Native Resistance and Westward Expansion Summary

Westward Expansion and Native Resistance

Post-Civil War Expansion and Conflict

  • Westward expansion after the Civil War led to increased conflict with Native tribes like the Comanche and Kiowa.

  • Initial peace talks failed, and forts established by the U.S. Army proved ineffective due to their remoteness and distance from each other.

  • The federal government's attempt to create "protected" reservation land in 1867 via the Medicine Lodge Creek Treaty was met with resistance and eventual violation.

Native Hostilities and Frontier Forts

  • Between 1865 and 1867, Native raids resulted in significant Texan casualties, prompting a stronger U.S. military response.

  • Life on the frontier was harsh, and forts struggled to provide adequate protection.

Sherman's Investigation and Mackenzie's Pursuit

  • General William Tecumseh Sherman investigated raiding reports in 1871 following a Kiowa attack led by chiefs Satanta, Satank, and Big Tree.

  • Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie led "Mackenzie’s Raiders" to pursue hostile Natives, proving successful where others had failed.

Mackenzie's Campaigns and Battles

  • Mackenzie targeted Comanche bands led by Quanah Parker in the early 1870s, engaging them deep within their territory.

  • Key battles included the Battle of Blanco Canyon and the Battle at McClellan Creek, where Mackenzie inflicted heavy losses on the Comanches.

Destruction of Buffalo and the Red River War

  • The U.S. aimed to eliminate the Natives' primary food source by decimating the bison population; 3030 million bison were killed in 1010 years.

  • The Second Battle of Adobe Walls in 1872 saw Quanah Parker and Isa-Tai leading an attack on a buffalo hunter outpost, which failed due to the hunters' superior rifles.

  • General Sherman ordered troops to converge on Native villages along the Red River, leading to the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon, where Mackenzie delivered a final blow by destroying a Comanche village and capturing their horses.

Reservation Life and Quanah Parker's Leadership

  • Following defeat, Natives were forced onto reservations.

  • Quanah Parker transitioned to a businessman and advocate for his people, negotiating with the U.S. government for better treatment.

  • He became a prominent figure, even befriending former adversaries and President Teddy Roosevelt, and built a large house to accommodate his family and fellow Natives.