Kit Carson vs. The Comanche

The First Battle of Adobe Walls, fought on November 25, 1864, was one of the most dramatic clashes of the Indian Wars on the Southern Plains. Taking place in the Texas Panhandle, it pitted Colonel Christopher “Kit” Carson and a force of U.S. cavalry and infantry, along with allied Ute and Jicarilla Apache scouts, against a massive coalition of Comanche, Kiowa, and Plains Apache warriors. Though overshadowed in popular memory by the later Second Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874, this earlier engagement was a pivotal moment that revealed both the resilience of the Plains tribes and the limits of U.S. military power in their homeland.

The context for the battle was the ongoing campaign by the U.S. Army to suppress raiding on the Santa Fe Trail and to break the power of the Comanche and Kiowa, who dominated the Southern Plains. In 1864, General James H. Carleton, commanding the Department of New Mexico, ordered an expedition into the heart of Comancheria to strike a decisive blow. He chose the legendary frontiersman Kit Carson to lead it. Carson was accompanied by about 330 men of the 1st New Mexico Cavalry and some artillery, along with around 75 Native allies. Their orders were to find and punish the Comanche and Kiowa in their own territory, something few U.S. expeditions had dared attempt.

Carson’s column advanced deep into the Texas Panhandle and came upon the ruins of Adobe Walls, an old trading post built in 1845 on the Canadian River. Near this site, they encountered a large Comanche village. Carson launched an attack, burning lodges, destroying supplies, and capturing livestock. At first, the operation went well, but word spread quickly, and soon a massive force of Comanche, Kiowa, and Plains Apache warriors gathered to retaliate. Estimates suggest Carson’s men were outnumbered ten to one, facing more than 1,000 mounted warriors.

The ensuing battle was fierce and prolonged. Carson deployed his men defensively around the ruins of Adobe Walls, using two mountain howitzers to keep the enemy at bay. The artillery fire shocked the warriors, many of whom had never before faced cannons in battle, and it prevented them from overwhelming the smaller force in a direct charge. Nonetheless, the Native coalition pressed the attack relentlessly, circling and probing for weaknesses. The fighting raged for hours, and Carson eventually realized his position was becoming untenable as ammunition and supplies dwindled.

Demonstrating skillful leadership, Carson managed an organized retreat, using the howitzers to cover his withdrawal. Though he had inflicted some damage, the engagement was effectively a victory for the Comanche and Kiowa. Carson’s men escaped annihilation, but the sheer size and determination of the Native force revealed just how difficult it would be to subdue the tribes on their own ground.

The First Battle of Adobe Walls had lasting consequences. For the U.S. Army, it was a sobering lesson in the challenges of campaigning in the Southern Plains. For the Comanche and Kiowa, it was a triumph that reinforced their dominance for another decade. The battle became a symbol of resistance and showcased the remarkable fighting power of the Plains tribes at their peak. Though remembered less than the later 1874 battle, Adobe Walls in 1864 stands as one of the classic encounters of frontier warfare—where Kit Carson himself narrowly avoided disaster at the hands of the greatest horsemen of the American West.

To watch the full story of this battle, check out the HOKC episode on “The First Battle Of Adobe Walls”, linked below!