In the Days of Billy the Kid: The Lives and Times of José Chávez y Chávez, Juan Patrón, Martín Chávez, and Yginio Salazar

by James B. Mills

The legend of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War remains prominent in the annals of American frontier history, but for men like José Chávez y Chávez, Juan Patrón, Martín Chávez, and Yginio Salazar, it was merely one famous epoch in a much broader struggle. The Hispanos of frontier New Mexico spent decades engaging in various forms of resistance against the corruption, exploitation, and violent oppression that frequently plagued their homeland following the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1848. James B. Mills, author of the award-winning Billy the El Bandido Simpático, provides readers with a wealth of new information in his quest to tell the Hispano side of things in a history largely centered around the lives of lawman-turned-outlaw José Chávez y Chávez, intellectual prodigy Juan Patrón, conservative journeyman Martín Chávez, and resilient vaquero Yginio Salazar. A study that extends far beyond the Lincoln County War and into the twentieth century, In the Days of Billy the Kid also explores the Horrell War, the arrival of the railroads, the rise of the Herrera brothers and Los Gorras Blancas (The White Caps), the people’s movement in San Miguel County, and the infamous Vicente Silva and his Sociedad de Bandidos (Society of Bandits). Mills also casts some light on lesser-known bandidos like the dangerous Nicolas Aragón, the repentant Germán Maestas, and perennial jailbird Porfirio Trujillo. Providing readers with fresh perspective, a wagonload of untapped history, and more than a hundred photographs, In the Days of Billy the Kid is an unprecedented study of Nuevo México in frontier times and the early twentieth century that belongs on the bookshelf of any American West aficionado.

Genres: Nonfiction

640 pages, Hardcover

Published May 30, 2025

Reviews

[Matthew Kerns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: In the Days of Billy the Kid by James B. Mills
A deeper, richer American West—told through the lens of Hispano resistance and resilience.

James B. Mills has already reshaped how we think about Billy the Kid. In El Bandido Simpático, he showed that Billy’s story, long buried beneath layers of myth and media distortion, only becomes truly legible when we view it through the eyes of the people and the land that surrounded him. Mills’ great insight was this: Billy the Kid makes the most sense not as a gunslinger or an outlaw icon, but as a young man navigating the fractured, volatile world of New Mexico Territory, a place still reeling from the aftermath of the Mexican-American War and deep in the throes of Anglo-Hispano conflict.

Now, with In the Days of Billy the Kid, Mills expands that lens and brings into focus the lives of four crucial Hispano figures who lived, fought, resisted, and survived in the same world: José Chávez y Chávez, Juan Patrón, Martín Chávez, and Yginio Salazar. This book isn't just a companion to his earlier book, It is a vital extension of it, providing the other half of the story. If Mills’ first book made the case that Billy belonged in the Hispano world, this one shows us what that world actually looked like, felt like, and fought for.

It is within this Hispano context that we can now look at Billy the Kid, and at men like Chávez y Chávez and Salazar, with a newer, better, and deeper understanding and appreciation for this fascinating and often misunderstood portion of American history. Their struggles were not just about outlawry or reputation, but about land, identity, justice, and survival. The Lincoln County War, so often reduced to a shootout between cattle barons, is here placed in its proper frame: a continuation of Hispano resistance against exploitation, corruption, and displacement in the wake of American expansion.

Reading this, I felt like Mills was doing more than just pointing to the trail, he was redrawing the map. Drawing from a staggering array of archival material and previously overlooked sources, he uncovers the broader Hispano resistance—from the rise of Los Gorras Blancas to the political movements of San Miguel County, from the arrival of the railroad to the shadowy world of Vicente Silva’s Sociedad de Bandidos. Prior historians have viewed these as sideshows to the big show of Billy the Kid, but Mills reveals that they are central to understanding the true nature of the frontier and the communities who lived it, fought for it, and refused to be erased from it.

This isn’t your father’s, or grandfather’s, history of Billy the Kid. It’s more complete, more honest, and more human. The context here is the whole story, and in Mills' capable hands, that story is absolutely essential to a greater understanding of the West.

[Michael Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

James B. Mills’ In the Days of Billy the Kid offers a fascinating look at the world surrounding one of the most famous outlaws of the Old West. But rather than just rehashing Billy the Kid’s well-worn story, Mills shifts the focus to four other key figures—José Chávez y Chávez, Juan Patrón, Martín Chávez, and Yginio Salazar—whose lives intersected with the chaos of New Mexico’s Lincoln County War and the broader struggles of the region.

One of the book’s biggest strengths is how deeply Mills dives into the historical record. He doesn’t just rely on legend—he pieces together firsthand accounts, court records, and contemporary sources to give a well-rounded and often overlooked perspective on the Hispanic and Native figures who played critical roles in shaping this turbulent period. The book does a great job illustrating the political corruption, racial tensions, and sheer lawlessness of the era, making it clear that the Lincoln County War was far more complex than just Billy the Kid versus the law.

Mills’ writing is detailed and well-researched, though at times it leans more toward an academic tone than a breezy Western narrative. If you’re looking for a fast-paced outlaw story, this might not be it. But if you want a serious, well-documented account of the people and events that shaped this legendary period in the West, it’s a rewarding read.

Overall, In the Days of Billy the Kid is a must-read for anyone interested in the Lincoln County War beyond just the usual myths. Mills delivers a well-rounded, in-depth history that sheds light on figures often left in Billy the Kid’s shadow.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Week on History Happy Hour: The Hispanos of frontier New Mexico spent decades engaging in various forms of resistance against the corruption, exploitation, and violent oppression that frequently plagued their homeland following the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1848.
Chris and Rick welcome James Mills, author of In the Days of Billy the Kid. Mills dives into the lives of four men little known to history, who played a big part in the events of those days.
JAMES B. MILLS is an HHH alum, having appeared in 2023 to discuss his first book, Billy the Kid. He has studied the American frontier and numerous other areas of history since childhood. He has published numerous articles for True West and Wild West magazines. He enjoys living a quiet life with his cat Bernard and dog Dennis.

[Sun Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so well researched! It’s basically a historians wet dream and it definitely gave a perspective in history that often gets overlooked when it doesn’t fit a white washed narrative.

Thank you University of North Texas Press and NetGalley for the early copy to review.