Indians Raid Camp Wichita

June 11, 1869, Indians raided Camp Wichita, Indian Territory. Their objective was to stampede the soldier's horses. Troops A, F, H, I and K of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry and Companies B, E, and F of the Third Infantry, led by Colonel Nelson, pursued the raiders. The raiding warriors turned on them, wounding three soldiers and killing six horses. Six Indians were killed and ten others were wounded.

The following excerpt is from the book, Sentinel of the Southern Plains, by Allen Lee Hamilton.

"In September, (1870) Colonel Oakes ordered Companies A, D, and G of the Sixth and Company K, Eleventh Infantry, under the command of Major R.M. Morris, to establish a temporary camp on the East Fork of the Little Wichita River, some ten miles northeast of Buffalo Springs. Named Camp Wichita, it was intended as a forward base of operations against those Indian raiders coming from the reservation who, Oakes believed, made up the major percentage of the depredators. Camp Wichita was also intended to silence some of the criticism being voiced by settlers about the inability of the soldiers of Richardson to protect the frontier. As Oakes wrote to the assistant adjutant general of the Department of Texas: "This is the best I can do for the country between the Red & Brazos Rivers during the grass season."