Battle of Bandera Pass
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Bandera Pass in 1841 marked the turning point of the Texas-Indian Wars
. Though they would continue another 34 years, the tide began to turn at Bandera Pass.
. This pass was named for General Bandera, a Spanish Commander, who in 1733 defeated in that pass a large body of Apache
s, who still were present in Texas at that time (the Comanches subsequently drove them out). The Apaches had been making these mountains their rendezvous for attacks on the Spanish missions around San Antonio.
At the time of the Texas Revolution
, there were 30,000 Anglo and Hispanic settlers in Texas, and approximately 15,000 Plains Indians
. The settlers were armed with single shot weapons, which the Comanche, in particular, had learned very well to counter.
Certainly the Spanish, then the Mexicans, and later the Texans had learned that single-shot weapons were not enough to defeat the deadly Comanche light horse, whose mastery of cavalry tactics
and mounted bowmanship were renowned. The Comanche's constant movement caused many of their opponents' older single-shot weapons to miss their target in the chaos of battle. The Comanche could then easily kill their enemies before they had a chance to reload. And though it was understated, the Comanche learned to use single-shot firearms quite well, though they found bows superior in terms of fire rate. The Comanche put an end to Spanish expansion in North America. Besides the Mapuche
and Chichimeca
, the Comanche did what no other indigenous peoples had managed, defending their homeland – even expanding their homelands - in the face of the best military forces the Spanish could bring against them. In the late 18th century, the Comanche were said to have stolen every horse in New Mexico
.
Up until the introduction of repeating rifle
s and revolvers, weapons and tactics were definitely on the side of the Plains Indians, most especially the Comanche. However, disease and numbers were on the side of the Texans, and that increased with time.
The tide clearly began to turn after 1840, when John Coffee Hays
joined the Texas Rangers. Known for improving discipline and morale, he also armed his men with Paterson Colt 5-shot revolvers instead of single-shot guns. For the first time, at the Battle of Bandera Pass in 1841, the Indians came up against the "new rangers" and were repelled. This battle marked a clear turning point in the War against the Plains Tribes, though they would fight on bitterly for another 34 years.
where the Comanches under Buffalo Hump
sacked Victoria, Texas
and Linnville, President Sam Houston
felt he had to strengthen the frontier defenses to prevent future “Great Raids.” He then appointed Captain John Coffee Hays to recruit a company of rangers to specifically contain the Comanches. That company was filled with noted Indian fighters. Among the company were men such as: Bigfoot Wallace
, Ben Highsmith, Creed Taylor, Sam Walker, Robert Addison Gillespie, P.H. Bell, Kit Ackland, Sam Luckey, James Dunn, Tom Galberth, George Neill, and Frank Chevallier, and others well known in Texas Frontier history. That company confronted the Comanche in Bandera Pass in 1841.
This battle is where the repeating revolvers began to change the tide of the struggle against the Comanche. The Colt revolvers had just been invented, and Captain Hays and his men were lucky enough to be armed with fifty or sixty of these weapons, which the Rangers reported were unknown to the Comanche. Although they reported being badly outnumbered, the new weapons enabled the rangers to hold their ground. The fierce battle began at 11 o'clock in the morning, according to records left by Hays, and lasted all day, with the sides finally ending the conflict as night fell.
Texas-Indian Wars
The Texas–Indian wars were a series of conflicts between settlers in Texas and Plains Indians. These conflicts began when the first European and mostly Spanish settlers moved into Spanish Texas, and continued through Texas's time as part of Mexico, when more Europeans, especially Americans...
. Though they would continue another 34 years, the tide began to turn at Bandera Pass.
Location
Bandera Pass is a plain gap in the chain of mountains around 10 miles northwest of the town of BanderaBandera, Texas
Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, United States,in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 957 at the 2000 census, and according to a 2009 estimate, the population had jumped up to 1,216 people...
. This pass was named for General Bandera, a Spanish Commander, who in 1733 defeated in that pass a large body of Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
s, who still were present in Texas at that time (the Comanches subsequently drove them out). The Apaches had been making these mountains their rendezvous for attacks on the Spanish missions around San Antonio.
Military background from 1821-1841
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, there were 30,000 Anglo and Hispanic settlers in Texas, and approximately 15,000 Plains Indians
Plains Indians
The Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains...
. The settlers were armed with single shot weapons, which the Comanche, in particular, had learned very well to counter.
Certainly the Spanish, then the Mexicans, and later the Texans had learned that single-shot weapons were not enough to defeat the deadly Comanche light horse, whose mastery of cavalry tactics
Cavalry tactics
For much of history , humans have used some form of cavalry for war. Cavalry tactics have evolved over time...
and mounted bowmanship were renowned. The Comanche's constant movement caused many of their opponents' older single-shot weapons to miss their target in the chaos of battle. The Comanche could then easily kill their enemies before they had a chance to reload. And though it was understated, the Comanche learned to use single-shot firearms quite well, though they found bows superior in terms of fire rate. The Comanche put an end to Spanish expansion in North America. Besides the Mapuche
Arauco War
The Arauco War was a conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people in what is now the Araucanía and Biobío regions of modern Chile...
and Chichimeca
Chichimeca War
The Chichimeca War was a military conflict waged between Spanish colonizers and their Indian allies against a confederation of Chichimeca Indians. It was the longest and most expensive conflict between Spaniards and the indigenous peoples of New Spain in the history of the colony.The Chichimeca...
, the Comanche did what no other indigenous peoples had managed, defending their homeland – even expanding their homelands - in the face of the best military forces the Spanish could bring against them. In the late 18th century, the Comanche were said to have stolen every horse in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
Up until the introduction of repeating rifle
Repeating rifle
A repeating rifle is a single barreled rifle containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically recocks the firing action...
s and revolvers, weapons and tactics were definitely on the side of the Plains Indians, most especially the Comanche. However, disease and numbers were on the side of the Texans, and that increased with time.
The tide clearly began to turn after 1840, when John Coffee Hays
John Coffee Hays
Col. John Coffee "Jack" Hays was a Texas Ranger captain and military officer of the Republic of Texas. Hays served in several armed conflicts, including the Indian and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
joined the Texas Rangers. Known for improving discipline and morale, he also armed his men with Paterson Colt 5-shot revolvers instead of single-shot guns. For the first time, at the Battle of Bandera Pass in 1841, the Indians came up against the "new rangers" and were repelled. This battle marked a clear turning point in the War against the Plains Tribes, though they would fight on bitterly for another 34 years.
The setting for the battle
After the Great Raid of 1840Great Raid of 1840
The Great Raid of 1840 was the largest raid ever mounted by Native Americans on white cities in what is now the United States. It followed the Council House Fight, in which Republic of Texas officials attempted to capture and take prisoner 33 Comanche chiefs who had come to negotiate a peace...
where the Comanches under Buffalo Hump
Buffalo hump
Buffalo Hump was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians...
sacked Victoria, Texas
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...
and Linnville, President Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
felt he had to strengthen the frontier defenses to prevent future “Great Raids.” He then appointed Captain John Coffee Hays to recruit a company of rangers to specifically contain the Comanches. That company was filled with noted Indian fighters. Among the company were men such as: Bigfoot Wallace
William A. A. Wallace
William Alexander Anderson "Bigfoot" Wallace was a famous Texas Ranger who took part in many of the military conflicts of the Republic of Texas and the United States in the 1840s, including the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
, Ben Highsmith, Creed Taylor, Sam Walker, Robert Addison Gillespie, P.H. Bell, Kit Ackland, Sam Luckey, James Dunn, Tom Galberth, George Neill, and Frank Chevallier, and others well known in Texas Frontier history. That company confronted the Comanche in Bandera Pass in 1841.
The Battle of Bandera Pass
The exact date of this battle is no longer known, though the time it occurred is. Captain Hays and his men, approximately 50 in number, arrived at the Pass about 11 o'clock in the morning and were surprised and confronted by a large band of Comanches. Hays' reports indicate his men were discomfited by the size of the force against them, but the captain is reported to have ordered them to “dismount and tie those horses, we can whip them. No doubt about that.”This battle is where the repeating revolvers began to change the tide of the struggle against the Comanche. The Colt revolvers had just been invented, and Captain Hays and his men were lucky enough to be armed with fifty or sixty of these weapons, which the Rangers reported were unknown to the Comanche. Although they reported being badly outnumbered, the new weapons enabled the rangers to hold their ground. The fierce battle began at 11 o'clock in the morning, according to records left by Hays, and lasted all day, with the sides finally ending the conflict as night fell.