280:.30 caliber rifle concealed behind his back. Then, suddenly, he revealed his weapon and began firing it. It was at this time Bill Maxwell was hit in the forehead and died instantly. Then Tafolla was shot twice through the torso and fell to the ground. He did, however, manage to pull out his revolver and returned the fire, which was followed by the others on both sides. The skirmish lasted for at least a couple of hours, and it was already dark when it ended. During the fighting, Ranger Hamblin maneuvered around the canyon where the outlaws were firing from to drive off their horses. Therefore, when the Smith Gang chose to make their escape that night, they had to climb out of the canyon on foot, which they eventually succeeded in doing. The posse captured the gang's camp, but they did not pursue the criminals any further due to the wounded Tafolla, who was in need of a doctor.
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The deep canyon was shadowed, and it provided a good defensive position for the Smith Gang. When the posse reached the camp, Tafolla, Hamblin and Bill
Maxwell continued forward into a clearing to demand the outlaws' surrender while Barrett and the five others remained behind the cover of a ridge. After Bill Maxwell called out the demand, Bill Smith replied: "All right, which way do you want us to come out?" Maxwell responded: "Come right out this way." About this time, Barrett, who could see what was going on from the ridge, yelled out for Tafolla and the two others to lie down for cover, but only Hamblin took the advice.
312:. The cowboys there were held hostage and ordered to prepare food for the gang. Bill Smith recognized one of the hostages, Marion Lee, who made dinner for the gang members and informed them that they had killed Bill Maxwell. Bill Smith did not realize that one of the men he had shot at was his friend, so he told Lee: "When he stood up that way we thought he was Barrett. Barrett was the man we wanted. We feel mighty sorry over killing Will Maxwell, he was a good friend of ours. Tell his mother for us that we're very sorry we killed him."
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miles (0.80 km) away. Eventually, the
Maxwell brothers found the location of the bear shooting and blood trails in the snow led back to the Smiths' camp, which was 6 miles (9.7 km) from where the posse camped. By then it was almost night. As the posse approached the canyon, the Smiths' guard dog began barking. This alerted Bill Smith, who went up to the canyon's rim to have a better look. There he saw the posse coming towards the camp, so he ran back to tell the others.
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227:, which they forded at a place known as Sheep's Crossing. From there the posse went to the ranch of Lorenzo Crosby to enlist his services and that of the brothers Arch and William Thomas "Bill" Maxwell, both of whom were described as being excellent scouts. These three men were deputized as well, making the posse a force of nine men altogether. After that, the posse continued along the trail south to
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in 1898. At a place 300 yards (270 m) away from camp, the posse dismounted their horses and tied them up to some trees in order to confront the outlaws on foot. The posse then headed to the camp from the west, which meant that the lawmen would have to fire into the sunlight if a firefight began.
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Chicken and Josh. The scouts tracked the gang across New Mexico before losing the trail at the banks of the Rio Grande. Ultimately, the posse failed to capture the outlaws and bring them to justice, but they were successful in running the Smith Gang out of
Arizona Territory. Tafolla and Maxwell were
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reservation, in a canyon 200 yards (180 m) wide and 100 feet (30 m) deep, near the source of the Black River. Today the location is near the shoreline of
Reservation Lake. The Smith gang were in need of food so that afternoon they killed a bear, and the shots were heard by the posse 0.5
235:. On October 7, at a ranch belonging to Pete Slaughter, the posse found an abandoned camp that was believed to have been recently occupied by the outlaws. The rangers decided to camp at the same location for the night and then proceed down the west side of the riverbank on the following morning.
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The body of
Tafolla was laid to rest at St. Johns and Bill Maxwell was buried in his family's cemetery at Nutrioso. Maxwell's hat was left behind at the scene because the men of the posse thought it would be bad luck to touch it. For years afterwards, cowboys claimed they had seen the hat while
300:, twenty miles away, to summon a doctor named Rudd and spread the news of the fight. The remainder of the posse stayed at the camp with Tafolla and the body of Bill Maxwell. Tafolla died before the doctor could arrive. Before passing, he gave Henry Barrett a
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The posse was led by the sheriff's deputy, Hank Sharp, and included Henry
Barrett and two other locals named Pete Peterson and Elijah Holgate. Meanwhile, the Arizona Rangers Carlos Tafolla and Duane Hamblin were assigned to search for the Smith Gang. At
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Bill Smith and his gang. During a long exchange of gunfire that followed, Ranger Carlos
Tafolla and Deputy Bill Maxwell were killed and one or two of the outlaws may have been wounded. In the end, the Smith Gang escaped the posse and fled into
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for the ranch of Hugh McKean, where they hoped to trade horses. When McKean refused to deal with the gang he was held at gunpoint and robbed of his horses, food, and weapons. The Smith Gang then went east and crossed the
Arizona border with
203:, where they robbed a train. A few days later, Bill and his brother Al came across Henry Barrett and another cowboy in the Big Cienega range. During the confrontation, Bill threatened to kill Barrett, so the latter informed the
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Bill Smith's gang included his brothers Al, George and Floyd, a brother-in-law named Adam
Slagger, and two other unidentified men. Of the nine-man posse, only Henry Barrett had any combat experience, having fought with
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The
Arizona Rangers were established in 1901 and the Battleground Gunfight became the first major shootout to involve the new police force. The Smith Gang was one of the first targets for the rangers. In northeastern
223:, the rangers and the posse met, and they decided to work together in tracking and capturing the outlaws. The rangers then deputized Barrett, Peterson and Holgate and they began following the outlaws' trail to the
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and thus heavily forested and difficult to traverse. It was also very cold, and snow covered the ground. That day the Smith Gang was camped at Reservation Creek, just inside the western border of the
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On the morning of Tuesday, October 8, the posse awoke, had breakfast, and then saddled to continue down the river. Along the way they passed the Pair-O'Dice Ranch. The area is part of the
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187:, where he lived with his mother and his younger brothers and sisters. The ranch house served as a base for rustling cattle from nearby settlers, such as Henry Barrett, a former
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and said: "Give this to my wife. It, and the month's wages coming to me will be all she will ever have." The outlaws made their way out of the canyon and into what is now
191:. In 1898, the Smith brothers were arrested for stealing unbranded calves from Barrett and Bill Phelps. Bill Smith assumed full responsibility, so he was sent to jail at
195:. Because of this, Bill was said to have developed a grudge against Henry Barrett. During the first week of October 1901, the Smith Gang was spotted at Pat Knoll, near
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killed as result of the gunfight and one or two of the outlaws may have been wounded by Barrett, who was armed with a souvenir Spanish
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From left to right, First Sergeant Chicken, Jesse Palmer, Tea Square, Sergeant Big Chow, and Corporal C. F. Josh at Fort Apache in 1919
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509:"Deputy Sheriff William Thomas Maxwell, Apache County Sheriff's Office, Arizona"
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Gunfights and Gunfighters: Reflections from a Phoenix Police Officer
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Carlos Tafolla's surname is spelled "Tafoya" in this article.
448:"The Battleground Shootout—Arizona Rangers Fight Smith Gang"
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After taking a few horses, the gang headed into the
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481:"Ranger Carlos Tafolla, Arizona Rangers, Arizona"
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149:. It was fought on October 8, 1901, within
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511:. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc
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485:The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc
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795:Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight
183:, Bill Smith owned a ranch on the
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161:and deputies caught up with the
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895:Big Fight at the Jenkins Saloon
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155:Fort Apache Indian Reservation
65:Fort Apache Indian Reservation
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1417:List of Old West gunfighters
1349:Baxter's Curve Train Robbery
1344:Overland Flyer Train Robbery
1138:Enid–Pond Creek Railroad War
398:Hunsaker, Gordon A. (2010).
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1466:Crimes in Arizona Territory
1451:American Old West gunfights
1314:Canyon Diablo Train Robbery
1015:Long Branch Saloon gunfight
810:Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
453:. asoac.org. Archived from
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1413:List of Old West gunfights
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1294:Jonathan R. Davis Gunfight
1168:Placer County Railroad War
379:List of Old West gunfights
1441:1901 in Arizona Territory
1408:
1362:
1304:Skeleton Canyon massacres
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990:Short–Courtright Shootout
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820:Vaudeville Theater ambush
800:Guadalupe Canyon Massacre
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875:Shootout at Wilson Ranch
865:Shootout on Juneau Wharf
780:Battle of Lincoln (1878)
332:of the Arizona Rangers,
16:1901 gunfight in Arizona
1421:List of Old West lawmen
1299:Northfield Bank Robbery
1078:Regulator–Moderator War
1005:Anderson-McCluskie duel
270:Battle of San Juan Hill
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1354:Jarbidge Stage Robbery
1329:Fairbank Train Robbery
1319:Wham Paymaster robbery
1158:Deschutes Railroad War
1133:Jaybird–Woodpecker War
1040:Higgins–Standifer duel
940:Power's Cabin shootout
930:Shootout in Sonoratown
910:Canyon Diablo shootout
845:Battle of Tres Jacales
840:Battle of Stone Corral
680:Fairbank train robbery
670:TiburĂłn Island Tragedy
328:into Mexico. When the
306:Bear Wallow Wilderness
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30:considered for merging
1411:Further information:
1395:Rock Springs massacre
1309:Battle of Coffeyville
1233:San Elizario Salt War
1143:Brooks–McFarland feud
1108:Colorado Railroad War
985:Duels of Tom Carberry
890:Chinese Massacre Cove
885:Battleground Gunfight
790:Mussel Slough Tragedy
785:Variety Hall shootout
770:Battle of Bates Point
760:Gunfight at Hide Park
644:Battleground Gunfight
353:working in the area.
317:Blue River Wilderness
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225:Little Colorado River
131:Battleground Shootout
127:Battleground Gunfight
82:Battleground Shootout
36:Battleground Gunfight
1324:Black Bart Robberies
1098:Horrell–Higgins feud
1010:Canton–Dunn Shootout
975:Hickok–Tutt Shootout
965:Broderick–Terry duel
905:Gunfight at Spokogee
870:Hot Springs gunfight
129:, also known as the
1471:October 1901 events
1390:Hay Meadow massacre
1339:Big Springs Robbery
1263:Stuart's Stranglers
1213:Pleasant Valley War
1178:Colorado Labor Wars
1148:Reese–Townsend feud
1045:Western Code Duello
1030:Burton Mossman duel
1020:South Pass Shootout
855:Gunfight at Morenci
805:Battle of the Plaza
765:Goingsnake massacre
37:
1334:Gage Train Robbery
1273:Deep Creek murders
1258:Sheepshooters' War
1248:Fence Cutting Wars
1223:Colorado Range War
1203:Johnson County War
1183:Idaho labor strike
1113:Earp Vendetta Ride
1093:Sutton–Taylor feud
1083:Lincoln County War
1025:Walker–Graham duel
915:Shootout in Benson
900:Thibodaux massacre
860:Blackwell gunfight
835:Battle of Cimarron
825:Hunnewell gunfight
649:Shootout in Benson
587:William D. Allison
338:United States Army
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266:Theodore Roosevelt
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211:, who organized a
116:Non-fatal injuries
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1446:Conflicts in 1901
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1400:Morewood massacre
1380:Lexington murders
1278:Spring Creek raid
1228:Colfax County War
1218:Castaic Range War
1103:Brooks–Baxter War
1035:Silks–Fultom duel
980:Duels of Jim Levy
925:Battle of Eufaula
850:Battle of Ingalls
815:Trinidad Gunfight
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577:Thomas H. Rynning
572:Burton C. Mossman
446:McKnight, Ray A.
334:Burton C. Mossman
278:Savage Model 1895
151:Arizona Territory
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1456:Arizona folklore
1268:Hashknife Outfit
1208:Mason County War
1163:Boyce–Sneed feud
1123:Flynn–Doran feud
1088:Lee–Peacock feud
1073:Tutt–Everett War
1000:Mart Duggan duel
935:Gleeson gunfight
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189:Rough Rider
19:‹ The
1435:Categories
1370:Gunfighter
1253:Sheep Wars
613:Smith Gang
464:January 8,
385:References
326:Rio Grande
322:New Mexico
185:Blue River
174:Background
147:Smith Gang
137:between a
91:Bill Smith
1287:Robberies
1238:Pecos War
957:showdowns
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736:Gunfights
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515:8 January
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404:iUniverse
284:Aftermath
193:St. Johns
28:is being
1363:See also
744:Old West
696:Category
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357:See also
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239:Gunfight
229:Big Lake
143:American
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133:, was a
61:Location
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742:in the
606:Outlaws
565:Rangers
330:captain
268:at the
205:sheriff
101:Outlaws
97:Outcome
1419:, and
1375:Cowboy
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347:Mauser
168:Mexico
108:Deaths
103:escape
1193:Range
1055:Feuds
740:feuds
458:(PDF)
451:(PDF)
221:Greer
213:posse
139:posse
1195:wars
738:and
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201:Utah
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