1869 Independence Day Raid
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On July 4, 1869, after gathering a herd of horses from the Fort Worth area, a group of eleven Indians rode north and west from the city. They were followed by a posse of Tarrant County men, who trailed them into Parker County. Along the way, the Indians raided the homes of several settlers and shot and scalped two travelers. Other posses began following the Indians, who slipped away on the night of July 5th, leaving behind most of the stock they had taken. Raids such as this were common on the North Texas frontier between the late 1850s and 1875. (1984)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On July 4, 1869, a band of eleven Native raiders gathered horses around Fort Worth and rode northwest, pursued by a posse of Tarrant County men into Parker County. Along the way settlers' homes were raided and two travelers killed before the raiders slipped away on the night of July 5th, abandoning most of the stock. Such raids were a recurring feature of the North Texas frontier from the late 1850s until 1875.
Why it matters
The episode marks the violent, contested edge of Anglo settlement on the southern plains, where the U.S. push west and Native resistance collided for a generation.
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Related events
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Themes & tags
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