Battle of Little Robe Creek
The Battle of Little Robe Creek, also known as the Battle of Antelope Hills and the Battle of the South Canadian, took place on May 12, 1858. It was a series of three distinct encounters that took place on a single day, between the Comanches, with Texas Rangers, militia, and allied Tonkawas attacking them. It was undertaken against the laws of the United States at the time, which strictly forbade such an incursion into the Indian Territories of Oklahoma, and marked a significant escalation of the Indian Wars. It also marked the first time American or Texas Ranger forces had penetrated the Comancheria as far as the Wichita Mountains and Canadian River, and it marked a decisive defeat for the Comanches.
Comanche warriors, circa 1870.
View of the Antelope Hills battlefield, with the Antelope Hills in the background and the Canadian River the midground. The confluence with Little Robe Creek is downstream to the left.
Capt. John "Rip" Ford was made captain and commander of the Texas Ranger, Militia, and Allied Indian Forces
Comanches of West Texas in war regalia, circa 1830
The Texas Ranger Division, also known as the Texas Rangers and also known as Diablos Tejanos, is an investigative law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Texas. It is based in the capital city Austin. In the time since its creation, the Texas Rangers have investigated crimes ranging from murder to political corruption, acted in riot control and as detectives, protected the governor of Texas, tracked down fugitives, served as a security force at important state locations, including the Alamo, and functioned as a paramilitary force at the service of both the Republic (1836–1846) and the State of Texas.
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An early depiction of a group of Texas Rangers, c. 1845
Texas Historical Marker for Texas Ranger Camp Roberts in Blanco Canyon.
Members of the Frontier Battalion, a company of Texas Rangers, ca. 1885