Author’s Note

This book tells the true story of the Comanche chief, Quanah Parker. Many mistakenly believe that his fame rests on one battle, Adobe Walls. His true fame, however, comes from his success in two roles, those of warrior and statesman. Among white settlers, his name evoked fear. For a decade, his raids in Texas brought death and destruction. After his surrender, though, he led the Comanche in making the hard adjustment to the white man’s road. During his lifetime, stories about Quanah Parker filled the press. Some were fiction, but others were true. The events described in this book all really happened.

During his years of raiding, Quanah was both feared and hated. In his later years, he was admired and liked by the whites with whom he dealt. Only one Native American chief succeeded well in both worlds. His name was Quanah Parker.