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A.C. Greene considered The Comanche Barrier to South Plains Settlement an instant choice to be included in his book, The Fifty Best Books on Texas. The book details both sides of the tragic Council House Fight of 1840, the Battle of Adobe Walls, and the reluctance of the Comanches to accept Texas overtures to peace. Originally published in 1933, this edition includes 11,000 words that were left out of the original version.
The author tells the story of one of the most feared Indian tribes from both the perspective of the Native Americans and the Whites. This book shows the history was not one-sided, and both share responsibility for the hostility and deaths that resulted.
Of particular interest is the chapter on the famous Adobe Walls battle. It tells the story from the Comanche side of the battle and explains the fascinating background, especially the role of Isatai, the young Comanche medicine man and prophet who, convincing the leaders of his magic and visions, created the one final effort on the part of several tribes to reclaim their buffalo hunting grounds.
About the author
Rupert Norval Richardson was recognized as a prominent historian and educator, on the state and national level, but particularly in West Texas. He was born in 1891 near Caddo, Texas, and graduated from Simmons College, now Hardin Simmons University. He was a high school principal in Cisco and Sweetwater, before becoming a professor of history in 1917 at Simmons College. He served briefly as a second lieutenant during World War I in the army.He did his graduate work at the University of Texas, receiving an M.A. in 1922 and a Ph.D. in 1926. He was associated with Hardin-Simmons University until his death, becoming dean of students in 1926, vice president in 1928, acting president in 1943-45, and president in 1945. He was associated with Hardin Simmons until his death in 1988, serving as president emeritus in 1953 and teaching classes and supervising students until his death.He was a founding member of the West Texas Historical Association and active in a number of civic organizations. Richardson was a prolific writer, authoring eight books, including a textbook, Texas: The Lone Star State (1943), that went through five editions and was a leading college textbook in the 90s. He was also president of the Texas Historical Commission (1969-1970) and received the Ruth Lester Award in 1972 for his efforts in historical preservation.
