Shortly after the American Civil War began, Stoudenmire enlisted in the Army of the Confederacy, even though he was only 15 years old.

He re-enlisted twice more[notes 1] and eventually was allowed to serve as a private in Company F, 45th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

He was able to speak Spanish fairly well, and is known to have worked during the years immediately after the war as a sheep farmer, wheelwright, proprietor, merchandiser, and carpenter.

[1] El Paso County Constable Gus Krempkau was asked by the Mexican leader to lead them to a possible location.

The bodies of the two missing Mexicans were discovered near Johnny Hale's ranch about 13 miles (21 km) northwest of El Paso.

[1] Two American cattle rustlers, Peveler and Stevenson, were accused of the murders after they were overheard bragging about killing the two cowboys when they found them trailing the herd to Hale's ranch.

[1] A large crowd gathered in El Paso, including John Hale and his friend, former town marshal George Campbell.

There was animosity and worries among the Americans about the dangerous situation of enraged Mexicans demanding justice for the slain men while being heavily armed within the city limits.

Constable Krempkau was fluent in Spanish and was required to interpret for the judge at the inquest now held in court.

Hearing the gunfire, he ran out and started shooting, killing first an innocent Mexican bystander, then Hale.

Although his reputation as a gunman would continue to grow with later gunfights, he had few friends in El Paso, whereas both Campbell and Hale had had many.

[1] Three days after the gunfight, on April 17, 1881, James Manning (he and his brothers were friends to Hale and Campbell) convinced former deputy marshal Bill Johnson to assassinate Stoudenmire.

That same night, Johnson, heavily intoxicated, squatted behind a large pillar of bricks with a loaded double-barreled shotgun and waited.

When he heard the voices of Stoudenmire and his brother-in-law, Stanley "Doc" Cummings, his legs started to wobble and he fell backward, accidentally firing both shells into the air.

[citation needed] On February 14, 1882, James Manning killed "Doc" Cummings, supposedly while acting in self-defense after an earlier argument that evening had escalated.

Manning claimed that Cummings had pulled his pistol and verbally threatened to kill him outside the saloon when an innocent bystander walked by.

The bystander squealed his innocence, but Cummings allowed him to go provided that he walked with his arms up in the air into the darkness of night.

Hit, Cummings staggered out across a wooden sidewalk toppling backward onto the dusty street as he screamed in agony then died.

He began to publicly confront those responsible for James Manning's acquittal and caused many to avoid coming into town or visiting saloons for fear of running into an enraged Stoudenmire.

Stoudenmire had only two things in his favor; he had dramatically lowered El Paso's violent crime rate more than any who came before him, and people truly feared him.

[1] On one instance, while standing out in the street, a drunken Stoudenmire mocked them, daring them to come outside and fight him.

[1] On September 18, 1882, the Mannings and Stoudenmire met in a local saloon, to make what they would call a "peace treaty" to end the feud.

A second round barely penetrated Stoudenmire's skin because of papers folded heavily in his shirt pocket.

As he fell outside the doorway, he pulled one of his pistols with his right hand and shot "Doc" Manning in the arm.

When Assistant City Marshal Thomas Moad was killed while investigating a disturbance at a local brothel on July 11, 1883, Frank Manning was appointed to replace him.