Augur, gave him considerable latitude: he was “at liberty to follow the Indians wherever they go, even to the Agencies.” This was explicit authorization to pursue off-reservation peoples onto reservation lands if that was where they went — a significant departure from earlier policies that had sometimes provided de facto sanctuary at the agencies.

Mackenzie departed Fort Concho on August 15, 1874, with eight companies of the 4th Cavalry and supporting infantry.

He moved north into the Panhandle through the brutal late-summer heat of the Texas plains, fighting skirmishes with Comanche bands along the way.

By late September, he had reached the Tule Canyon area, within striking range of Palo Duro.

Finding The Canyon

The discovery of the large encampment in Palo Duro Canyon was a product of skilled scouting in difficult terrain.