Struggle for the Southern Plains

No war occurs in a vacuum, and no matter how brief the Red River War’s duration, its causes had developed over time.

View a map of major battle sites of the Red River War.

Lifeblood of the Plains Indians

“Let them kill, skin, and sell until the buffalo is exterminated, as it is the only way to bring lasting peace and allow civilization to advance!”

-General Philip Sheridan

The Leaders

The Red River War threw a longstanding clash of cultures into stark relief. And it’s often the leaders on both sides who illustrate this most vividly. But while their actions may appear clear cut, their motivations often were not.

Weapons of the Red River War

The discovery of nearly 4,000 metal artifacts at six key Red River War battle sites has provided archeologists with a trove of details about what really happened in the fight. And much of this information challenges long-held assumptions about the relative firepower of the two combatants.