Editing Fort Concho (section)

===Base of the 4th Cavalry===
[[File:Fort concho plaque.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A Texas State Historical Association plaque describing the service history of Fort Concho in metal type: Underneath it is a smaller plaque marking the fort as a National Register of Historic Places property.|Historical marker detailing the service life of Fort Concho]]

In the first seven months of Fort Concho's existence, its [[garrison]] – numbering 129, out of a force of 3,672 in Texas, according to the 1869 reports of the War Department – were occupied by its plodding construction. This was the cause of much criticism by local Texas newspapers; the frontier continued to retreat in the remaining years of the 1860s.{{sfn|Chapman|1940|pp=259, 264}} Meanwhile, outside of building work, the garrison patrolled, scouted, and escorted cattle herds and wagon trains on the [[San Antonio–El Paso Road]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=13}} There was thus little combat in Texas, according to the US Army records. Inaction by the army, whose garrisons were poorly and irregularly supplied, and criticism of that inaction, continued into 1871. Beginning with the creation of the [[Department of Texas]] that March, however, US Army activity in Texas changed. Sheridan adopted a strategy of feinting and constant movement early in the year, and then punitive expeditions in the winter, when the tribes' ponies would be weakest. As part of Sheridan's plan, the garrisons of the Texas forts established subposts. Among these were Fort Chadbourne, which was reoccupied, and Camp Charlotte,{{sfn|Chapman|1940|pp=265–67, 269–71}} on the Middle Concho.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Camp Charlotte}}

On February 25, 1871, Colonel [[Ranald S. Mackenzie]] took command of the 4th Cavalry. He moved the regimental headquarters to Fort Richardson a month later,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Mackenzie, Ranald Slidell}} but kept a few companies at Fort Concho.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fourth United States Cavalry}} These companies participated in an inconclusive campaign against the [[Kiowa]] from May to September 1871,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=13–14}} returning to Fort Concho in November.{{sfn|Chapman|1940|p=267}} Comanche and Kiowa raids became more frequent over the rest of 1871, prompting a number of expeditions that rarely saw Native Americans. A notable exception was a patrol carried out by [[Sergeant]] [[William Wilson (Medal of Honor)|William Wilson]] from March 26 to 29, 1872, that led to the US Army's discovery of water in the [[Staked Plains]] and a large Comanche settlement at [[Mushaway Peak]]. Hatch,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=14–15}} in charge of Fort Concho for Mackenzie,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Hatch, John Porter}} reported Wilson's findings, which were confirmed by another patrol by Captain [[Napoleon B. McLaughlen]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=15–16}}

After Mackenzie and Hatch met with [[Brigadier General]] [[Christopher C. Augur]],{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=16}}{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Christopher Columbus Augur}} in command of the Department of Texas, Mackenzie and McLaughlen, commanding Companies D and I, departed from their respective installations on June 17. Over the following months, the 4th Cavalry explored the [[South Plains]] and fought the Comanche at the [[Battle of the North Fork of the Red River|Battle of the North Fork]] on September 29. As a result of that battle, the 4th Cavalry captured 124 women and children, 116 of whom were taken back to Fort Concho on October 21. The captives were interned in the quartermaster's corral and remained there until the Department of Texas ordered their release on April 14, 1873. They departed Fort Concho on May 24 under escort from the 11th Infantry and arrived at [[Fort Sill]] on June 10.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=16–19}}

On June 27, 1874, more than 200 indigenous warriors [[Second Battle of Adobe Walls|attacked a group of buffalo hunters camped at Adobe Walls]], beginning the [[Red River War]]. In response, Augur ordered Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry back to Fort Concho in July. By August,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=19–21}} Sheridan, now commanding the [[Military Division of the Missouri]],{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Philip Henry Sheridan}} ordered five expeditionary forces of more than 3,000 soldiers each into the South Plains.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fourth United States Cavalry}} The southern force, under Mackenzie, left Fort Concho on August 23, 1874, with eight companies of the 4th Cavalry, four of the [[10th Infantry Regiment (United States)|10th Infantry]], and one from the 11th Infantry. Over the following year, Mackenzie chased the Comanche to their base of operations in the [[Palo Duro Canyon]] and [[Battle of Palo Duro Canyon|destroyed it on September 28]]. His force continued to patrol the area over the winter, preventing the Comanche from rebuilding their supplies and forcing their return to their reservation.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=21–23}}