Gunfight at Blazer's Mill

The Gunfight at Blazer's Mill (on April 4, 1878) was a shootout between what were known as the Lincoln County Regulators and buffalo hunter Buckshot Roberts.

The gunfight

The Regulators, to include Billy the Kid, Charlie Bowdre, and led by Richard "Dick" Brewer, were in the process of hunting down anyone believed to have been associated with the murder of John Tunstall, which had sparked the Lincoln County War. Roberts had been implicated in crimes associated with the "Murphy-Dolan" faction, but in reality it is believed he wanted nothing to do with the ongoing range war.

Blazer's Mill was located on a hillside between Lincoln, New Mexico and Tularosa, and was owned by Dr. Joseph H. Blazer, a dentist. The area included a large two story house, a large square office building, a sawmill, a grist mill, several one story adobe structures and houses, a post office, a general store, and a number of corrals and barns. Three days earlier, the Regulators had killed Sheriff Brady and Deputy Hindman, and were in Blazer's Mill to have a good meal at Mrs. Godfrey's Restaurant. (See Dead Right: the Lincoln County War. Clifford Caldwell)

The Regulators known to be present that day included Brewer, Bowdre, William McCarty (aka Billy the Kid), Doc Scurlock, Frank McNab, George Coe, Frank Coe, John Middleton, Jim French, Henry Newton Brown, Fred Waite, and several lesser-known others.

Buckshot Roberts wanted no part in the Lincoln County War and had made plans to leave the area, selling his ranch and waiting for the check from his buyer. On the day in question, Roberts rode his mule into Blazer’s Mills, a sawmill and trading post located on the Rio Tularosa. Looking to collect his check, he was shocked to discover that the entire upper echelon of the Regulators were eating lunch in a nearby building. They had left the area around Lincoln, New Mexico after killing Sheriff Brady just three days earlier. One of them, Frank Coe, sat with Roberts on the steps of the main house and tried to talk him into surrendering. The old gunman refused, believing he would be killed by the vengeful cowboys. (Dead Right: the Lincoln County War, Clifford R. Caldwell 2011)

Regulator chief Dick Brewer grew impatient with the stand-off and sent a few of his men outside to take Roberts into custody. At the sight of the armed, quickly walking cowboys, Roberts jumped up, aiming his Winchester. Both he and Charlie Bowdre fired at the same time. Roberts was struck in the stomach while his shot hit Bowdre’s belt buckle, severing his gun belt and knocking the wind from him. Dangerously wounded, Roberts kept pumping bullets at the Regulators as he retreated to the doorway. John Middleton was seriously wounded in the chest. One slug grazed Doc Scurlock and another struck George Coe in the right hand, costing him his trigger finger. Once Roberts' rifle clicked empty, Billy the Kid dashed from cover to finish off the wounded gunman, only to be knocked senseless by the barrel of the Winchester.

Barricading himself in the house, Buckshot Roberts ignored both his painful wound and the Regulators’ gunshots, armed himself with a single-shot .50-70 Government Springfield rifle belonging to Blazer (one source claims it was a Sharps rifle which belonged to Dr. Appel) and readied himself for a fresh onslaught. Stunned by the turn of events, the Regulators tended to their wounded and tried to get Roberts to come out. Frustrated that none of his men dared to approach the fortified adversary, Brewer circled around the main house, and took cover behind some stacked logs and opened fire on the room where the wounded man was lying prone on a mattress in front of the barricaded doorway. Roberts, seeing the cloud of gun smoke from the log pile, opened fire when Brewer put his head up again, striking the cowboy in the eye. The Regulators, demoralized by their casualties, pulled out and left the area. Buckshot Roberts died the next day and he and Dick Brewer were buried side by side near the big house where the gunfight occurred.

External links

Gunfights and feuds in the Old West

Gunfights	Gunfight at Hide Park Goingsnake Massacre Battle of Bates Point Gunfight at Blazer's Mill Battle of Lincoln (1878) Variety Hall Shootout Mussel Slough Tragedy Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight Guadalupe Canyon Massacre Battle of the Plaza Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Trinidad Gunfight Vaudeville Theater Ambush Hunnewell Gunfight Frisco Shootout Battle of Cimarron Battle of Stone Corral Battle of Tres Jacales Battle of Ingalls Gunfight at Morenci Blackwell Gunfight Shootout on Juneau Wharf Hot Springs Gunfight Shootout at Wilson Ranch Gunfight in Moab Battleground Gunfight Chinese Massacre Cove Big Fight at the Jenkins Saloon Thibodaux massacre Gunfight at Spokogee Canyon Diablo Shootout Shootout in Benson Naco Gunfight Battle of Eufaula Shootout in Sonoratown Gleeson Gunfight Power's Cabin Shootout Skeleton Canyon shootout

Duels and Showdowns	Sandbar Fight Hickok–Tutt Shootout Duels of Jim Levy Duels of Tom Carberry Short–Courtright Shootout Bull–Peel Duel Mart Duggan Duel Long Branch Saloon Gunfight South Pass Shootout Walker-Graham Duel Anderson-McCluskie Duel Burton Mossman Duel Silks-Fulton Duel Murder of Charles S. Gunn Western Code Duello

Feuds	Railroad Wars County seat war Tutt–Everett War Regulator–Moderator War Lincoln County War Lee–Peacock feud Sutton–Taylor feud Horrell–Higgins feud Brooks–Baxter War Colorado Railroad War Earp Vendetta Ride Dodge City War Las Cuevas War Flynn–Doran feud Gray County War Jaybird–Woodpecker War Enid–Pond Creek Railroad War Brooks–McFarland Feud Reese–Townsend feud McIntosh County Seat War Deschutes Railroad War Boyce–Sneed Feud Placer County Railroad War Bellevue War Colorado Labor Wars Idaho labor strike

Range wars	Johnson County War Mason County War Pleasant Valley War Castaic Range War Colorado Range War Colfax County War San Elizario Salt War Bandit War Fence Cutting Wars Sheep Wars Sheepshooters' War Stuart's Stranglers Hashknife Outfit Deep Creek Murders Spring Creek Raid

Robberies	Jonathan R. Davis Gunfight Northfield Bank Robbery Skeleton Canyon massacres Battle of Coffeyville Canyon Diablo Train Robbery Wham Paymaster Robbery Black Bart Robberies Fairbank Train Robbery Gage Train Robbery Big Springs Robbery Overland Flyer Train Robbery Baxter's Curve Train Robbery Jarbidge Stage Robbery

See also	Gunfighter Cowboy Lexington murders Bisbee massacre Hay Meadow massacre Rock Springs massacre Morewood massacre

Further information: List of Old West gunfights, List of Old West gunfighters, and List of Old West lawmen

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