Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
Part of the Indian Wars
Palo Duro Canyon
Date September 28, 1874 Location Texas Panhandle Result U.S. victory
Belligerents
United States	Cheyenne Comanche Kiowa
Commanders
Ranald S. Mackenzie	Iron Shirt (person) Poor Buffalo Lone Wolf
Strength
4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)	unknown
Casualties and losses
1 killed	3 killed

The Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a significant U.S. victory that brought about the end of the Red River War. For wars involving India, see Military history of India. ... Image File history File links Subject: Palo Duro Canyon, Texas Source: National Park Service site for the Fort Davis Historical Site[1] YO SUP HOMIES!!!!!!! WHATS HAPPNEN LOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOL File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Texas Panhandle is a region of the state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Image File history File links US_flag_37_stars. ... For other uses, see Cheyenne (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Comanche_Nation. ... For other uses, see Comanche (disambiguation). ... This article is about the tribe. ... Ranald Slidell Mackenzie (July 27, 1840 – January 19, 1889) was called the most promising young officer in the entire Union army. ... Lone Wolf, photographed by William S. Soule, 1868-1874 Lone Wolf (Native name Guipago) was a Kiowa chief who lived from 1820 to 1879. ... The United States 4th Cavalry Regiment was a United States Army cavalry regiment, whose lineage is traced back to the mid-19th century. ... The Comanche Campaign (1867–1875) was a series of conflicts which took place throughout the border regions of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas, between the Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, and Northern Cheyenne tribes of Native Americans and the United States Army and settlers. ... Combatants United States of America Arapaho Northern Cheyenne Brulé and Oglala Sioux Commanders Major George A. Forsyth War Chief Roman Nose Strength 51 600–750 (estimated) Casualties 5 killed, 17 wounded 75 killed, many wounded The Battle of Beecher Island (September 17–September 19, 1868), also known as the Battle... Combatants United States Cheyenne Commanders George A. Custer Black Kettle†, Little Rock † Strength 7th Cavalry Regiment ~250 warriors and civilians (150 warriors, 100 civilians) [2]. The children were moved by Black Kettle in an other village downstream prior to the battle. ... Combatants United States of America Arapaho, Southern Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and Lakota Sioux Commanders Colonel Eugene Carr Chief Tall Bull Strength 244 U.S troops plus 50 Pawnee scouts 450 (estimated) Casualties 1 wounded 52 killed, 17 captured The Battle of Summit Springs (July 11, 1869) was an armed conflict... A Kiowa ledger drawing possibly depicting the Buffalo Wallow battle in 1874, one of several clashes between Southern Plains Indians and the U.S. Army during 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. Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Alternate meanings: Comanche helicopter and Comanche computer games The Comanche Nation is a Native American group of approximately 10,000 members, about half of whom live in Oklahoma and the remainder concentrated in Texas, California, and New Mexico. ... For other uses, see Cheyenne (disambiguation). ... See also, OH-58 Kiowa, a United States Army helicopter The Kiowas are a nation of Native Americans who lived mostly in the plains of west Texas, Oklahoma and eastern New Mexico at the time of the arrival of Europeans. ... Lighthouse hoodoo in Palo Duro canyon Palo Duro Canyon is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment in the Panhandle of Texas (USA). ... Ranald Slidell Mackenzie (July 27, 1840 – January 19, 1889) was called the most promising young officer in the entire Union army. ...

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. is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

Results

The loss of the Palo Duro camp meant a loss of all the Indian's 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. Casualties were light in the engagement since it had been a complete rout, but without their mounts, and 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 Kiowa's did not return until February 1875. Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma; about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. ... Lone Wolf, photographed by William S. Soule, 1868-1874 Lone Wolf (Native name Guipago) was a Kiowa chief who lived from 1820 to 1879. ...

References

• Dillon, Richar H. (1983). North American Indian Wars.
• Handbook of Texas
• Named Campaigns — Indian Wars. United States Army Center for Military History. Retrieved on December 13, 2005.
• Red River War-Battles