The death of Morgan Earp at the hands of the Cowboys marked a decisive turning point in the conflict that had been simmering in Tombstone since the gunfight at the O. K. Corral. In the immediate aftermath, Wyatt Earp moved to protect his remaining family members before turning his attention to those he held responsible.
The initial plan involved escorting family members to a safer location, but the journey was cut short by reports that Ike Clanton and Frank Stillwell had been spotted in Tucson, prompting Wyatt to continue the escort personally to guard against a potential ambush along the railroad route. The tension soon boiled over when Wyatt and his group encountered Frank Stillwell in the darkness between the rail cars. Witnesses described a brief chase before Wyatt fired, and Stillwell was killed. This act escalated the conflict dramatically, as it was the first time the Earp faction had taken lethal action outside the bounds of any legal authority.
The death of Stillwell signaled that the Earps were no longer relying solely on the courts, and the so-called Vendetta Ride had officially begun. In the days that followed, the Earp posse actively hunted for members of the Cowboys who were believed to have been involved in the attack on Morgan Earp. Among the first to join Wyatt’s group was John “Texas Jack” Vermillion, a man whose early life remains difficult to verify. While he was widely known by that nickname, historical records suggest he may have come from Virginia rather than Texas.
Some accounts also claim he wore his hair long and was known by the colorful nickname “Shoot Your Eye Out Jack,” though these details are difficult to confirm with certainty. Another key figure was W. A. “Bill” McMaster, who had previously been connected to law enforcement in Missouri, where his Ranger company once held a young Curly Bill Brocius in custody.
McMaster spoke fluent Spanish and was known for his ability to handle himself in tense situations, but his background was not without controversy. Allegations had been made against him in the past, though these were never fully proven in court. His role in the Earp posse likely made it impossible for him to remain in Arizona after the Vendetta Ride ended. Joining them were Origin Charles Smith and Daniel Tipten, both gamblers who supplemented their income through mining and frontier business ventures.
Tipten had long-standing ties to the Earp family and may have traveled west in the company of Bat Masterson, another well-known lawman and ally of the Earps. Historical records suggest Tipten had been involved in previous disputes in Texas and suffered a serious chest injury in 1878. Witnesses later described both men as prepared for trouble, though a local deputy intervened on at least one occasion before a confrontation could escalate. As the posse moved through the countryside, they encountered a group of cowboys near a water source.
According to Wyatt Earp’s own account, he fired at a man named Brocius at close range during this encounter. Wyatt later described narrowly escaping injury as bullets reportedly struck his clothing, saddle, and boot. The exact movements of Charlie Smith during this period remain unclear, though most accounts suggest he rejoined Wyatt’s group shortly after the Iron Springs encounter without bringing the financial support the posse had hoped for. After leaving Charleston, the group continued scouting the surrounding territory before establishing a temporary camp near Tombstone at a location known as Pick ‘Em Up.
While in the area, they became involved in ongoing legal disputes, and a local sheriff arrested two members of the group on charges related to resisting arrest and conspiracy. These charges were ultimately dismissed due to insufficient evidence, but they highlighted the growing tension between the Earp faction and the legal authorities of the time. By mid-February, the conflict had become an open war. On February 15, an Earp ally named Dan Tipton and a Cowboy associate named Ben Maynard were involved in a heated confrontation inside the Alhambra saloon.
The disagreement turned physical before bystanders intervened. Tipton later stated that members of the Earp faction had received repeated warnings to remain alert for a possible ambush, suggesting that the threat of violence was never far away. The Earp posse continued traveling through the region, often by night, and received support from sympathetic locals along the way. After arranging for the safe departure of family members by train from Tucson, the group moved toward the town of Benson.
While there, they met with a local rancher who provided them with fresh horses and supplies, allowing them to continue their pursuit. From there, they traveled to the Sierra Bonita Ranch, where they were given food, shelter, and fresh mounts by the ranch manager. During the ride, the group often relied on local residents to sell them horses and supplies, though their presence frequently drew the attention of both supporters and enemies. Newspapers throughout the territory followed the events closely, and public opinion was sharply divided.
Many believed the Earps were pursuing their own form of frontier justice, while others saw them as cold-blooded killers operating outside the law. The death of Frank Stillwell and the escalating violence took a significant toll on the Earps and their supporters. Wyatt spent much of his time away from Tombstone, often at the homes of sympathizers in the countryside. His brother Virgil had already left the area to recover from his injuries, and Morgan had been buried in a private ceremony.
For his own safety, Wyatt never returned to Tombstone after the Vendetta Ride began. The Earp posse eventually moved through the Chiricahua Mountains and into Arizona’s southeastern corner, where they continued to gather intelligence on the movements of the Cowboys. During one stage of the ride, they arrested a suspected outlaw named Frank Stilwell’s accomplice, though the man was later released when prosecutors declined to press charges. By the end of the journey, Wyatt and his group had killed at least one member of the Cowboys and forced the others to flee the territory.
The Vendetta Ride came to a dramatic conclusion when Wyatt and his men ambushed and killed Johnny Ringo’s associate, though Ringo himself was found dead under circumstances that remain debated to this day. The Earp posse split up shortly afterward, with some members heading to Colorado and others remaining in Arizona for a time. Wyatt and several of his men eventually left the country, with one witness noting that Wyatt had become disappointed by the country, which had not lived up to its promise. In the following months, several members of the Earp posse continued to lead eventful lives on the frontier.
John “Texas Jack” Vermillion, for example, continued drifting through the Southwest and was known to have visited the lawless range districts of Lincoln and other counties. Others pursued new careers as lawmen or miners, while some faced legal trouble of their own. One member of the posse, Thomas McMaster, later moved to Colorado and had a run-in with the law there, though he was able to escape the situation unharmed. The final years of Morgan Earp’s life and the events of the Vendetta Ride marked a turning point in the history of the American West.
The Earps had transformed from lawmen into fugitives, and the battle for control of Tombstone had become a struggle for survival. In the years that followed, historians and writers would continue to debate the legacy of the Earps and the Cowboy group they fought, but the story of the Earp Vendetta Ride has remained a defining moment of the Old West.