Comanche Bloodshed | The 1864 SLAUGHTER of Elm Creek

What would it have been like to be with the Comanche on raid? follow the attack in 1864 as a small settlement made vulnerable by the Civil War is descended upon by a large Comanche War Party looking for revenge, resources, and glory.

The Comanche were a warring culture. Raids were an important part of custom and who they were. For centuries young warriors seeking blood rites devastated other Native American tribes as they conquered the plains. Later they attacked the people of New Spain and later Mexico. They caused havoc for Texas and formed a literal barrier to expansion on the plains. Everyone within a few hundred miles of Comancheria was always in danger under the Comanche Moon.

However, a variety of factors contributed to a drop off in Comanche power in the 1850s. Disease, the aggressive nature of the Texas government, and U.S. military action led to a frontier that was fast becoming more pacified. But when the Civil War started, the protection for settlers on the frontier left with the men for war and an outbreak of raids began again against Texas. This is the story of the largest recorded raid during the time period, told from the perspective of the raiders. The Slaughter of Elm Creek in 1864.

This story is different from many others that have been on this channel. One of the difficulties when studying history is sources. This is particularly difficult when studying the history of the Comanche as they didn’t write their history. Because of that, what is written is done from the lens of the Europeans who interacted with them and most of the stories on this channel are done in that way. But this one is different. The sources provide enough information on the events that the rest can be filled in with Comanche custom. As a society that was bound by custom and medicine, we can fairly infer what took place, even in cases where we don’t see the exact events unfold. So this story serves two purposes. We see a Comanche raid from the perspective of the raiders but also see how the culture and custom of the Comanche played out in the attacks.

RESOURCES

Charles Goodnight-Cowman & Plainsman, by J. Evetts Haley (Book)

Elm Creek Raid by Michael Trevis
https://www.forttours.com/pages/elmcr...
**This resource is a great place to read up on Elm Creek. It includes a collection of sources and letters**

Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gywnne (Book)

Frontier Defense in the Civil War, by David Paul Smith (Book)

Horrific Indian Raid in Young County (Primary Source Letter From Henry Williams)
https://www.frontiertimesmagazine.com...

Indian Depredations in Texas by J.W. Wilbarger (Book)

The Comanches: A History of a People by T.R. Fehrenbach (Book)