In the Shadow of Billy the Kid: Susan McSween and the Lincoln County War

by Kathleen P. Chamberlain

The events of July 19, 1878, marked the beginning of what became known as the Lincoln County War and catapulted Susan McSween and a young cowboy named Henry McCarty, alias Billy the Kid, into the history books. The so-called war, a fight for control of the mercantile economy of southeastern New Mexico, is one of the most documented conflicts in the history of the American West, but it is an event that up to now has been interpreted through the eyes of men. As a woman in a man's story, Susan McSween has been all but ignored. This is the first book to place her in a larger context. Clearly, the Lincoln County War was not her finest hour, just her best known. For decades afterward, she ran a successful cattle ranch. She watched New Mexico modernize and become a state. And she lived to tell the tales of the anarchistic territorial period many times.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

312 pages, Paperback

First published December 19, 2012

Reviews

[Jane Botkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! As a historian and author, I applaud Kathleen Chamberlain's thorough research and engaging narrative. My preconceived notions of Susan McSween were dashed to pieces, (though pleasantly), and my understanding of the Lincoln County War deepened. I had thought to research McSween myself, but Chamberlain leaves no stone unturned. Bravo!

[Robyn Kiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. Very well researched. After reading several books regarding the Lincoln County war I became very intrigued with Susan McSween. Unfortunately after reading this and getting a closer look, I’m not a fan of hers any longer. At least now I’ve got a better understanding.

[Susan Krafcheck · Rating 4 out of 5]

1878 Lincoln, NM little area that no one is aware of, a stop in the road, but full of history. This book was the woman's side of the regulators, and the war of mercantile control, marking the events of the McSween, Tunstall families, and Billy the Kid. After losing not 1 but 2 husbands, Susan wheels and deals her way through many business deals, eventually landing herself as one of the most successful cattle ranchers in the southwest. Towards the end of her life she watched New Mexico become modernized. Horse and buggy became automobiles, and Native Americans were placed on reservations. She survived 2 fires, death and success.