The Captured

Once again, it took me a long time to finish a book. I was at another point where I had no books "in queu" so to speak. I looked at my bookshelf and decided it was time for a historical nonfiction, this time following my interest. I have always been facinated by Cynthia Ann Parker, a well know Native American "white" Indian, captured from her family in Texas when young, eventually marrying a Comanche leader. Her first born son, Quanah Parker, had grown to be the last know Comanche chief, becoming famous for his leadership in the late years of the Native American tribe.

This book focused on other captive children during the years before and after the Civil War in Texas. The author was trying to find information on his ancestor, Adolf Korn, who was captured in his early teens and then sent back to his family after a short time. In all cases mentioned, every child was relocated and sent back to his/her family, but they never ended up happy and successful in life. It's almost as if they wanted to return to the Native life. What child wouldn't, when their German parents made them work hard to survive, but their adoptive Native parents let them ride horses, play games and do whatever their young hearts desired. Most had money troubles in later life, along with relationship issues and dealing with trying to fit in. It is actually sad, because I understand their parents wanting their children back, and then not understanding how to deal with these "wild" children once they are returned.

In one case, Rudolph Fischer was actually forced to return to his original family after he was 18 years old, spending almost 12 years living with the Comanches. His family needed to know what had happened to him, but because he was an adult, I don't know why they forced him back to his original life. Needless to say, he went back to live with his Native family, and eventually one of his children married one of Quanah Parker's children, forever officially linking him to his Comanche roots.

Towards the end of the book, it told that a few of these former captives actually tried to be officially adopted by their original tribes. Many government officials claimed they were only trying to get a piece of the land they were giving out to tribal members. This was a way they could show their dedication to their loved time with their captures.

The book was very hard to read, but my interest kept me in the story. Cynthia Ann Parker was eventually sent back to her family, but she was a young married woman who had a few children of her own by then. It was too late for her, she died in her original family home, heartbroken after her baby girl passed away. Another sad chapter in our country's history.