Battle of Palo Duro Canyon

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
partof=the Indian Wars


caption=Palo Duro Canyon
date=September 28, 1874
place=Texas Panhandle
result=U.S. victory
combatant1=
combatant2=Cheyenne
commander1=Ranald S. Mackenzie
commander2=Iron Shirt (person)
Poor Buffalo
Lone Wolf
strength1=4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
strength2=unknown
casualties1=1 killed
casualties2=3 killedThe Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a significant U.S. victory that brought about the end of the Red River War.

Background

Ever since the summer of 1874 the Comanches, Cheyenne and Kiowas had 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, moved up from the south intending to trap the whole force in their Palo Duro Canyon holdout. Fighting several skirmishes with Comanche warriors along the way Mackenzie reached Palo Duro in late September.

The battle

Early in the morning of September 28, one of Mackenzie's scouts found the Indian camp and notified the colonel. Mackenzie brought the whole regiment to the edge of the canyon and planned a surprise attack. Comanche Chief Red Warbonnet discovered the U.S. soldiers and fired off a warning shot, but was quickly killed. Mackenzie's troopers were unable to find a suitable path down so instead plunged straight down the steep canyon cliffs. Mackenzie first hit Chief Lone Wolf's Kiowa camp and routed it. Chiefs Poor Buffalo and Iron Shirt managed to effect some resistance but since the camps were so spread out over the canyon floor a unified resistance was impossible. Many of the Indians fled leaving behind their possessions and headed for the open plains. Few warriors remained sniping at the soldiers but by nightfall the canyon belonged to Mackenzie and the villages were destroyed.

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 1,400 ponies. The horses Mackenzie did not need were 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.

References

*Dillon, Richard H. (1983). "North American Indian Wars".
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/PP/btp3.html Handbook of Texas]
*cite web|title=Named Campaigns — Indian Wars|work=United States Army Center for Military History|url=http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/iwcmp.htm|accessdate=December 13|accessyear=2005
* [http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/redriver/battles.html Red River War-Battles]