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Who Was Charlie Bowdre?
Charlie Bowdre was more than just an outlaw. He was a Regulator, a loyal friend of William “Billy the Kid,” and a man whose final ride became part of Old West legend.
In this video, we uncover the real story of Charlie Bowdre. You’ll learn about his early life in Georgia and New Mexico, his friendship with Doc Scurlock, and his marriage into the Herrera family. We cover his role in the Lincoln County War and the fateful events that led to his death at Stinking Springs in December 1880.
You’ll see rare historical photos and hear about his unwavering loyalty to Billy the Kid. You’ll also discover the poignant detail of a photograph found in his pocket — stained through with his own blood. From rancher to Regulator to legend, Charlie Bowdre’s journey is one of courage, loyalty, and the harsh realities of frontier life.
We explore how Bowdre rode alongside the Regulators during the bloody Lincoln County War. He faced down Dolan’s hired guns and stood firm in a world ruled by mob law. His last stand at Stinking Springs was not just a moment of violence. It was a defining chapter in the saga of the Old West.
This story follows Charlie Bowdre biography from his early days as a rancher to his role as a Regulator during the Lincoln County War. Known as both a loyal friend of Billy the Kid and a determined gunfighter, Bowdre’s life intersected with other Regulators such as Doc Scurlock during one of the most turbulent periods in New Mexico history.
His final moments at Stinking Springs remain one of the most dramatic episodes in Wild West history. This documentary explores Bowdre’s life, his death, and the events that made him an enduring name in Western outlaw history.
“The Last Ride of Charlie Bowdre”
The morning of December 23, 1880 broke cold and gray over the eastern New Mexico Territory. A bitter wind swept across the barren flats, carrying the faint smell of sulfur from the springs that gave this lonely place its name — Stinking Springs. Inside a low, weathered adobe, Billy the Kid and his companions stirred from uneasy sleep. They had been on the run for weeks, the law never far behind.
Among them was Charlie Bowdre — Regulator, rancher, husband, and one of Billy’s closest friends. He had been through every hard mile of the Lincoln County War and beyond, his loyalty unshaken. But this morning, Charlie’s fate was waiting for him just outside the door.
While the men inside ate breakfast, Sheriff Pat Garrett’s posse lay hidden in the rocks and brush outside. Garrett had been tracking Billy for days, and now he had them boxed in. His men waited with rifles cocked, eyes fixed on the house.
Charlie was the first to step outside. He pulled on Billy’s dark overcoat, perhaps for warmth against the icy wind. His breath hung in the air as he walked toward the corral, unaware that dozens of rifle barrels were trained on him. In the gray light, Garrett’s men mistook him for Billy the Kid himself.
Without warning, a shot rang out. The crack echoed off the hard winter ground, followed by the dull, heavy thump of lead striking flesh. Charlie staggered, clutching his chest. Garrett would later say he was hit “through the breast” — a wound that was instantly mortal. Whether it struck his heart or tore through his lungs, it left no chance for survival.
Bowdre stumbled back toward the doorway, each step a fight against the darkness closing in. Inside, Billy turned at the sound of boots dragging across the dirt floor. Charlie, pale and gasping, handed him his cartridge belt. His voice was low but steady: “They’ve done for me, Billy.”
He collapsed moments later. In his pocket, the men found a small photograph — the image now blurred and streaked with his own blood. Whether it was a picture of his wife, Manuela, or another treasured memory, no one could say for certain. But it was clear he had carried it close to his heart until the very end.
Outside, the cold wind carried no sound but the soft shifting of Garrett’s men in their hiding places. The fight had just begun, but for Charlie Bowdre, the war was over. His death would mark the beginning of the end for Billy the Kid’s small band. Within hours, the rest would lay down their arms, and Stinking Springs would enter the history books — not just as the place where Billy the Kid was captured, but where Charlie Bowdre made his final ride into legend.