Billy the Kid defines the spirit of the American Wild West more than any other figure. While movies portray him as a ruthless gunslinger who killed a man for every year of his life, the real Henry McCarty was a charming, bilingual ranch hand who got caught in a corrupt war. For instance, he never actually robbed a bank or a train in his entire career. Furthermore, a court historian later proved that the famous image of him holding a rifle was actually a mirror reflection. Prepare to ride with the Regulators.
Billy the Kid
His real name was Henry McCarty. Although he used the alias William H. Bonney to hide from the law, he was born as Henry McCarty in New York City. He only adopted the name “Bonney” later in his life to avoid arrest after his first major escape.
He spoke fluent Spanish. Unlike many American settlers in New Mexico, he made a genuine effort to learn the local language and culture. Consequently, the Hispanic community loved him and frequently hid him from Sheriff Pat Garrett during his time on the run.
He likely never robbed a train or a bank. Hollywood movies often show him stopping locomotives or blowing up safes. In reality, he primarily stole horses and cattle, which made him a rustler rather than a wealthy bank robber.
Only one authenticated photograph of Billy the Kid exists. A single tintype image shows him standing with a Winchester rifle and a Colt revolver. A private collector bought this rare piece of history for 2.3 million dollars in 2011, making it one of the most expensive photos ever sold.
The famous photo tricked people into thinking he was left-handed. The tintype image was actually a mirror reflection, which made his holster appear on his left side. However, historians examined the rifle’s loading gate and proved he carried his gun on his right hip.
He killed eight men, not twenty-one. Legend claims he killed 21 men, one for every year of his life. However, historical records confirm he killed only four men alone and helped kill four others during shootouts with his gang.
Billy the Kid became an orphan at the age of fifteen. His mother died of tuberculosis in 1874, leaving him alone in a rough frontier world. Her death sparked his descent into crime, as he began stealing food and clothing just to survive the harsh winter.
A steel cage covers his grave. Thieves tried to steal his headstone multiple times over the years. Therefore, officials in Fort Sumner built a heavy iron cage around the burial site to protect his remains from vandals and souvenir hunters.
He escaped jail by climbing up a chimney. After his first arrest for stealing clothes from a laundry, he did not wait for a trial. Instead, he wiggled his slender frame up the chimney of the jailhouse and fled into the night.
An old man named Brushy Bill Roberts claimed to be him. In 1950, a 90-year-old man in Texas swore he was Billy the Kid and asked for a pardon. He possessed the same scars and knew intimate details about the Lincoln County War, but the governor rejected his claim.
Billy the Kid struck a deal with the governor that went wrong. Governor Lew Wallace promised to pardon Billy if he testified against other criminals. Although Billy kept his side of the bargain, the governor broke his promise and left the young outlaw to rot in prison.
Pat Garrett was his friend before he became his killer. The two men often gambled and drank together in local saloons before Garrett became the sheriff. This past friendship makes the final showdown in the dark bedroom at Fort Sumner even more tragic.
He had small wrists that helped him escape handcuffs. During his most famous escape from the Lincoln County Courthouse, he managed to slip one hand out of his cuffs. He then used the loose chain to strike the deputy and seize a weapon.
The “Regulators” were actually a legal posse. During the Lincoln County War, a judge legally deputized Billy and his friends to arrest the men who murdered their boss, John Tunstall. Technically, they started as lawmen before the government turned against them.
Finally, he died without a weapon in his hand. When Pat Garrett shot him in the dark, Billy was holding a butcher knife to cut some meat for a late-night snack. He called out “¿Quién es?” (Who is it?) just seconds before the sheriff fired the fatal bullet.
