Adobe Walls was a trading post in the Texas Panhandle. It had two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a saloon. Buffalo hunters in the area used it to resupply and sell buffalo hides. The tiny post was a symbol of the buffalo extinction that was taking place on territory recognized as Indian land by the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867. By 1874, the Southern Plains Indians had had enough of the destruction of the animal they relied on for survival. A medicine man named Isa-tai convinced the warriors to wipe out the hunters at the post. A Sun Dance was held and hundreds of Comanche, Cheyenne, and Kiowa braves went on the war path. In the early morning of June 27, 1874, as many as 700 horse-riding Indians charged the post. They were led by the famous chief Quanah Parker, the son of a captured white woman named Cynthia Ann Parker. The warriors thought their numbers would swamp the whites and the battle would be over quickly. Unfortunately, most of the 28 white men (there was one woman who was a cook) were awake. One was Bat Masterson, who later became famous as a gunfighter and lawman in Dodge City. They might have been awakened by a cracked ridge pole or a gun shot by the saloon owner. It is theorized that the saloon hunter was aware of the upcoming attack but did not tell the hunters because he was afraid they would leave him alone to defend his business. Regardless, the surprise was not as complete as the Indians had hoped for. The hunters saw the Indians coming and opened fire with repeating rifles and revolvers. Some of the Indians managed to make it to the buildings, but the defenders heavy fire repulsed the attack. 15 Indian bodies were found in the lull after the attack. Two hunters who were sleeping outdoors had been killed. At this point the whites took refuge in the adobe walled buildings. The walls absorbed Indian arrows and bullets. The Indians fired from long range for the rest of the day, but they could not match the range and power of the hunters’ Sharps “Big 50” rifles. 50 referred to the caliber of the large bullets. Quanah Parker had a horse shot from under him at 500 yards and was wounded by a ricochet. This lowered the morale of his men. On the third day, a group of 15 Indians was spotted and Billy Dixon was challenged to shoot at them. Dixon aimed his Sharp and knocked an Indian off his horse. It was estimated that the shot was at least 1,000 yards. It became one of the most famous shots in the history of the West. Soon after, the Indians gave up the siege. As a result of this justified attack, the Army decided to end the problem of the Southern Plains Indians. The Red River War of 1874-75 broke the power of the tribes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Adobe_Walls
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/adobe-walls-second-battle-of
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