About this Book

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For decades the
Horrell brothers of Lampasas, Texas, have been portrayed as ruthless killers
and outlaws, but author David Johnson paints a different picture of these
controversial men. The Horrells were ranchers, and while folklore has
encouraged the belief that they built their herds by rustling, contemporary
records indicate a far different picture. The family patriarch, Sam Horrell,
was slain at forty-eight during a fight with Apaches in New Mexico. One
Horrell son died in Confederate service; of the remaining six brothers, five
were shot to death. Only Sam, Jr., lived to old age and died of natural
causes.  Johnson covers the Horrells
and their wars from cradle to grave. Their initial confrontation with the State
Police at Lampasas in 1873 marked the most disastrous shootout in
Reconstruction history and in the history of the State Police. The brothers
and loyal friends then fled to New Mexico, where they became entangled in
what would later evolve into the violent Lincoln County War. Their
contribution, known to history as the Horrell War, has racial overtones in
addition to the violence that took place in Lincoln County.  The brothers returned to Texas where in
time they became involved in the Horrell-Higgins War. The family was nearly
wiped out following the feud when two of the brothers were killed by a mob in
Bosque County. Johnson presents an up-to-date account of these wars and
incidents while maintaining a neutral stance necessary for historical books
dealing with feuds. He also includes previously unpublished photographs of
the Horrell family and others.