The Arroyo Seco Fight was a clash between militia and

Rangers A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to: * Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...

of the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

and a large

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

war party traveling with Chief Essowakkenny, which took place on the

Seco Creek Seco Creek, is a tributary stream of the Hondo Creek, in Frio County, Texas. Named ''Rio Seco'' (Seco, the Spanish word for "dry,") in 1689 by Captain Alonso De León, governor of Coahuila, when his expedition crossed the creek."SECO CREEK," Han ...

in Medina County, Texas, on August 10, 1838.

Background

On December 28, 1837, Henry Wax Karnes was authorized to raise eight companies of Texas Rangers to patrol and defend the frontier of Texas.Thomas W. Cutrer, "KARNES, HENRY WAX," Handbook of Texas Onlin

accessed October 08, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. On August 10, 1837, Karnes and his men camped on Seco Creek. Members of the patrol included John Coffee Hays, Jack Hays and Benjamin F. Cage.

Battle

While encamped on the Seco Creek resting their horses, the unit was suddenly attacked by about 200 Comanches on horseback. Karnes alerted his men to take cover in the ravine, using the thick brush for cover. While outnumbered about 10:1, the Texans held their ground and fired in alternate sequences with around seven men shooting at a time. This method would give some time to reload as others fired. The Comanches fought fiercely, fighting and regrouping, unleashing three separate attacks. Hays singled out the chief and eliminated the threat. Arrows flew in barrages until 20 Comanches lay dead on the ground, with as many wounded. The Comanches then gathered their wounded and returned to their village. Although an overwhelming victory for the Texans, Karnes, who had been directing the battle from a bluff, was wounded, and several of the Rangers' horses were shot dead.Moore (2006), p. 19.

Notes

References

*
Account of Karnes fight on the Arroyo Seco
fro
Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas
by John Henry Brown published 1880, hosted b
The Portal to Texas History
*Contemporary newspaper account, Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol. 4, Saturday, September 1, 1838

hosted b
The Portal to Texas History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arroyo Seco Fight Conflicts in 1838 Arroyo Seco Fight Battles involving the Comanche Battles of the Texas Ranger Division Comanche Texas–Indian Wars Battles involving the Republic of Texas August 1838 events