Historical eventJuly 141881

Billy the Kid

While on the run from a death sentence, American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sherriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

Everything on July 14Original source

In context

When
Thursday, July 14 1881145 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1880s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1881.

Type: human.

What happened

While on the run from a death sentence, American outlaw Billy the Kid was shot and killed by Sherriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

July 14 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1881Billy the Kid
  2. 1987Montreal flood of 1987
  3. 2001Rus Flight 9633
  4. 2001Bradley John Murdoch
  5. 2002Jacques Chirac
  6. 2003Valerie Plame
  7. 2013Statue of Rachel Carson
  8. 2014Methow River
  9. 2015NASA
  10. 20162016 Nice truck attack
  11. 2019GippsAero GA8 Airvan

Also in 1881

  • May 12French conquest of TunisiaUnder threat of invasion, Muhammad III as-Sadiq, Bey of Tunis, signed the Treaty of Bardo to make Tunisia a French protectorate.
  • November 3MapucheIndigenous Mapuche began an uprising against the occupation of Araucanía by Chile.
  • July 2James A. GarfieldU.S. president James A. Garfield (pictured) was fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad station in Washi…
  • July 2Charles J. GuiteauCharles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield (who will die of complications from his wounds on September…
  • August 12French AmericansFranco-American children as young as seven years old began striking against Cabot Mill in Brunswick, Maine, shutting down operations for…
  • June 13Jeannette expeditionThe Jeannette expedition to reach the North Pole from the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait came to an end when the USS Jeannette (pict…
  • March 12Andrew Watson (footballer, born 1856)Andrew Watson (pictured) captained the Scotland national football team against England, becoming the world's first black international fo…
  • April 18Ceilings of the Natural History Museum, LondonThe painted ceilings of the Natural History Museum, London, were unveiled when the building opened its doors to the public.

Everything we record for 1881 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Billy the Kid”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/billy-the-kid-1881-july-14, accessed October 26, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Billy the Kid happen?

July 14 1881 — 145 years ago, on a Thursday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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