Located in the Texas Panhandle near present-day Borger, Adobe Walls was the site of two major 19th-century battles between Plains tribes and Anglo settlers. The first in 1864 and the second in 1874 marked turning points in the struggle for control of the Southern Plains. The 1874 battle, in particular, signaled the beginning of the end of free-roaming buffalo herds and Native resistance in the region, making Adobe Walls a landmark of frontier conflict and cultural change in Texas history.

First Battle of Adobe Walls

In November 1864, U.S. Army forces led by Kit Carson attacked a large encampment of Comanche and Kiowa warriors near the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle. The expedition aimed to halt raids on wagon trains and resulted in intense fighting, including artillery use and lodge burnings. Though Carson withdrew due to depleted supplies and overwhelming odds, his leadership was later lauded as a significant military achievement.

Second Battle of Adobe Walls

On June 27, 1874, a group of around 700 Plains Indians—mainly Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowa under leaders like Quanah Parker and Isa‑tai—attacked a buffalo-hunters’ camp near the adobe ruins known as Adobe Walls in what is now Hutchinson County, Texas. The small group of defenders repelled the assault, despite being heavily outnumbered. The incident triggered the Red River War of 1874-75 and helped lead to the relocation of many Southern Plains tribes to reservations.