers attempted to secure the remaining occupants in the yard, but in the confusion, another exchange occurred. Alexander McSween was killed during the incident, along with Bob Beckwith of the Seven Rivers group.
With McSween gone, the core leadership of the anti-Dolan alliance had collapsed. The Lincoln County War, which had raged for months and pulled in ranchers, lawmen, cowboys, and businessmen alike, effectively ended that night, not with a formal treaty or a public declaration, but with a house in flames and ambitions extinguished in the ashes.
In the end, the Lincoln County War brought more confusion than clarity. Rather than resolving any disputes or establishing true justice, the conflict only deepened divisions among the people of New Mexico Territory. It planted seeds of mistrust that lingered long after the final shots were fired.
For many involved, particularly the Regulators, the war's conclusion meant a life on the run. Chief among them was Billy the Kid, who emerged as the most notorious figure, though often unfairly so.
Several members of the Regulators gained lasting attention in the press and folklore, including Doc Scurlock, Charlie Bowdre, Jose Chavez y Chavez, Fred Waite, and the Coe cousins, Frank and George. Others like Tom O'Folliard and Dave Rudabaugh became associated with Billy in the years that followed, even as the original group disbanded.
Over time, many former Regulators drifted into quieter lives or disappeared from the historical record entirely. Still, Billy and a handful of loyal companions continued a restless existence, making a living through cattle rustling and occasional schemes while he clung to the hope of a pardon that never materialized.
A.B. Saunders, who had been wounded during the conflict, eventually made his way to California in hopes of recovering his health. Unfortunately, complications from his injuries led to his death in 1884 during surgery in San Francisco. His story serves as a reminder that even when the fighting stopped, its effects continued to claim lives.
Fred Waite returned to Indian Territory, modern-day Oklahoma, where his Chickasaw heritage allowed him to reintegrate into tribal society. Remarkably, Waite transitioned from being a participant in a regional conflict to becoming a rancher and eventually serving in political office within the Chickasaw Nation, demonstrating the possibilities of redemption and leadership beyond violence.
The Coe brothers, Frank and George, traveled for a time, but eventually came back to Lincoln County. Despite their roles in the conflict, they succeeded in rehabilitating their reputations. Both became respected figures in their communities and found success as ranchers, contributing to the rebuilding of the region they once helped destabilize.
Jose Chavez y Chavez's post-war life took a winding path. He served for a period as a law enforcement officer, a striking reversal from his past as a Regulator. However, later allegations tied him to a criminal conspiracy, and he spent time in prison for his involvement. After his release, he seemed to live a more peaceful existence until his death in 1924.
Robert A. Widenmann's journey took him far from the New Mexico Territory. After the war, he traveled to Great Britain, where he reportedly visited the family of John Tunstall, the British rancher whose murder had ignited the conflict. He later settled in Hartsdale, New York, where he passed away in 1930 at the age of 78. His long life and world travels marked a stark contrast to the fates of many of his former comrades.
Doc Scurlock, one of the most literate and thoughtful of the Regulators, left the violence behind entirely. He relocated to Texas, where he became a community leader and lived a long life surrounded by family and friends. He died at the age of 79, remembered not for the gunfights of his youth, but for the quiet dignity of his later years.
As for the rest, more than 40 individuals once associated with the Regulators, their fates largely remain a mystery. Few records survive, and many slipped into anonymity, their brief moment in frontier history erased by time.
On December 19, 1880, Tom O'Folliard encountered Sheriff Pat Garrett near Fort Sumner. During the incident, O'Folliard sustained a serious chest wound. Despite efforts to tend to him, he passed away roughly 45 minutes later.
He was laid to rest in the old Fort Sumner Cemetery in a burial plot he would eventually share with two of his closest companions, Billy the Kid and Charlie Bowdre. The three men, once tied by loyalty and shared hardship, were reunited in death.
There has long been confusion about the spelling of Tom's last name. While many sources refer to him as O'Folliard, historical documents and family records make it clear that his correct surname was simply Folliard. The "O," often mistaken for a prefix, was in fact just his middle initial. His father, who carried the same name, further confirms this detail.
Though history often places Billy the Kid in the spotlight, Tom O'Folliard was right there in the thick of it, riding hard, risking everything, and forging a bond of brotherhood that death could not sever. Whether he is seen as a loyal companion, a fierce participant in the Lincoln County War, or a misunderstood figure caught in turbulent times, one thing is clear: Tom O'Folliard was not just Billy the Kid's best friend. He was a legend in his own right.