From the Annals of the Gunslingers –  In 1886, one of the biggest gun battles in the history of the American West occurred in Laredo – and politics was involved.  The fighting began during a celebration parade the day after city elections.  The two political factions in Laredo and Webb counties were the Botas and Guaraches. The Botas (“Boots”), led by Raymond Martin and José María Rodríguez, represented the elites in the upper class but had some support from the working class and poor. A reform group called themselves the Guaraches (“Sandals”) to symbolize the lower class, and were led by Santos Benavides.  The Guaraches won only two seats on the Laredo city council prompting the Botas to celebrate the next day. The Botas paraded the streets of Laredo promising to bury a Guarache in effigy.   The Guaraches attacked the Bota parade and a massive gun battle ensued involving as many as 250 men.  Order was only restored after two companies of the Sixteenth United States Infantry and one company of the Eighth Cavalry intervened. The official number of dead was put at 16, but some reports claimed that at least 30 were killed with more than 45 wounded.