Battle of Palo Duro Canyon

Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
Part of the Red River War, American Indian Wars
Palo Duro Canyon
Date September 28, 1874 Location Palo Duro Canyon, Texas 34°52′40″N 101°36′20″W Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States	Cheyenne Comanche Kiowa
Commanders and leaders
Ranald S. Mackenzie	Poor Buffalo Lone Wolf
Strength
400 cavalry	1500 warriors
Casualties and losses
1 wounded	15 killed at Tule 50-60 killed at Palo Duro
Palo Duro class=notpageimage| Location within Texas

The Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a significant United States victory that brought about the end of the Red River War.

Background

Late in the summer of 1874 the Quahada Comanche, Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho and Kiowa warriors led by Lone Wolf had left their reservations and sought refuge in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle. There they had been stockpiling food and supplies for the winter. Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie, leading the 4th U.S. Cavalry, departed Fort Clark, Texas, on 15 August, reached Fort Concho on the 21st and the mouth of Blanco Canyon on the 23rd with 8 companies plus 3 from the 10th Infantry and 1 from the 11th. Mackenzie's orders from General Christopher C. Augur were stated he was "at liberty to follow the Indians wherever they go, even to the Agencies." Mackenzie formed three columns, the first column consisting of 8 companies of the 4th Cavalry and 2 infantry companies, the second column under Lt. Col. Buell consisting of 5 companies of the 9th Cavalry, 1 from the 10th, and 2 infantry companies, while the third column under Lt. Col. Davidson consisting of 8 companies of the 10th Cavalry and two infantry companies. The first column moved north along the edge of the Staked Plains, the second advanced up the Red River and the third from Fort Sill. By the 25th September, Indians began to gather around Mackenzie's troops so that on the night of 26–27 September, they were attacked near Tule and Boehm's Canyon resulting in the deaths of 15 warriors, including the Kiowa Chief 'Woman Heart'.

The battle

Tule Canyon, as seen from Highway 207, north of Silverton, Texas

Early in the morning of September 28, two of Mackenzie's Tonkawa scouts found a "fresh trail" and Mackenzie resumed the march, reaching a "wide and yawning chasm" at dawn, where they could see the Indian lodges. Mackenzie's troopers dismounted and led their horses single file along a narrow zig-zag path. Mackenzie first hit Chief Lone Wolf's Kiowa camp and routed it. Chiefs Poor Buffalo and Lone Wolf and the Indians managed to get away, leaving behind their possessions and horses, climbing up both sides of the canyon. The Indian warriors began firing on the troops from 800–1000 feet above making "it so hot", it prompted one to say, "How will we ever get out of here", to which Mackenzie stated, "I brought you in, I will take you out". Part of the command started a retreat up the "precipitous cliffs" from which they had descended while others pulled down the lodges, chopped up the lodge poles, and burned all of the Indian belongings in huge bonfires. Almost 2000 horses were captured and moved from the canyon with the remaining troops by 4 PM. Mackenzie's troops made it back to their Supply Camp on Tule Canyon on the morning of the 29th.

Results

The loss of the Palo Duro camp meant the loss of the Indians' safe haven and all their winter supplies. Some horses fled with the Indians onto the plains but Mackenzie was able to capture 1500-2000 ponies, which he slaughtered to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Indians. Casualties were light in the engagement since it had been a complete rout, but without sufficient mounts or winter supplies the tribes could not hold out over the winter and many returned to the Fort Sill reservation by November 1874. Lone Wolf's Kiowas did not return until February 1875.

See also

• Battle of Blanco Canyon
• Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River
• Llano Estacado
• Caprock Escarpment