21 Months a Captive: Rachel Plummer and the Fort Parker Massacre

by Rachel Plummer

On May 19, 1836, Fort Parker in Texas was overwhelmed by a band of Comanche Indians. Some residents were brutally murdered, others taken prisoner.

Among those captured was eleven year old Cynthia Parker, who would remain with the Comanche for 24 years and give birth to famed Chief Quanah.

Another captive was 17-year-old Rachel Plummer, mother of one, pregnant with her second child. She would soon have her first-born ripped from her arms, never to be seen again, and later watched as her second-born was killed before her eyes.

After twenty-one months of captivity that destroyed her health, she was purchased and returned to her family. In this extraordinary account, her father tells of that horrible day when the fort was attacked, and his desperate efforts to find and retrieve the captives. Rachel details her terrible enslavement and how she eventually fought back.

For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones.

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Genres: History, Nonfiction, Memoir, Westerns

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Reviews

[Brian Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I'm writing this review, I realize it most likely will be viewed negatively by both conservatives and progressives, though it is honestly not my intent to make everyone upset/offended. Also, disclaimer, this review will reference some pretty horrific things presented in the book that may be very difficult for some to read.

I ended up giving this account three stars for the following reason. I absolutely despised the first part of the book, which was James Parker's account of surviving a Native American attack at his home/fort and his subsequent attempts to find his family who was taken captive. Parker writes his account with extreme arrogance. He laments about the loss of life at Fort Parker (the place where the Comanche tribe attacks), but fails to include critical historical facts that sheds him and his family in a negative light. For example, John Parker, the founder of the fort, literally built this fort on Comanche territory, even observing the Comanche tribe watching him at a distant and being warned repeatedly to not to try and take their land. John's arrogance continues, as he completes the fort, upsets the natives, and then receives repeated warnings of an upcoming Comanche attack, but ignores the warnings and puts his entire family (children included) in jeopardy. Arrogance must run in the family, because, even after James (John's son), survives the attack and escapes, he repeatedly goes out, by himself, without provisions, to try and rescue his family. And then he spends his entire account complaining about how difficult it was. Sorry, James, I feel no sympathy for you. You literally decide to bring no weapons, food, or accompaniment with you. You don't get to spend the majority of this book whining about it. Furthermore, you (family included), brought this on yourself by building a fort on Comanche territory when you were warned not to.

The saving grace of this book was Rachel Plummer's account, which sadly is simply an appendix to this book. Rachel was an unfortunate victim of her family's arrogance and suffers for it. She (pregnant) and her 18 month old son are captured during the attack on Fort Parker, and she details what life was like living in Comanche captivity. The details she provides of her experience are truly horrific. She describes the barbaric (yes, I will use the word "barbaric" to describe the actions of the Comanche, because I am not sure what other term/word would do justice for people who rip a 6 week child out of his mother's arms, put a noose around his tiny head, and drag him through cacti until he is literally shred into pieces, and throw the pieces of the dead body back at his mother) actions that she endured for 21 months and gives a first hand account of what prisoners of the Comanche endured. One cannot help but feel for this woman, and rejoice when she is rescued by a trader who buys her from her captivity and she is reunited with her family.

Overall, I had a love-hate relationship with this text, with sympathy extended at points for both the Comanche and the white settler who was turned prisoner. This is a good, primary account of frontier living in Texas for anyone interested in the topic.

[Paul McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting historical read, the writing style was intriguing and the language unusual. What surprised me was how humble these people were in what they endured. So different to today, our propensity to glamarise the horror of events and our situations much more evident than in those days.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very short, but very interesting, book about the raid on Parker's fort in 1836, the people that were captured (particularly Rachel Parker Plummer and Cynthia Parker), and the search to rescue those that were captured. It is my understanding that the John Wayne movie "The Searchers" found its inspiration from this real life story. Cynthia was 9 years old when she captured (kidnapped), and adapted into the tribe, married a chief, and their son became the principal chief of the Comanches (Quanah Parker). Rachel was 17 years old, married and with one child; and in early stage of another pregnancy. One of the tragic parts of this story is that both children, the one that was about a year old, and the other that she was carrying, were both killed by the Indians.

The story is really two stories: one, is about James W. Parker and his long and futile hunt for those two girls (his daughter, and niece); and the other, is narrative written by Rachel Plummer about her time among the Comanches. There is also a short section on "The Texas Wars", where James Parker tells about the war between the Texas and the Mexicans -- including the Alamo, Golidad, and San Jacinto.

The one thing that stands out through all three of these sections is how brave, determined, tough, and resilient those settlers out on the edges of the frontier in those days really were. If you are looking for a short, informative, and interesting read about the Parker family, the Comanches, and the Parker family reflections; this would be a good read. I'm sure that that there are others that will provide more information, may be even more accurate material, but this would be good for most anyone.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fascinating read. Would highly recommend to any interested in Native American or Texas history. It is a very to the point and quick read.

Would recommend reading in conjunction with Empire of the Summer Moon

[Anthony L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

The candor, the language and customs of the time, the toughness of people back then who, with so much less, could do so much more than today's decayed version of humanity.

[Ben Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is split into two different parts. The first half is about the father (James W Parker) looking for his daughter who was kidnapped after a Comanche raid on their Texas fort. The second half is about a woman (Rachel Plummer) and her 21 months spent with the Comanches after being kidnapped from that raid. Both first hand accounts.

This was really a tale of two books. James W Parker's account was interesting, but pales in comparison to Rachel Plummer's account of her time with the Comanche tribe. Her account was short, but fantastic. Detailing parts of life with the Comanche, a section on all the animals (which was oddly fascinating), her troubles with some of the Comanche woman, and many horrific hardships by the Comache men and her two different children (one that was kidnapped and one she had while a prisoner of the tribe.

By far the most FANTASTIC part of the book was the faith Rachel Plummer had and continued to have while a captive. After one very traumatic event she writes:
"Will this scene ever be effaced from my memory? Not until my Spirit is called to leave this tenement of clay; and may God grant me a heart to pray for them, for "they know not what they do"

and another instant after her young infant is tied to a horse and rode through cactus until it was "not only dead, but literally torn to pieces", as she buries her baby and stands over his grave, she writes:

"and I could, with old David, say, 'You cannot come to me, but I must go to you;' and then, and even now, whilst I record the awful tragedy, I rejoice that it has passed from the sufferings and sorrows of this world."

Really great book.

[Tammy]

I don’t think I’ll “rate” this first person account of frontier living. As with any account of personal experience that documents historical events, it is told through the lens of the person writing it. There are the experiences of the Parker family, the attack at the fort, and the kidnapping of women and children. This account is told by Mr. Parker Jr. and his memory of the attack and his search for his adult pregnant daughter, and other family members. Today, there is also the awareness of the lack of voice for the Comanche tribes in the early 1800s and what drove their actions. I found this primary source interesting, devastating, and hauntingly beautiful in different parts. The human suffering is devastating, both groups of people. The clash of frontier and Native cultures fascinating. The descriptions of the American landscape, animals and resources no longer remaining, hauntingly beautiful and deeply sad.

[BookAddict · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as a result of reading GC Gwynne's history of Qannah Parker (written in 2010) which starts with the kidnapping and murder of some of the Parker family living in the Republic of Texas in the 19th century.

This is supposed to be the story of Rachel Parker Plummer, the kidnapping victim, but it's more about her idiot father, James Parker; we don't get to Rachel's story until the end of the book. There are some interesting pieces in here about Comanche life but so much of this time period is white washed (and I do mean white) that it's hard to really get a grasp on what Rachel went through and how she felt. Granted this was written in the 1800s so some of it is guarded writing by what was proper of the day, but I've found other similar tales to be much more detailed and interesting. This was just ok for me.

[Susan Ketterer · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Person Account of Captive and her Father

I like reading a variety of first-person accounts of history as it presents truth, both good and bad. It provides a vivid description of life and thoughts of people of that time and place. It can be a disturbing read for some as it is vivid in its description of Native brutality towards its captors and children. Truth can be difficult for some to read.

[Scott Farwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

More about the search than the captive

I expected a vivid recounting of what happened to the captive during her long stay with the Indian tribes But it seems like most of the book was about her uncle traveling all over the country and back home and back out again trying to find her. The writing style is difficult to get through because people just talked A lot differently back then In a proper stiff manner.

[Tedra Ulmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best captivity narratives available. Living near most of the sites discussed in the book made me curious about re-reading all the accounts of the massacre at Parker’s Fort. Rachel Plummer went through at least three levels of hell and her loss was heartbreaking. It should be required reading in every college-level Texas history class.

[BarbaraW · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok but grandfather writes first half of the book-mostly his search for Rachel , his grand children and niece who were kidnapped by the Comanches. Rachel’s account is less than 50 pages and is stunning but no where near 21 months of detail. It was noted some of the narrative was lost before publication. Was expecting a more detailed account.

[Henrique Henriques]

The first and probably the best account of white female abduction into an Indian tribe. Mrs. Plummer had a wretched life - hers is the opposite of Cinthia Ann Parker story. The book she wrote at least ensured her some sense of immortality.

[Steve Willey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what I expected for a book written in 1839 but this was a very simple first hand account of the search for those taken captive by Indians at Fort Parker and of Rachel Plummer's 21 months of captivity. I found it interesting.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this backpacking and it made me appreciate more how crazy of a physical feat that father did to save his family, one of the craziest feats of endurance I’ve ever read. A harrowing and beautiful story all around

[Debbie Brandenburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrific account of an Indian massacre, the account of Rachel's captivity and the attempts to rescue her. this book will raise your anxiety level.

This short book was referenced in another book I was reading ... Bill O'Reilly's book "Killing Crazy Horse".

[Mike Samson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's incredible that this text has been preserved in a modern book for us to read. The recounting story is told by an everyday person who witnessed the events. Subsequently it's a very average story telling.

[Beverly Kee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I expected

I was interested in of the history of the Comanche, so this waa was not what I was expecting. A sad and hard to read in places story, that really shows the father's love for his daughter.

[Lawrence FitzGerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing so unknown as history. Why it's told; how it's told.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading History

Many times, our nation's past is painful to read. I don't regret reading this book. It was informative. Yet, there are times history when reality is difficult.

[Robert E. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

A look at Texas’ history I had not known concerning the Native Americans and our battles for independence and eventual statehood.

[Dorothea L Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captive

This is a very good book, with a good story line about the survivors of the fort Parker Massacre, some of them were taken prisoners, and held captive for some time.

[George Midla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family story told by those who lived it. A quick read giving a big view into frontier life.

[Lesewolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟 for Rachel Plummers honest, unsparing and self-reflective Part.

[Denver Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tearjerking yet inspiring

It’s incredible reading these words from such a brave innocent soul who lived and died so young, yet had the intelligence and determination to describe her harrowing experiences in such detail for generations to learn.