Wolcott’s Regulators of Wyoming – Legends of America
The vast landscapes of Wyoming, with their rolling plains and towering mountains, have long been a canvas for tales of rugged individualism, frontier justice, and, unfortunately, violent conflict. Among the most infamous chapters in the state’s history is the story of Wolcott’s Regulators, a band of men who, in 1892, became synonymous with fear and bloodshed. This group, led by Major Frank Wolcott, left a trail of terror in their wake as they targeted homesteaders, igniting further the flames of the Johnson County War.
To understand the rise of Wolcott’s Regulators, one must first delve into the simmering tensions that plagued Wyoming in the late 19th century. The conflict arose from a clash of interests between powerful cattle companies and the wave of homesteaders who sought to carve out a living on the open range. The Homestead Act, a federal law that granted settlers 160 acres of public land, drew countless individuals to Wyoming, each hoping to establish a farm or ranch.
However, the arrival of these homesteaders threatened the established order of the large cattle companies, who had long enjoyed unfettered access to the land and its resources. The cattle barons viewed the homesteaders as encroachers who were disrupting their grazing patterns, depleting water sources, and, perhaps most infuriatingly, rustling cattle.
Accusations of cattle rustling became a weapon in the hands of the cattle companies, who used it to justify their harassment and persecution of homesteaders. However, not all those accused of rustling were guilty. Many were simply innocent settlers who found themselves in competition with the wealthy ranchers. This injustice fueled resentment and animosity, laying the groundwork for the Johnson County War.
In the spring of 1892, Major Frank Wolcott, a prominent member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, decided to take matters into his own hands. He assembled a group of approximately 50 men, including seasoned gunfighters and hired killers from Texas, with the express purpose of eliminating alleged rustlers in Johnson County and dismantling the homesteaders’ smaller stock association.
Wolcott’s Regulators, as they became known, were a formidable force, armed to the teeth and emboldened by the backing of the powerful cattle companies. Among their ranks was Frank M. Canton, a notorious stock detective with a reputation for ruthlessness. With Wolcott at the helm and Canton by his side, the Regulators set out on their mission of intimidation and violence.
On April 5, 1892, the Regulators departed from Cheyenne, their destination Buffalo, the county seat of Johnson County. As they made their way north, they severed telegraph lines to prevent word of their activities from spreading. Their arrival in Johnson County would mark the beginning of a reign of terror that would forever stain the history of Wyoming.
One of the Regulators’ first acts of violence occurred at Big Dry Creek, where they ambushed and murdered nine trappers, mistaking them for rustlers. The trappers, who were simply trying to make a living in the wilderness, were caught completely by surprise and had no chance to defend themselves. The Regulators reportedly received a $450 bonus for the slaughter, a chilling testament to the callousness of their actions.
However, the Regulators’ most heinous crime was the murder of Nathan Champion and Nick Rae on April 8, 1892. Champion, a respected rancher and the leader of the Northern Wyoming Farmers and Stock Growers Association, was a thorn in the side of the cattle companies. He had organized the homesteaders into a rival association, challenging the cattle barons’ dominance of the industry.
Wolcott and his men descended upon the KC Ranch, where Champion and Rae were holed up in a ranch house. The Regulators launched a vicious attack, riddling the house with bullets and setting it ablaze. Champion and Rae fought valiantly, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Both men were killed in the assault, their bodies left as a grim warning to other homesteaders.
After the murders, the Regulators pinned a note on Champion’s bullet-riddled chest that read, "Cattle Thieves Beware." However, Champion was not a cattle rustler; he was a man who stood up for the rights of his fellow homesteaders. His death sent shockwaves through the community, further inflaming tensions and galvanizing resistance to the cattle companies.
News of the siege at the KC Ranch reached Jack Flagg, a neighbor who rode to Buffalo to report the incident. Sheriff William "Red" Angus, a man known for his integrity and courage, responded swiftly. He rallied a posse of 200 men and set out for the KC Ranch on April 10, determined to bring the Regulators to justice.
Meanwhile, the Regulators were en route to Buffalo, intending to continue their campaign of intimidation. However, they soon received word that Angus and his posse were headed their way. The Regulators retreated to the TA Ranch on Crazy Woman Creek, seeking refuge in a log barn.
When Sheriff Angus and his posse arrived at the TA Ranch, they surrounded the barn, trapping the Regulators inside. A siege ensued, lasting for three days. The two sides exchanged gunfire, but neither was able to gain a decisive advantage.
As the siege dragged on, one of the Regulators, Mike Shonsey, managed to slip away from the barn and contact Governor Barber. On the night of April 12, 1892, the Governor telegraphed President Benjamin Harrison, pleading for federal intervention.
"About 61 owners of livestock are reported to have made an armed expedition into Johnson County to protect their livestock and prevent unlawful roundups by rustlers," the Governor wrote. "They are at T.A. Ranch, 13 miles from Fort McKinney, besieged by Sheriff and posse and by rustlers from that section of the country, said to be 200-300 in number."
The Governor warned that the situation was dire and that immediate assistance was needed to prevent further loss of life. President Harrison responded by ordering the Sixth Cavalry from Fort McKinney to proceed to the TA Ranch and take the Regulators into custody.
The arrival of the Sixth Cavalry on April 13 brought an end to the siege. The soldiers negotiated with Sheriff Angus to lift the siege, and the Regulators surrendered without further bloodshed. Wolcott and 45 of his men, along with their weapons and ammunition, were taken into custody and transported to Fort McKinney and then to Cheyenne.
The Texas gunfighters, who had been hired for their skills in violence, quickly disappeared after bail was made and were never brought to justice. Court proceedings began for the locals, and a trial was set for January 1893. But as time dragged on, material witnesses disappeared, and finding impartial jurors proved next to impossible. Ultimately, the high trial cost led the court to dismiss the entire case.
Though the Johnson County War was officially over, scattered violence continued for over a decade as alleged rustlers continued to be hanged. The conflict left a lasting scar on Wyoming, a reminder of the dark side of the frontier and the dangers of unchecked power.
Wolcott’s Regulators, though ultimately unsuccessful in their mission, became a symbol of the lawlessness and brutality that plagued the American West. Their story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of vigilante justice and the importance of upholding the rule of law.
The events of the Johnson County War, including the actions of Wolcott’s Regulators, have been immortalized in literature, film, and television, ensuring that the story of this tumultuous period in Wyoming’s history will continue to be told for generations to come.