The Battle at Red River

Editor’s note: Jack Becker is the editor of the Caprock Chronicles and authors today’s essay. He can be reached at [email protected]. This is the third of a series of articles that commemorate the Red River War, which occurred 150 years ago this year.

Angered by the white man’s wanton destruction of the buffalo by buffalo hunters, also known as hide men, the Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowa peoples left their reservation in Indian Territory and traveled on the South Plains in attempt to stave-off the hide men’s destruction of their main food source. The southern plains Indians had exclusive rights to hunt buffalo on the South Plains, according to the Treaty of Medicine Lodge (1867).

Consequently, in the spring of 1874, Comanche and Kiowa warriors attacked a camp of hide men near the abandon site of Adobe Walls in present day Hutchinson County. Although the battle was considered a victory for the hide hunters. The battle sent shock waves across the southwest and soon afterwards, the Army was ordered into the area to use any means necessary to force the Indians back on to their reservations.

Military leaders pick Col. Nelson Miles, an experienced Indian fighter for the job. He left Fort Dodge in the late summer, heading south west with 744 soldiers, 554 horses and between 65-100 wagons, and 125 “citizen employees” under his command. After stopping and Camp Supply, in present day Oklahoma, he continued his march toward the Llano Estacado where he expected to find the off-reservation Indians.

It is at this site the Comanche, Kiowa and Cheyenne chose to attack the soldiers who had been following them so aggressively. Miles reported that between 75 and 100 warriors attacked an advance party of scouts less than two miles from the main force he personally commanded. Miles organized his troops and quickly came to the scouts rescue.

The Indians fell slowly back to a better prepared position some distance to the southwest where between 400-600 warriors held a very strong defensive position. At this point a five hour long running battle ensued. Covering about 12 miles starting at the Griffin Hills, where first contact was made, over the dry river bed of the Prairie Dog Branch of the Red River, to the mouth of Tule Canyon. The battle took place in southern Armstrong and northern Briscoe Counties.

Miles could not make the Indians “give battle” like he had hoped. He had hoped that one quick decisive battle would end the Red River War, but that was not to be. The warriors successfully fought a delaying action, which allowed their village of mostly women and children to escape. After burning their village, which included everything they could not carry, the Indians traveled up Tule Canyon, following the trail that lead them to the top of the Llano Estacado.

Miles’ command spent the night on the Red River planning to follow the Indians the next day onto the top of the Llano. Following the trail the soldiers found that the Indians split up into many smaller trails, scattering in almost every direction of the compass. It soon became obvious to all that further pursuit was unless.

Miles returned to the site on the Red River where they had spent the previous night. During the night he determined that his command was dangerously low on ammunition, food and other supplies. And a rest was necessary to replenish his men and horses.

Although the Battle on the Red River was not the success Miles wanted, after all the Indians had escaped, they had, however, lost most of their worldly possessions and possibly the lives of 25 Indians. But the battle sent a message to all the Indians who now lived freely on the Llano. The U.S. Military intended to make war to the fullest.

The next day Miles ordered Captain Wyllys Lyman to return to Camp Supply with several wagons for the badly needed supplies.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Caprock Chronicles: The Battle at Red River