Key Figures of the Lincoln County War (1878–1881)

Murphy–Dolan Faction (“The House”)

Lawrence G. Murphy – Merchant, land speculator, co-founder of Murphy & Dolan.
James J. Dolan – Murphy’s partner and successor, central figure in the conflict.
John Riley – Business partner, ally of Murphy and Dolan.
Emil Fritz – Former army officer, early partner in Murphy’s store (died 1874, estate contested).
Sheriff William Brady – Sheriff of Lincoln County, aligned with Murphy–Dolan.
George Peppin – Deputy, later sheriff, led House-aligned posses.
Jesse Evans – Outlaw leader of the Evans Gang.
William Campbell – Evans Gang member.
George Hindman – Deputy sheriff, aligned with the House.
Frank Baker – House ally, killed by Regulators.
William Morton – House ally, killed by Regulators.
Charlie “Lollycooler” Crawford – Seven Rivers warrior, killed during the siege of Lincoln.

John Henry Tunstall – English rancher and merchant, murdered in 1878.
Alexander McSween – Lawyer and Tunstall’s partner, targeted by Murphy–Dolan.
Susan McSween – Wife of Alexander, later the “Cattle Queen of New Mexico.”
Richard “Dick” Brewer – Foreman for Tunstall, first leader of the Regulators.
Josiah “Doc” Scurlock – Regulator leader after Brewer’s death.
Charlie Bowdre – Regulator and brother-in-law to Scurlock.
George Coe – Regulator, wounded at Blazer’s Mill.
Frank Coe – Regulator, prominent rancher.
Ab Saunders – Regulator, cousin of the Coes.
William H. Bonney (Billy the Kid) – The most famous Regulator, loyal to Tunstall.
John Middleton – Regulator, participant in most major fights.
Henry Newton Brown – Regulator, later marshal of Caldwell, Kansas.
Fred Waite – Regulator, Chickasaw, later tribal statesman.
Jim French – Regulator, mysterious figure, present at McSween house siege.
Yginio Salazar – Regulator, wounded at McSween house.

John Chisum – Cattle baron, loosely allied with McSween and Tunstall.
Jose Chavez y Chavez – Later associated with the Regulators, Mexican-American fighter.
Andrew “Buckshot” Roberts – Buffalo hunter, fatally wounded at Blazer’s Mill.
Colonel Nathan Dudley – Commander at Fort Stanton, accused of siding with Murphy–Dolan.

Thomas B. Catron – Lawyer, politician, powerful land speculator tied to the Ring.
Abraham Spiegelberg – Wealthy banker and merchant, tied to land speculation.
Lehmann Spiegelberg – President of Second National Bank of Santa Fe.
Willi Spiegelberg – Probate judge in 1880, later Territorial Governor (1895).
Samuel B. Axtell – Territorial Governor of New Mexico, accused of corruption favoring Murphy–Dolan.