The Comanche Chief Quanah Parker managed to avoid capture by Colonel Ranald Mackenzie’s troops. Quanah roamed the high plains – the Llano Estacado – with his band.
But there was another problem, and that was the buffalo. Their numbers were decreasing. Quanah was aware that buffalo hunters roamed the plains freely, protected by the US Army, who’s illegal and unstated policy was – exterminate the buffalo and the Indians will be forced to come in to the Reservations.
Now there arose an Indian Prophet who had a vision. The Tribes could exterminate the buffalo hunters. Isa-tay promised the Comanches he would protect them with spells, and magic paint that would stop bullets. (“Isa-tay” has been translated as “Coyote anus” and “Coyote droppings. I prefer Jack Jackson’s translation of “Coyote shit”.)
Quanah led a huge assemblage band of Indians – Comanche, Wichita, Pawnees and others – in an attack on the little fort of Adobe Walls, where a number of buffalo hunters had assembled. Fortunately for the hunters, one man was up early and spotted the Indians.
The braves charged time after time, but fell in numbers to the guns of the hunters. Quanah recalled his fighters to a distant hill to regroup. A Cheyenne warrior was about to quirt the prophet Isa-tay, when came the famous Long Shot. Billy Dixon borrowed a 50-caliber buffalo gun and shot the Cheyenne right off his horse. It was an impossible shot at that distance. The Indian alliance disbanded.
Billy Dixon’s reputation was made. He was awarded the Medal Of Honor (for gallantry in battle). Dixon lived his life near Adobe Walls.
And where is Adobe Walls? Now a ghost town near Stinnett, Texas, some 20 miles away on the prairie. It’s now on the US National Register of Historic Places. But you can’t go there – it’s private. The Register refuses to list the coordinates but I found them anyway!
Quanah Parker led his Comanches back to the high plans for their final encounter with Broken-Hand Mackenzie. Quanah said that he never trusted another prophet.
Dac Crossley
June 26, 2017. Happy Birthday, Lance R. So long, Bobby B.
“Not for the needy but for the greedy.” – Franklin Roosevelt’s comment about the 1944 Appropriations Bill when it reached his desk.