Atlas of Battles

battle, nineteenth century

Battle of the North Fork of the Red River

Battle of the North Fork of the Red River was a battle fought on 28 September 1872 in what is now Texas, United States. It was part of the American Indian Wars, which ran from 1609 to 1924. The recorded result: U.S. victory.

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Oil painting
Oil painting. Frederic Remington, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought28 September 1872
WhereTexas, United States35.412N, 100.672W
OutcomeU.S. victory
BelligerentsUnited States; 4th Cavalry Regiment (United States), Tonkawa scoutsagainstComanche Kotsoteka Band
Casualties and losses3 killed; 7 woundedandApproximately 50 killed; 130 captured
Part ofAmerican Indian Wars1609 to 1924

Where it sits in the American Indian Wars

Battle of Blue Licks, 1782Battle of the Sink Hole, 1815Battle of Village Creek, 1841Battle of Egan Station, 1860Battle of Pease River, 1860Bear River Massacre, 1863First Battle of Adobe Walls, 1864Battle of the Tongue River, 1865Battle of Beecher Island, 1868Battle of Washita River, 1868Battle of Summit Springs, 1869Battle of Blanco Canyon, 1871Battle of the North Fork of the Red River, 1872Battle of Sugar Point, 1898Battle of Kelley Creek, 191117821911Battle of the North Fork of the Red River, 1872
15 placed engagements of the American Indian Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date28 September 1872
PlaceTexas, United States
35.412N, 100.672W
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength12 officers and 272 enlisted men, 20 Tonkawa scoutsUnknown, but the best guesses are 160 in the band, including 100 women and children
Casualties and losses3 killed; 7 woundedApproximately 50 killed; 130 captured
Commanders
Battle of the North Fork of the Red RiverBattle of the North Fork of the Red RiverBattle of the Upper Washita RiverFirst Battle of Adobe WallsSecond Battle of Adobe WallsBattle of Washita RiverBattle of Little Robe CreekBattle of the Upper Washita RiverFirst Battle of Adobe WallsBattle of Washita RiverWoodwardHerefordChildress100 km35.412N, 100.672W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1872

Battle of the North Fork of the Red River is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 1,148 in present-day United States (58 in Texas).

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4872975, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the North Fork of the Red River, revision 1370601659, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.