[yarddog]

I am not sure if it was the late 1860s or the early 1870s but my late wife’s ancestors were given three Spencer rifles and a pile of ammunition when the Army learned they were going to travel through Comanche territory. They also armed a young man who was traveling with them.

As it turned out they needed them. They got into a big fight with the Indians and succeeded in beating them off in a two day battle.

[muawiyah]

The Comanche are one of those groups that seemed to pop up out of the woods without antecedants ~ yet, they wore fancy European dress, and carried firearms. They engaged in widespread raiding of settled areas.

I think they had their base of operations in Helena ~ but that has yet to be proven ~ they ranged from there across the Great Plains down into Tejas ~ like they knew where to go and where to hide.

If anyone knows a Comanche you might see if they'd be interested in one of those genealogy DNA tests.