Part of our in-depth series exploring the forts of Comancheria
4 May 1877; Morton, Texas: While the buffalo hunters tried to go after the renegade Comanches, the U.S. Cavalry was also on their trail. On 9 April, Capt. Phillip L. Lee and 42 buffalo soldiers of Company G, 10th Cavalry, along with about 70 scouts rode out of Fort Griffin. About 50 miles northwest of the site of the Yellow House fight, west of Silver Lake in present-day Cochran County, Lee came across Black Horse's Comanches.
The Indians were surprised, and Lee chased them about eight miles into the sand hills, then returned to destroy their tipis and supplies. In the fight, Sgt. Charles Cutler was mortally wounded. At least four Comanches were killed trying to get away, and several women and children are believed to have been killed, though Lee made no mention of it in his report. He captured six women and 69 horses.
On their return to Fort Griffin, the troopers rode past Rath's store, where Lee told the buffalo hunters that they had killed over 30 Indians at Yellow House Canyon, though few believed it.