the red river war officially ended in june 1875 when quanah parker and his band of quahadi comanche entered fort sill and surrendered; they were the last large roaming band of southwestern indians. combined with the extermination of the buffalo, the war left the texas panhandle permanently open to settlement by farmers and ranchers. it was the final military defeat of the once powerful southern plains tribes and brought an end to the texas–indian wars.