Paul Colt captures the greed, cunning and vengeance that ignited the Lincoln County War and launched Billy the Kid's outlaw career. Powerful merchant and political strong man James Dolan owns Lincoln County, until a brash young English businessman named John Tunstall hits town. Dolan controls a lucrative market in stolen cattle, protected by a corrupt sheriff beholden to him. Tunstall undertakes business enterprises and land speculations that threaten to topple Dolan's grip on the county. The Englishman aligns with lawyer Alexander McSween and cattle baron John Chisum, principal victim of Dolan's trade in rustled cattle. Dolan places the matter of the English upstart in the hands of his sheriff. Then Tunstall is murdered and the fury of the opposing forces can no longer be contained...