Council House Fight
| Council House Fight | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Texas-Indian Wars | |||||||
The Plaza and the Council House in San Antonio | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Texas Rangers and Texas Militia | Comanche | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Hugh McLeod George Thomas Howard Mathew Caldwell (WIA) | Muk-wah-ruh † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Approximately 100 | 33 chiefs and warriors, and 32 family members and/or retainers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
7 killed 10 wounded (most from friendly fire) |
35 killed 29 captured and imprisoned | ||||||
The Council House Fight, often referred to as the Council House Massacre, was a fight between soldiers and officials of the Republic of Texas and a delegation of Comanche chiefs during a peace conference in San Antonio on March 19, 1840. The meeting took place under an observed truce with the purpose of negotiating the exchange of captives and ultimately facilitating peace after two years of war. The Comanches sought to obtain recognition of the boundaries of the Comancheria, their homeland, while the Texians wanted the release of Texian and Mexican citizens held prisoner by the Comanches.
The council ended with 12 Comanche leaders shot to death inside the Council House, 23 others shot in the streets of San Antonio, and 30 taken captive. The Comanche tortured 13 captives to death in response. The incident ended any chance for peace and led to years of further hostility and war.