A short time ago I paid a visit to the Masonic Cemetery here in Las Cruces to see if I could find the gravesite for a man who played an important part in the history of this part of the world.
At various times in his 57 year life he was a buffalo hunter on the Texas plains, a Texas Ranger captain, a rancher, a sheriff in Dona Ana county where Las Cruces is and an El Paso customs collector. Do you know who he is yet? He probably is most famous for being the man who shot Billy the Kid in July 1881. His name was Patrick Floyd Garrett.
On February 29, 1908, Garrett and a cowboy named Carl Adamson had started for Las Cruces in Adamson’s buggy. They traveled south from Garrett’s ranch, along the eastern side of the San Andres Mountains, to the crossing at San Augustine Pass. The San Augustine Pass is where highway 70 passes over the mountains to take you to White Sands and Alamogordo. Well they turned west, down the slope of the mountains, toward Las Cruces. They could see the community in the distance, perhaps ten miles away, in the valley of the Rio Grande.They encountered a man by the name of Wayne Brazel, riding horseback. Garrett began arguing with Brazel. Presently, Adamson stopped the buggy. Garrett got out and turned away to urinate, the last conscious act of his life. Brazel blew his brains out.
All this happened just north of town near the Alameda Arroyo. After reading about him and discovering his connection with Las Cruces I just had to track down his gravesite. After doing some research I rode my moped to the cemetery and looked until I found where he lay.
It may seem strange to some but I find it fascinating that I am living in the shadows of the Old West.
1 comment:
This is so cool. I was definately thinking about the exact scenery when reading about Garrett crossing the pass. Where was his ranch? Is it still there? How bout Billy the Kid, where's his tombstone? I think you moved to a perfect part of the country for you. I had so much fun at the Fort we visited on the way home from Phoenix that I sure hope we do it again!
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