The Hatfield & McCoy feud is the most infamous feud in American history. However, this legendary status makes it difficult to decide who really won.
The winner of the legendary feud between the Hatfields & McCoys is a matter of perspective. The feud officially began in 1878 over a dispute about a pig. However, some oral history dates it back to the Civil War, where the Hatfields were Confederates, and the McCoys were Union, suggesting that the real cause of the animosity could be rooted in the War. The feud then escalated into a land dispute, followed by the infamous pig dispute, and eventually resulted in a tragic massacre. Over the course of the feud, an estimated 12-18 Hatfields & McCoys lost their lives, with eight Hatfield individuals being jailed and one Hatfield cousin hanged.
It can be argued that there can be no true winner in a feud as bitter and violent as the Hatfields & McCoys. The toll of lives lost, and the impact on the families and communities involved is immeasurable. The feud left scars that lasted for generations, with deep-seated hatred and resentment passed down through families, engrained in local folklore, and perpetuated through oral history. Fortunately, by the end of the 20th century, a shift occurred, and the families started recognizing the need for reconciliation and resolution. They realized that continuing the feud was not productive and that there were better ways to channel their energy and resources.
The Hatfields Won The Pig Feud Dispute
The Hatfields & McCoys feud is far more intricate than it appears at first glance. It officially began with the notorious 1878 Hog Trial, when Randolph "Old Ranel" McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield of stealing his pigs. According to Old Ranel, the pigs Floyd had taken from a communal fattening pen bore the McCoy mark. Without allowing Floyd to explain, Old Ranel hastily brought theft charges against him in front of Reverend Anderson Hatfield, who served as the local Justice of the Peace. In an attempt to appear impartial, Reverend Justice Hatfield appointed a jury consisting of six Hatfield relatives and six McCoy relatives.
The deciding testimony in the case came from William Stanton, who happened to have relatives on both sides of the feud. Stanton testified that he had seen the Hatfield mark on the pig, and as a result, the court ruled in favor of Floyd Hatfield. Despite this win, the feud between the Hatfields & McCoys only grew more violent. It escalated until 1901 when four Hatfield brothers were jailed, and their cousin was hanged for a deadly raid on McCoy property. The violence and bloodshed continued for decades, with both families suffering losses and casualties.
How Did The Hatfield-McCoy Feud End?
Legally, the Hatfields & McCoys feud ended in 1901. Eight Hatfields were jailed for life, and a cousin named Elison Mounts was hanged for murdering McCoys in two separate incidents. The first was known as the New Year Massacre, and the second was the Battle of Grapevine Creek. Despite this, the deep-seated hostility between the families persisted for over a hundred years. The first sign of a thaw was when the two families staged a handshake in 1976. A couple of years later, they appeared on the television show Family Feud. In 2000, McCoy cousins Ron and Bo organized the first joint family reunion for the Hatfields and the McCoys.
Then, in 2003, the two families officially ended the feud by signing a truce and literally burying the hatchet. According to CBS News:
"Reo Hatfield and Bo McCoy drafted a treaty that proclaims the families' do hereby and formally declare an official end to all hostilities, implied, inferred and real, between the families, now and forevermore.' "
Given the handshake, the TV show, and the family reunion, this treaty was more of an acknowledgment that the Hatfields & McCoys feud had already ended than the end itself. However, it was a meaningful way to symbolize the coming together of these two families over their shared heritage.
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