Cynthia Ann Parker: The Story of Her Capture at the Massacre of the Inmates of Parker's Fort; of Her Quarter of a Century Spent Among the Comanches, as the Wife of the War Chief, Peta Nocona; and of Her Recapture at the Battle of Pease River, by Captain L. S. Ross, of the Texian RangersDeShields, James T.
History
Cynthia Ann Parker: The Story of Her Capture at the Massacre of the Inmates of Parker's Fort; of Her Quarter of a Century Spent Among the Comanches, as the Wife of the War Chief, Peta Nocona; and of Her Recapture at the Battle of Pease River, by Captain L. S. Ross, of the Texian Rangers
DeShields, James T.
Comanche Indians -- History; Indian captivities -- Texas; Parker, Cynthia Ann, 1827?-1864; Parker, Quanah, 1845?-1911; Ross, Lawrence Sullivan, 1838-1898
After wandering around and traveling for six days and nights, during
which time they suffered much from hunger and thirst, with their
clothing torn into shreads, their bodies lacerated with briars and
thorns, the women and children with unshod and bleeding feet, the party
of James W. Parker ---- men, and ----[5] women and children--reached
Tinnin’s, at the old San Antonio and Nacogdoches crossing of the
Navasota. Being informed of their approach, Messrs. Carter and
Courtney, with five horses, met them some miles away, and thus enabled
the women and children to ride. The few people around, though but
returned to their deserted homes after the victory of San Jacinto,
shared all they had of food and clothing with them.
[5] We are unable to ascertain the exact number. Different
accounts variously estimate the number from 10 to 20.
Plummer, after six days of wanderings alone in the wilderness, arrived
at the fort the same day.
In due time the members of the party located temporarily as best suited
the respective families, most of them returning to Fort Parker soon
afterwards.
A burrial party of twelve men from Fort Houston went up and burried
the dead. Their remains now repose near the site of old Fort Parker.
Peace to their memories. Unadorned are their graves; not even a slab of
marble or a memento of any kind has been erected to tell the traveler
where rests the remains of this brave little band of pioneer heroes who
wrestled with the savage for the mastery of this proud domain.
After the massacre the savages retired with their booty to their own
wild haunts amid the hills and valleys of the beautiful Canadian and
Pease rivers.
CHAPTER II.
The Captives--Cynthia Ann and John Parker.
Of the captives we will briefly trace their subsequent checkered career.
After leaving the fort the two tribes, the Comanches and Kiowas,
remained and traveled together until midnight. They then halted on
an open prairie, staked out their horses, placed their pickets, and
pitched their camp. Bringing all their prisoners together for the first
time, they tied their hands behind them with raw-hide thongs so tightly
as to cut the flesh, tied their feet close together, and threw them
upon their faces. Then the braves, gathering around with their yet
bloody, dripping scalps, commenced their usual war dance. They danced,
screamed, yelled, stamping upon their prisoners, beating them with bows
until their own blood came near strangling them. The remainder of the
night these frail women suffered and had to listen to the cries and
groans of their tender little children.
Mrs. Elizabeth Kellogg soon fell into the hands of the Keechis, from
whom, six months after her capture, she was purchased by a party of
Delawares, who carried her into Nacogdoches and delivered her to Gen.
Houston, who paid them $150.00, the amount they had paid and all they
asked.
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