Peter Garland And The Choctaw Tom Incident: A Turning Point in Texas Frontier History
Published In The Hood County News, November 16, 2024
Peter Garland, a man born of Revolutionary and War of 1812 stock, carved out a controversial legacy on the Texas frontier. His journey from Mississippi, where he juggled roles as Circuit Court Clerk, Deputy Sheriff, and saloonkeeper in the 1840s, to the wild expanses of Texas, paints a vivid picture of 19th-century American ambition and conflict.
Settling in Erath County, Garland transformed himself into a rancher and family man, yet his reputation would be forever shaped by his fearless—and often ruthless—approach to Indian fighting. In 1858, he led a bloody raid on a camp of friendly Indians in Palo Pinto County, an event that many historians mark as the spark that ignited the Reservation War. This action earned him both fierce criticism and fervent admiration, with some branding him a murderer while others hailed him as a frontier hero. Elected as Hood County’s first Treasurer in 1867, Garland’s life story reads like a microcosm of the American frontier experience, from circuit clerk to saloonkeeper, from rancher to Indian fighter.
The Choctaw Tom Incident
In the winter of 1858, a tragic event near Palo Pinto, Texas, marked a pivotal moment in the state’s frontier history. Known as the Choctaw Tom Incident, this confrontation between settlers and Native Americans living on reservations had far-reaching consequences for Texas-Indian relations.
Choctaw Tom, once an interpreter for Texas President Sam Houston, led a band of peaceful Indians who had initially camped on Sunday Creek southeast of the present town of Santo. After a brief stay in Palo Pinto, where they were initially well-received, the band moved their camp to the Indian Hole on Elm Creek, about six miles north and slightly east of Palo Pinto. This location, situated on the Slaughter Ranch, would become the site of the infamous raid.
On December 27, 1858, a group of 20 men from Erath County, led by Captain Peter Garland, launched a surprise attack on the camp. The raiding party included several prominent citizens: Daniel Thornton, J. Hightower, E. Fireash, T. Wilie, W.E. Mothreal, Dr. W.W. McNeill, Robert Duval, J.P. Harris, W. Fitzgerald, A.L. Braw, R. Dupuy, W.J.F. Lowder, W. Wood, Samuel W. Stephens, J. Barnes, H. Highsaw, J.R. Waller, Dalton, and George Harden.
The attack began just after dawn, catching many of the camp’s inhabitants off guard. Garland’s men charged down a roadway between the tepees, firing in both directions. The camp, which consisted of eight men, eight women, and eleven children, was thrown into chaos. Despite the element of surprise, some of the Indian men managed to mount a defense, but they were severely outgunned.
The assault left seven Indians dead and eight wounded, including women and children. Among the casualties were four men and three women killed, with three men, two women, and three children wounded. Choctaw Tom’s wife was among the dead, and his daughter suffered a gunshot wound to her hand. The raid also claimed the lives of two Caddos and five Anadarkos. The violence wasn’t confined to the Indian camp; Samuel W. Stephens, a 17-year-old member of Garland’s party, was killed during the fighting, possibly by friendly fire. Another raider, J. Barnes, was wounded and later died from his injuries in Palo Pinto.
The attack was allegedly in response to increased horse thefts and other depredations attributed to reservation Indians. However, the brutality of the incident and the targeting of a peaceful band raised serious questions about the settlers’ motives and methods. Some accounts suggest that Garland’s men had been looking for Indians who had caused trouble in Stephenville and had decided to attack Choctaw Tom’s band despite warnings from locals in Palo Pinto.
Aftermath and Consequences
The aftermath of the attack was chaotic. C.C. Slaughter, a prominent rancher, heard the gunfire and rode to the site of the massacre. He then rushed to report the incident to the agency, encountering a war party en route to Palo Pinto for revenge. Slaughter managed to dissuade them from attacking the town and instead helped bury the dead at the massacre site.
Panic spread through nearby settlements as fears of retaliation grew. J.H. Baker, a Palo Pinto school teacher, noted in his diary that the massacre scene was “gruesome” and “beggars all description.” The incident exacerbated existing tensions between settlers and both reservation and wild Indian tribes, ultimately contributing to the escalation of conflicts in West Texas.
The response to the incident highlighted the complex and often divided opinions on Indian relations in Texas at the time. While some local citizens supported aggressive actions against Indians, others, including law enforcement officials, sought to hold the attackers accountable. Judge Battle of the Nineteenth District Court ordered Colonel Rip Ford to arrest Garland’s men, but Ford declined, stating it was a matter for local law enforcement. However, no sheriff would act, as Garland was seen as acting on the standing orders of John Baylor, publisher of the newspaper “The White Man,” who advocated killing Indians at any opportunity.
The Choctaw Tom Incident serves as a stark reminder of the violent clashes that characterized the Texas frontier. It underscores the complexities of settler-Indian relations and the tragic consequences of unchecked aggression. As we reflect on this event, we’re reminded of the importance of understanding our shared history, even its darkest chapters.
Postscript
In an intriguing historical connection, Sue Garland Nutt, daughter of Peter Garland who led the raid, and her husband David Lee Nutt built the home at 319 East Bridge Street in Granbury. This house now serves as The Bridge Street History Center, offering a tangible link to the complex history of our region.