Battle of Palo Duro Canyon

Overview

The Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a military confrontation and a significant United States victory during the Red River War. The battle occurred on September 28, 1874, when several U.S. Army companies under Ranald S. Mackenzie attacked a large encampment of Plains Indians in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Palo Duro Canyon was a significant United States victory during the Red River War of 1874–1875. On September 28, 1874, forces under Ranald S. Mackenzie attacked a large encampment of Plains Indians in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle. The engagement struck at the material and logistical base of resistance rather than simply contesting ground, and its outcome contributed to the broader U.S. effort to suppress Plains Indian resistance in the region. The battle stands as one of the decisive engagements of the Red River War, accelerating the collapse of organized resistance and the confinement of Plains peoples to reservations.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)