La Punta de la Glorietta

Here is Garrett's account of the three lawmen's arrival near Ft. Sumner, NM, in July, 1881.  With Garrett were John Poe, a Texas cattle operative from Texas, and Thomas "Kip" McKinney, a deputy of Garrett's.  Garrett knew that Ft. Sumner was the Kid's favorite hang out, yet he doubted that Billy would be so foolish as to be anywhere near the small settlement.  Here is, in Garrett's own words, how the trio of lawmen arrived at Ft. Sumner on July 13, 1881, the day before Garrett would stumble on, and kill, Billy the Kid [emphasis denotes the moment depicted in the painting]:

"We three went to Roswell and started up the Pecos River from there on the night of July 10th [1881].  We rode mostly in the night, followed no roads, but taking unfrequented routes, and arrived at the mouth of Tayban Arroyo, five miles south of Fort Sumner one hour after dark on the night of July13th.  We rode off a mile or two, staked our horses, and slept until daylight.  Early in the morning we rode up into the hills and prospected awhile with our field glass.

Poe was a stranger in the country and there was little danger that he would meet any one who knew him at Sumner.  So, after an hour or two spent in the hills, he went into Sumner to take observations.  I advised him, also, to go on to Sunnyside, seven miles above Sumner, and interview Mr. Rudolph, Esq., in whose judgment and discrimination I had great confidence.  I arranged with Poe to meet us at moonrise, at La Punta de la Glorietta, four miles north of Fort Sumner.  Poe went on to the plaza, and McKinney and myself rode down into the Pecos Valley, where we remained during the day.  At night we started out circling around the town and met Poe exactly on time at the trysting place."