The First Battle of Adobe Walls was one of the largest battles between U.S. soldiers and Great Plains Indians, resulting from attacks on white settlers moving into the Southwest. For the battle in 1874, see: Second Battle of Adobe Walls Indian Wars is the name used by historians in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the United States and Native American peoples (Indians) of North America. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Abraham Lincoln† Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis Robert E. Lee Strength 2,213,363 1,064,200 Casualties KIA: 110,100 Total dead: 359,500 Wounded: 275,200 KIA: 74,500 Total dead: 198,500 Wounded: 137,000+  The American... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Hutchinson County is the name of several counties in the United States: Hutchinson County, South Dakota Hutchinson County, Texas This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Official language(s) None. ... Original territory of the Kiowa Tribe The Kiowa 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. ... Comanche territory. ... Kit Carson Kit Carson (December 24, 1809–May 23, 1868), born Christopher Houston Carson, was an American frontiersman. ... A compass rose with Southwest highlighted The terms southwest and south west, can refer to: Southwest, the ordinal direction halfway between south and west, the opposite of northeast The Southwest United States Southwest, Western Australia Southwest Airlines The Southwest Biosphere Reserve in Australia; see List of Biosphere Reserves in Australia... Combatants American hunters Comanche Commanders unknown Isa-tai, Quanah Parker Strength 28 hunters 300 Comanche warriors Casualties {{{notes}}} The Second Battle of Adobe Walls was fought on June 27, 1874 between Comanche forces and a group of 28 hunters defending the settlement of Adobe Walls. ...

Background

The commander of the Department of New Mexico, Brigadier General James H. Carleton, was intent on eliminating Indian attacks on white settlers moving into the New Mexico and Arizona territories. Carleton's choice of commander to lead the expedition was Colonel Christopher "Kit" Carson. Carson had earlier led expeditions under Carleton against the Navajo. Carson, who commanded the 1st New Mexico Volunteer Cavalry, set out for the Canadian River in the Texas panhandle from Fort Bascom in New Mexico. A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... James Henry Carleton (December 27, 1814 – January 7, 1873) was an officer in the Union army during the Civil War. ... Official language(s) None, English, Spanish popularly believed to be official, but they are not. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 295,254 km² 500 km 645 km 0. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Kit Carson Kit Carson (December 24, 1809–May 23, 1868), born Christopher Houston Carson, was an American frontiersman. ... Navajo blanket Navajo Nation (Navajo: Naabeehó Dineé) is the name of a sovereign Native American nation established by the Diné. The Navajo Indian Reservation covers about 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometres) of land, occupying all of northeastern Arizona, and extending into Utah and New Mexico, and is... The Canadian River is the largest tributary of the Arkansas River. ... Official language(s) None. ... Official language(s) None, English, Spanish popularly believed to be official, but they are not. ...

The battle

In late November, Carson's scouts found the camp of a combined force of Kiowa and Comanche. Unknown to Carson the Indian forces led by the Kiowa chief Dohäsan, greatly outnumbered his own force. At 8:30 on November 25 Carson attacked Dohäsan's camp and routed the Indians. Bt 10:00, Carson was in the ruins of Adobe Walls. The Comanche village lay just beyond the ruins. Now combined with the Comanche, Dohäsan counter attacked. Carson unlimbered two 12-pound howitzers, strategically placed on a rise behind the village, and gave one of his typical orders to "throw a few shells into that crowd over there". The Indians led several sporadic charges but the troopers were able to hold their own aided by the howitzers. Dohäsan tried lighting the grasslands on fire to use as a smokescreen. By now, Carson was running low on ammunition and was concerned with protecting his supplies. He lit his own fires and withdrew to the high ground around the howitzers, where he repulsed the last of the Indian attacks. He ordered the Kiowa lodges and winter supplies burned. The Kiowa-Apache chief Iron Shirt was killed when he refused to leave his tipi. Look up November in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Original territory of the Kiowa Tribe The Kiowa 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. ... Comanche territory. ... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Comanche territory. ... Loading a WW1 British 15 in (381 mm) howitzer 155 mm M198 Howitzer A howitzer or hauwitzer is a type of field artillery. ... Nez Perce tipi A tipi (also teepee, tepee) is a conical tent originally made of skins and popularised by the American Indians of the Great Plains. ...

Aftermath

Strategically the battle was a draw, though tactically Carson could claim it as a victory. Army losses were considerably light compared to the Indians: 2 dead and 10 wounded to the 60 casualties Carson reported inflicting on the Natives. Other estimates place the Indian losses between 100 and 150. Upon returning to Fort Bascom, General Carleton praised Carson's ability against a far superior foe. The Sand Creek Massacre took place just 4 days later. Casualties were surprisingly similar between the two battles yet unlike Chivington at Sand Creek, Carson had inflicted losses only on attacking warriors. Thus Carson was openly critical of Chivington's actions. However these were the last significant actions between Indians and the U.S. army during the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox 19 weeks later bringing the full attention of the United States Army to the Indian Wars in the West. Combatants United States of America Cheyenne Arapaho Commanders John M. Chivington Black Kettle Strength 700 500 Casualties 10 dead, 36 wounded 150 {{{notes}}} The Sand Creek Massacre (also known as the Chivington Massacre) was an infamous incident in the Indian Wars of the United States that occurred on November 29... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Abraham Lincoln† Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis Robert E. Lee Strength 2,213,363 1,064,200 Casualties KIA: 110,100 Total dead: 359,500 Wounded: 275,200 KIA: 74,500 Total dead: 198,500 Wounded: 137,000+  The American... General is a high military rank, used by nearly every country in the world. ... For the author of Inherit the Wind and other works, see Robert Edwin Lee. ... Appomattox is a town located in Appomattox County, Virginia. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Indian Wars is the name used by historians in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the United States and Native American peoples (Indians) of North America. ... The states shown striped may or may not be considered part of the informal western United States today. ...

Sources

• Dillon, Richar H. North American Indian Wars (1983)
• http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/AA/qea1.html