Red River War
General Ranald Mackenzie Notes Empire of The Summer Moon Chapter 19
By 1874 there are but 3,000 Comanche left. The Kiowas, Southern Cheyenne and Apache-Kiowas are similarly decimated by years of war and disease. The unforgiving Texas Panhandle is the last Native American stronghold. 5 columns of U.S. military pour into the panhandle, determined to smoke out the last of the hostile natives. Firearm technology - repeating rifles and pistols, buffalo guns accurate up to a mile away has advanced beyond the capacities of the Native Americans to fight.
[0] General Mackenzie leads a column from San Angelo, TX.
[1] Colonel Nelson leads a column from Fort Dodge, Kansas. Nelson draws first blood - killing a couple dozen Comanche in Duro Canyon.
[2] Major William Price leads a column from Fort Bascom, New Mexico. They skirmish with Kiowas and Comanche.
[3] George Buell leads a column of infantry - they burn a village and kill one Comanche.
[4] Black Jack Davidson leads the 10th cavalry - they force the surrender of a large Comanche camp.
[5] Chief Graybeard of the Cheyennes kill a couple of Price’s cavalry and force a brief retreat. The war proceeded in innumerable skirmishes like this.
[6] Quanah Parker’s band evades the forces in the Wrinkled Hand Chase.
General Ranald Slidell Mackenzie presses his soldiers on into the Llano Estacado - tracking the Comanche to their camps.
[7] Shaking Hand, Wild Horse and Hears the Sunrise try but fail to stampede General Mackenzie’s troops at night.
[8] The next morning Mackenzie’s troops engage the Comanche in a battle. A Tonkawa scout named Henry shoots the horse out from under a Comanche warrior. The two engage in hand-to-hand fighting - the Comanche beats the Tonk with his bow until the laughing soldiers shoot him.
[9] Mackenzie follows the fleeing Comanche onto a valley floor and attack the village. The Comanche fight fiercely to defend their village.
They attacked us from every quarter, first dozens, then hundreds… Many were concealed behind rocks while others ambushed in the foliage of cedars… The warriors held their ground for a time, fighting desperately to cover the exit of their squaws and pack animals, but under the persistent fire of troop they fell back. ESM pg. 281
[10] The Comanche flee. Mackenzie captures 1,500 horses. Mackenzie’s men lead the horses out of the canyon, then kill them all - knowing that if they keep the horses the Comanche will steal them back.
Thus ends the battle of Palo Duro Canyon. Though relatively few Indians died in the battle, the loss of their camp supplies and horses proves to be a breaking point. Shortly thereafter many surrender to reservation under duress. Quanah Parker is among the last to holdout.
Gwynne, S C. Empire of the Summer Moon : [Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History]. London, Constable, 2011.‌