Empire of the Summer Moon

The end of the Mexican-American War, and the subsequent Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, resulted in the realization of the American dream of Manifest Destiny. The newly acquired lands opened up a lot of new frontier for settlers eager to claim the area and find fortune. This became problematic for the Comanches because where they had previously existed as a natural barrier between the French and Spanish, they were now completely surrounded by a single nation.

Texas had long been in a difficult position since its fight for independence from Mexico. It was alone and facing continuous incursions by the Mexican army; San Antonio was captured twice, and the Comanches to the west raided nearly unchecked. Eventually, the Rangers were created, who fought back against the Indians.

The Rangers were a new type of white man. They were dirty, ill-clad, aggressive, and fearless. They enjoyed killing Indians. However, they were almost always outmanned. Battles followed a typical pattern: “The white men took cover, the Indians charged, men on both sides died, and the Indians finally withdrew, unwilling to take the losses it would require to pry the white men, with their fire-spitting Kentucky rifles, from their positions” (137).