After traveling about 12 miles south, they were ambushed by gunshots in a canyon. They tried to return the fire, only to discover that someone (thought to have been a ranch servant) had removed the ammunition from their weapons. Unarmed, the lawmen began to flee, but Sheriff Barton, Constable Charles Baker, Deputy Charles Daly, and Constable William Little were shot and killed, the first lawmen in Los Angeles County to lose their lives in the line of duty. The other three men were able to escape to tell of the ambush. Within two hours, another posse was formed of some 60 men, who once again went after the outlaws. Under the leadership of James Thompson, who would later become Los Angeles County's new sheriff, the posse found the mutilated bodies of the four officers. With renewed enthusiasm, the posse continued the search for the outlaws, arresting 52 of them. Another posse, led by General Andres Pico, immediately lynched two of the most notorious of the gang when they came upon them.

Housed in the county jail, eleven of the men were eventually hanged, including Juan Flores on February 14, 1857. Pancho Daniel, who had eluded arrest, was captured the following year and was hanged on November 30, 1858. Before it was all said and done, more than 100 gang members were either captured or killed in pursuit.

High Fives Gang (1890’s) - Also referred to as the Christian Gang, led by "Black Jack" Will Christian and his brother, Bob, from Oklahoma, the gang operated in New Mexico and Arizona after the Christian brothers escaped from a Guthrie, Oklahoma jail in 1895. Along with additional gang members, Jess Williams and Bob Hays, the gang robbed banks, trains, and stagecoaches. After almost making off with the loot from the International Bank in Nogales, Arizona on August 6, 1895 the High Fives were aggressively pursued by a posse led by Sheriff Bob Leatherwood. When they caught up with the gang near Skeleton Canyon, a gunfight ensued, leaving Deputy Frank Robson dead. The gang then escaped across the border into Mexico. When authorities learned the outlaws were back in the area in 1897, another posse was organized. They soon tracked them to what is now known as Black Jack Canyon. In yet another gunfight, Will Christian was killed. 

James Gang (1879-1882) - Three years after the demise of the James-Younger Gang, when the Youngers were arrested in Northfield, Minnesota, Jesse James put together another group to continue on with his criminal career. The gang's members were comprised of Jesse and Frank James, Ed Clell, brothers, Robert and Charley Ford, Bill Ryan, Dick Liddel, James "Windy Jim" Cummings, and brothers, Wood and Clarence Hite. With members coming and going during various crimes, the gang robbed banks, stagecoaches, and trains in Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, and West Virginia up until Bob Ford killed Jesse James on April 3, 1882.

Jennings Gang (1897) - Comprised of Al and Frank Jennings, former Doolin Gang member, Little Dick West, and brothers Morris and Pat O'Malley, the short-lived gang operated only a few months making several failed train robbery attempts in 1897. After blowing up a railroad car that held a safe, and finding no "booty" for their efforts, they robbed the train passengers. A few weeks later, they robbed a store, making off with just $15. The Jennings and O'Malley brothers were soon arrested and sent to jail. Little Dick West remained on the "lamb" until the next year, when he was killed on April 8, 1898, by Deputy U.S. Marshals in Logan County, Oklahoma Territory.

John Kinney Gang (1870’s-1883) - Also known as the Rio Grande Posse, the Kinney Gang were successful cattle rustlers and hired gunmen in New Mexico, primarily operating in Dona Ana County in the early 1870’s. In 1877 they hired out to fight in the El Paso Salt War and the following year, made their guns available to the Dolan-Murphy faction in the Lincoln County War. Upon their arrival in Lincoln County, John Kinney was deputized by Sheriff George Peppin. With his gang acting as his posse, they were given the freedom to run rampant in the county. Once the "war” was over, most of the gang members returned to Dona Ana County and their profitable cattle rustling activities. However, a few of them remained and joined up with another gang called Selman’s Scouts. The Kinney Gang continued to flourish until leader John Kinney was arrested in April, 1883.  Convicted of cattle rustling, Kinney spent the next three years in prison, and by the time he was released his men had scattered.

The Ketchum Gang (1896-1899) - Made up of a revolving list of members, the Ketchum Gang was led by Black Jack Thomas Ketchum, working with his brother Sam. Others who came and went were Will Carver, Elza Lay, and Ben Kilpatrick, who also rode with Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch. Other members included Dan Johnson, Sam Marr, Tom Thomas and Ed Bullion, brother of Laura Bullion, who started out being Will Carver's girlfriend, and later, Ben Kilpatrick’s. For three years, the gang robbed retail businesses, post offices and trains in New Mexico. However, everything began to fall apart when members, Sam Ketchum, Will Carver and Elza pulled a heist without Black Jack Ketchum on July 11, 1899 in Folsom, New Mexico. Though they made off with some $50,000, they were soon pursued by a posse to a hideout near Cimarron, New Mexico. In the ultimate shootout that occurred, Sam Ketchum was seriously wounded, and Sheriff Edward Farr was killed. Carver and Elza were able to escape, but Ketchum was taken to the penitentiary in Santa Fe, where he later died of blood poisoning on July 24th. Lay was arrested on August 16th and was tried and convicted for the murder of Ed Farr and sentenced to life in prison. Carver escaped to ride with the Wild Bunch. Ben Kilpatrick would go with him

Explorers, Mountain Men, Trappers & Traders

Gunfighters & Lawmen of the American West

Native Americans - The First Owners of America

Old West Outlaws

Vigilantes

Women of the West