There is a specific detail about the descent into Palo Duro Canyon that deserves extended consideration, because it illuminates both the difficulty of Mackenzie’s operation and the degree to which surprise was the critical factor.

The Texas Historical Commission marker describes the troops as moving “silently at dawn down a perilous path on the south rim.” The descent was approximately 700 feet — a significant elevation change in single-file movement down a narrow trail, with horses, in darkness.

The logistical difficulty of this descent was substantial.

Moving a cavalry column down a narrow trail in darkness, maintaining silence, with horses that might balk or slip or make noise at any moment, required exactly the kind of discipline and preparation that Mackenzie demanded from the 4th Cavalry.

The horses had to be managed carefully.