The Hatfield-McCoy Feud Had It All
Bitter land disputes. Late-night raids. Brutal shootouts. Forbidden romances. The Hatfield-McCoy feud, spanning nearly 30 years between 1863 and 1891, had it all. Few people know the truly bloody facts behind America’s most brutal family feud. But here they are…
1. They Had Bad Blood
The Hatfield-McCoy feud raged across the West Virginia-Kentucky border along the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River from 1863 to 1891. Both clans descended from proud Appalachian settlers. The events that unfolded left the Appalachian mountains stained with blood.
2. They Were Fighting With The Devil
The Hatfield-McCoy feud was spearheaded by two strong characters. On the Hatfield side in West Virginia, William Anderson “Devil Anse” led his family in many of their bloody encounters with the McCoys. On the opposing side, an equally intimidating character led the clan.
3. They Had A Good “Ole Ran’l” Leader
Across the seemingly peaceful waters of the Big Sandy River, in Kentucky, the McCoys rallied behind Randolph “Ole Ran’l” McCoy. Even if his name sounded folksy compared to “Devil Anse,” Randolph didn’t shy away from acts of horrific brutality against his enemies. The stage was set for a feud of the ages.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
4. They Grew Their Clans
One thing that the Hatfields and McCoys needed for their feud was more recruits—and they made tons of them. Born September 9, 1839, in western Virginia (now West Virginia), Devil Anse Hatfield married Levicy Chafin on April 18, 1861. Over the course of their marriage, they would have 13 children.
The McCoys also grew their clan.
5. They Kept It In The Family
The Hatfield-McCoy feud truly was a clash of clans—tightly knit clans. Randolph McCoy, born October 30, 1825, took family loyalty to uncomfortable levels when he married his first cousin Sarah “Sally” McCoy in December of 1849. The Scottish-descended couple had 16 children together.
The feud would send many of them to an early grave.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, Thinkfactory Media (2012)
6. The Hatfields Had Money—The McCoys Had Pride
The McCoys clung to the Kentucky side of Tug Fork while the Hatfields dominated West Virginia’s banks. Devil Anse’s timber empire made his clan wealthy and politically connected. On the other hand, Ole Ran’l scraped by on his 300-acre farm, producing more pride than money.
Despite their differences, for either clan, their family feud wasn’t their first taste of blood.
7. They Fought On The Same Side—Mostly
Ironically, most of the Hatfields and McCoys started out on the same “side”. During America’s horrible Civil War most of them fought for the Confederacy. That is to say, all except for Asa Harmon McCoy, who donned Union blue. In a region where Confederate loyalty ran deeper than blood, Asa had just painted a massive target on his back.
Nicolas de Fer, 1646-1720, Wikimedia Commons
8. Devil Anse Rose Through The Confederate Ranks
During the civil conflict, Devil Anse proved his battle-worthiness. He quickly climbed the ranks, earning his commission as First Lieutenant of Cavalry in the Virginia State Line in 1862. Unfortunately, his cavalry unit disbanded in 1863, and he had to enlist as a lowly private in an infantry battalion. By the end of the fighting, however, he was a captain.
But he really wanted his own unit.
Waud, Alfred R. (Alfred Rudolph), 1828-1891, artist, Wikimedia Commons
9. They Formed Their Own Vigilante Gang
Devil Anse and his uncle Jim Vance weren’t satisfied with regular Confederate service. After the fighting ended, they formed their own guerrilla unit called the “Logan Wildcats”. Before long, their name would strike terror into Union sympathizers across the region.
Monsterofmud, Wikimedia Commons
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10. Asa McCoy Got Captured By His Own Neighbors
On the McCoy side, Asa Harmon McCoy joined the 45th Kentucky Infantry. But he was quickly “captured by rebels” only months later. After four months in captivity, he emerged from a Union hospital in Maryland, broken but alive—though not for long.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Wikimedia Commons
11. Asa McCoy Survived The Fight But Not The Peace
Perhaps the greatest irony in the Hatfield-McCoy feud was that it began just as the civil conflict ended. Asa McCoy left the fight between the Confederacy and the Union in late 1864. Just thirteen days later, however, on January 7, 1865, he ran into Jim Vance—and that’s when the feud truly began.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
12. Jim Vance Started It All
As Asa McCoy made his way home, still dressed in his Union uniform, he crossed paths with Jim Vance, Devil Anse Hatfield’s uncle. Vance questioned Asa McCoy about his Union uniform…and then things turned bloody. Vance dispatched McCoy in bloody fashion, sparking the infamous feud that would roil the Appalachian mountains.
United States Department of War, Wikimedia Commons
13. Devil Anse Had The Perfect Alibi
Devil Anse initially topped the suspect list for Asa’s demise. But he had an ironclad excuse: He was sick at home when it happened. Still, that didn’t clear the Hatfield name. Everyone’s attention quickly turned to Devil Anse’s uncle and Logan Wildcat member, Jim Vance. Revenge would be bitter.
Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), Wikimedia Commons
14. The Hatfields Had A Grudge Already
In early 1862, before Asa McCoy met his end at the hands of Jim Vance, the Hatfields already had reason to dislike Union fighters. William Francis, a Union fighter, led Pike County Guards from Kentucky who attacked and brutally ended Mose Christian Cline, a friend of none other than Devil Anse.
The Hatfields had excellent memories for slights—and even better aim for payback.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
15. Devil Anse Settled The Score
Whether it was for his family or his friends, Devil Anse always sought to even the score. So, in 1863, Devil Anse proudly claimed credit for a bloody act of revenge. Confederate Home Guards ambushed William Francis as he left his house, permanently ending his Union career—and life.
The feud broke out into the open with another curious incident.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
16. They Were All “Hogs”
For over a decade, it looked like the Hatfields and McCoys had already buried the hatchet. The early sparks of the conflagration that would break out between them fizzled out. Then, in 1878, the relative peace came to an end…over a hog of all things.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
17. They Were All Ears
Floyd Hatfield claimed that the hog in question was his. Randolph McCoy, however, insisted that the notches on the pig’s ear indicated that it was a McCoy hog, not a Hatfield hog. The pig problem was about to turn vicious.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
18. They Had The Judge On Their Side
At first, the Hatfields and McCoys tried to settle their dispute peacefully. The matter wound its way through the courts, landing before Justice of the Peace Anderson “Preacher Anse” Hatfield. Yes, another Hatfield. Shockingly (not really), he ruled in favor of the Hatfields, swayed by Bill Staton’s testimony.
Staton painted a target on his back.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
19. The McCoys Got Even
In June 1880, Bill Staton paid the ultimate price for his hog testimony. In another brutal and vengeful act, Sam and Paris McCoy, two of the McCoy brothers, permanently silenced him. The brothers walked free, claiming self-defense—apparently, Staton had threatened them first with that dangerous testimony.
In the frightening feud, love still bloomed.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
20. They Tried Love
The Hatfield-McCoy feud took an unexpected turn when Roseanna McCoy fell for Devil Anse’s son Johnson "Johnse” Hatfield. In a stunning move of defiance and bravery amidst the bloodshed, Roseanna abandoned her family to live with the enemy in West Virginia. But this act of love wasn’t enough to overcome the deep hatred.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
21. Roseanna Betrayed Her Family For Love
When the McCoys clapped “Johnse” in irons on bootlegging warrants, a distressed Roseanna set out to notify Devil Anse, riding through the night. Her act of love for Johnse and defiance against her family saw the Hatfields put together a posse to free Johnse from the McCoys. Love makes you do crazy things—like save your boyfriend from your brothers.
The joke, sadly, was on Roseanna.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
22. Johnse Dumped Roseanna…For Another McCoy
Roseanna’s devotion to Johnse was deep enough that she crossed family lines. But the same couldn’t be said for Johnse—at least, not in the same way. Soon after the rescue, Johnse ditched Roseanna McCoy for her cousin Nancy McCoy, marrying her in 1881. Even worse? Roseanna was pregnant at the time. Some men just aren't worth a midnight ride through hostile territory.
The feud was back on in a big way.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
23. The McCoys Brothers Upped The Ante
In 1882, three of Roseanna’s younger brothers—Tolbert, Phamer, and Bud—made a move that would kick the feud into hyperdrive. On election day in Kentucky, the three McCoys got into a heated dispute with Ellison Hatfield, Devil Anse’s brother. Once again, the situation devolved into utter terror.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
24. They Turned Election Day Into Elimination Day
Fuelled by hooch and moonshine, the three brothers and Ellison got into a fight. Arguably, the worst fight in the feud up to that point. In the exchange, the McCoy brothers gave Ellison 26 stab wounds…and a little lead for good measure. The brothers had sealed their fate—and their family’s.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
25. The Hatfields Believed In Equal Justice
Unsurprisingly, Ellison succumbed to his grievous injuries. And it really didn’t take a detective to figure out whodunit. In yet another escalation of the feud, the Hatfields captured the three McCoy brothers, tied them to bushes, and emptied a total of 50 rounds into them. Accounts describe the bodies as “bullet-riddled”.
But there was no riddle as to what had to happen next: more revenge.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
26. The McCoys Turned The Feud Into A Hunt
The McCoys decided that getting smart would be the best way to get revenge. Martha McCoy’s brother, a deputy sheriff named Perry Cline, pulled some strings and had charges against the Hatfields revived. Cline announced rewards for their apprehension, turning a family feud into a bounty hunt.
The fight was really on.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
27. Their Feud Included Other Families
The Hatfield-McCoy feud extended far beyond just those with the right (or wrong) last name. Years prior to reinstating the charges, Cline had lost a lawsuit to Devil Anse over thousands of acres of land. Now he had a badge and a bone to pick—the perfect combination for escalating the grudge.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
28. They Even Went After Women
The McCoys weren’t the only ones with family who had badges. Acting constable Cap Hatfield and Tom Wallace suspected that Mary, Jeff McCoy’s sister, had warned the McCoys of a pending Hatfield attack. In retaliation, they broke into Mary’s house and flogged her mercilessly. News of the brutal beating spread quickly.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
29. Jeff McCoy Wanted Justice For His Sister
It didn’t take long for news of the attack on Mary to reach Jeff McCoy. Even though he was already on the run for permanently delivering mail carrier Fred Wolford to the afterlife, he heard about his sister’s whipping in short order. Furious, he and Josiah Hurley tried to go after Tom Wallace, but he managed to slip away.
Then the hunted turned into the hunters.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
30. Jeff McCoy Went Down River—Permanently
The tide turned against Jeff McCoy, and he went from being the hunter to the hunted. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as quick on his feet as Wallace had been. As Jeff tried to flee, Cap and Wallace caught up with him on the banks of the Tug Fork and ended his life. The river that divided the families now held their secrets.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
31. Tom Wallace Got His Comeuppance
Even though Tom Wallace had managed to escape from Jeff McCoy (and then dispatch him), he couldn’t escape everyone. In 1887, shortly after getting out of the clink, Wallace met his own brutal end. Most people believed that the McCoys were behind the act, but no one had any proof. The escalating feud was about to become tragic.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
32. They Couldn't Even Get Revenge Right
Devil Anse was still plotting revenge on the McCoys when things took a tragic turn. He tasked two of his henchmen with ambushing Randolph and Calvin McCoy. Sadly, the incompetent henchmen eliminated John and Henderson Scott, Randolph’s nephews, instead. The horrible mistake had horrible consequences.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
33. Devil Anse Planned The Ultimate New Year’s Party
January 1, 1888, marked the feud’s darkest hour when Devil Anse orchestrated a scheme to end the McCoys for good. Though he stayed home—maintaining plausible deniability—his plan would shock even hardened mountain folk.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
34. They Attacked A Sleeping Family
The 1888 New Year’s Night Massacre would become the most infamous moment in the Hatfield-McCoy feud. Devil Anse sent Cap and Vance and a posse of Hatfield henchmen to surround the McCoy cabin. In the dark and silence of night, they opened fire on the sleeping family, turning a holiday into a horror show.
The carnage was unspeakable.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
35. The McCoys Lost Kids
Hoping to get eyes on all the McCoys, the Hatfields went a step further and set the cabin on fire. As the blazing inferno raged, two of Randolph McCoy’s children, Calvin and Alifair, bolted from the house and began racing towards the family well. However, the young McCoys barely made it out the door before they were cut down in the yard. The brutality wasn't over yet.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
36. They Beat Sarah McCoy
Sarah McCoy and her husband, Randolph, also fled from the house. But, while Randolph managed to escape and hide in the pig pen, Sarah wasn’t so lucky. Vance and Johnse caught Sarah and beat her nearly to extinction. That almost seemed like a better fate than what awaited the others.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
37. The McCoys Fled Into Winter Hell
With their house ablaze, Randolph and his surviving family escaped into the wilderness. Unprepared for the January cold, the surviving children quickly suffered frostbite. The remaining McCoys relocated to Pikeville, finally accepting that West Virginia was not safe for them.
The New Year’s Massacre had crossed a line.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
38. They Had A Posse Chase Them Down
The sheer brutality and lawlessness of the New Year’s Day Massacre shocked Appalachia. Days after the horrific event, Pike County Deputy Sheriff Frank Philipps led a posse across state lines into West Virginia. They were determined to put an end to Devil Anse’s reign of terror.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
39. Jim Vance Finally Got What Was Coming
Frank Philipps’ posse found Vance in the woods. Philipps seemed to be content to simply take Vance into custody, but Devil Anse’s favorite henchman refused to go quietly and resisted. That was all the excuse Philipps needed to put Vance down.
A bigger confrontation was brewing.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
40. They Had Their Only Real Battle
With a McCoy-backed posse on the hunt, the Hatfields had no choice but to respond. Finally, on January 19, 1888, both sides met at Grapevine Creek on the West Virginia side of Tug Fork. For once, the Hatfield and McCoys would fight face-to-face instead of ambushing unsuspecting victims. The battle was on.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
41. The Battle Turned Into An Execution
The Battle of Grapevine Creek became the feud’s only organized armed conflict. In the battle, Phillips’ posse eliminated two Hatfields, and when West Virginia deputy Bill Dempsey surrendered, Frank Phillips executed him anyway. After losing the battle, the rest of the Hatfield posse would face an equally bleak fate.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
42. They Went To Court
On August 24, 1888, young Alifair McCoy finally got justice. Eight Hatfields and their friends were indicted for ending young Alifair McCoy’s life during the New Year’s Massacre. The ensuing court proceedings provided a grand stage for the final chapter of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
43. The Hatfield Gang Faced Justice
The eight Hatfields and their friends indicted included the most notorious names in the whole feud: Cap, Johnse, Robert and Elliot Hatfield, Ellison Mounts, French Ellis, Charles Gillespie, and Thomas Chambers. Shockingly missing from those hauled into court was Devil Anse.
Still, the legal drama played out in grand fashion.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
44. They Got The Supreme Court Involved
For a feud that riveted not just the Appalachian mountains but the entire nation, it was only fitting that the feud should end in the Supreme Court. Due process and extradition issues dragged the matter before the highest court in the land in 1888. In the end, even the Hatfields couldn’t escape the law.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
45. They Escaped The Noose—Kinda
With the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Kentucky (the McCoy side), all eight indicted men were found guilty. Seven got life imprisonment, but Ellison “Cottontop” Mounts would swing from the hangman’s noose for his role in the New Year’s Day Massacre. They doomed him to an unmarked grave, close to the gallows.
Right before he met his end, he made a chilling condemnation.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
46. Cottontop Blamed The Hatfields
With nothing else to lose, Ellison tried to retract his confession. He professed his innocence and said that he’d only confessed because he'd hoped for some shred of mercy. But his last words were the most shocking of the whole proceedings: “The Hatfields made me do it”.
The Hatfields were paying the price as well.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
47. The Hatfields Faded Away
Devil Anse, the puppet master behind the Hatfield’s brutality, managed to escape punishment. But the rest of his family wasn’t so lucky. Valentine “Uncle Wall” Hatfield, Devil Anse’s elder brother, had lived in his vicious brother’s shadow most of his life. But, as one of the eight convicted, he expired behind bars from unknown causes.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
48. The Feud Played Out In The Courts
The fighting and open bloodshed slowed to a trickle and then stopped after Mounts’ hanging. But the feud raged on in the courts. Johnse finally got life imprisonment in 1901 for the New Year’s Massacre—the last official feud trial. Slowly, the gruesome feud turned to legend.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
49. They Became American Legends
In the end, the infamous feud claimed over a dozen family members from both sides. Tabloid coverage turned them into national celebrities, making “Hatfields and McCoys” synonymous with any bitter rivalry. They’d achieved immortality—and, eventually, peace.
Screenshot from Hatfields & McCoys, History Channel (2012)
50. They Finally Made Nice
On June 14, 2003, in Pikeville, Kentucky, the unbelievable Hatfield-McCoy feud finally came to an official end. 60 descendants from both families signed an official truce during the fourth Hatfield-McCoy Festival. Both states’ governors declared it Hatfield and McCoy Reconciliation Day.
Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons
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