The 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles was a

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

which fought in the

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. It was formed from the merger of two predecessor units the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles, and the Second Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles. The first commander was Col. John Drew, while the second was

Stand Watie Brigadier-General Stand Watie ( chr, ᏕᎦᏔᎦ, translit=Degataga, lit=Stand firm; December 12, 1806September 9, 1871), also known as Standhope Uwatie, Tawkertawker, and Isaac S. Watie, was a Cherokee politician who served as the second princ ...

Origin

Confederate officials commissioned

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in the

in July 1861 and authorized him to raise a military unit known as the Cherokee Mounted Volunteers. After

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

Principal Chief John Ross signed the Cherokee-Confederate treaty of alliance in October 1861, he and the Cherokee Council authorized and raised the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles, commanded by Col. John Drew."General Stand Watie's Regiment (First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers)."
Accessed August 7, 2016. Drew's regimental officers and men were largely Cherokees of full blood status, who were ideologically uncommitted to the goals of the Confederacy, but were loyal to Chief John Ross. At this time, Watie's regiment became the Second Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles. Watie's regiment consisted largely of Cherokees of mixed blood (Métis) who, as slaveholders, favored the Confederate cause.

Dissension among the troops

Drew's regiment became part of Col. Cooper's command and was ordered to help stop the flight of Union-supporting Creeks, led by their principal chief

Opothleyahola Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, Hopoeitheyohola, and Hopere Yahvlv (c. 1778 – March 22, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator. He was a Speaker of the Upper Cre ...

, who were attempting to flee to Kansas. Although the unit participated in the

Battle of Round Mountain The Battle of Round Mountain was the first battle in the Trail of Blood on Ice campaign for the control of Indian Territory during the American Civil War that occurred on November 19, 1861. Its main purpose was to prevent Union supporters of t ...

, the

Battle of Chusto-Talasah The Battle of Chusto-Talasah, also known as Bird Creek, Caving Banks, and High Shoal, was fought December 9, 1861, in what is now Tulsa County, Oklahoma (then Indian Territory) during the American Civil War. It was the second of three battles ...

, and the

Battle of Chustenahlah The Battle of Chustenahlah was fought in Osage County, Oklahoma, (then Indian Territory) on December 26, 1861, during the American Civil War. A band of 9,000 pro-Union Native Americans was forced to flee to Kansas in bitter cold and snow in wh ...

, they made known their dislike for fighting the Creeks, who had done the Cherokees no harm. They had expected to be fighting the invading Yankees, instead.

Reorganization of the regiment

A portion of Drew's regiment deserted in late 1861. Following the

Battle of Old Fort Wayne The Battle of Old Fort Wayne, also known as Maysville, Beattie's Prairie, or Beaty's Prairie, was an American Civil War battle on October 22, 1862, in Delaware County in what is now eastern Oklahoma. Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman ...

in October 1862, most of the remainder of Drew's men, including Maj. Thomas Pegg, deserted to the Union army. What remained of his troops was combined with Watie's regiment and reorganized as the First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Rifles with Watie in command."Clash at Chusto-Talasah; Hundreds of Rebel Indians Defect." Civil War Daily Gazette".
Accessed January 10, 2016.

Successes under Watie

During the Civil War, Watie's troops participated in twenty-seven major engagements and numerous smaller skirmishes. Although some of the engagements were set-piece battles, most of their activities utilized guerrilla tactics. Watie's men launched raids from south of the

Canadian River The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River in the United States. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma. The drainage area is about .brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in May 1864.''Civil War in the Indian Territory''. Cottrell, Steve. Pelican Books, pp. 94–95. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
/ref> Watie's most spectacular victories included the

Ambush of the steamboat J. R. Williams The ambush of the steamboat ''J.R. Williams'' was a military engagement during the American Civil War. It took place on June 15, 1864, on the Arkansas River in the Choctaw Nation (Indian Territory) which became encompassed by the State of Oklaho ...

, in June 1864, and the capture of a Union wagon train at the Second Battle of Cabin Creek in September 1864. His three most infamous actions were the burning of Rose Cottage, home of Chief John Ross, and the Cherokee Council House in October 1863, and the massacre of detachments of the First Kansas Colored Infantry and 2nd Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry at the Hay Camp Action (a.k.a. the Battle of Flat Rock) in September 1864. In February 1865 Watie was given command of the Indian

Division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

but was unable to launch any offensive operations. He released most of his troops following the collapse of Confederate resistance in the spring of 1865. After participating in the Camp Napoleon Council in May,

officially surrendered on June 23, 1865, becoming the last Confederate general to lay down his arms. The regiment was dissolved.

Battle of Pea Ridge

This battle was on March 6–8, 1862 in

Benton County, Arkansas Benton County is a county within the Northwest Arkansas region with a culture, economy, and history that have transitioned from rural and agricultural to suburban and white collar since the growth of Walmart, which is headquartered in Benton C ...

, with a

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

victory.

Battle of Old Fort Wayne

This battle was on October 22, 1862, in

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

, with a

victory.

Battle of Cabin Creek

This battle was on July 1–2, 1863 in

Mayes County, Oklahoma Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,259. Its county seat is Pryor Creek. Named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899, it wa ...

, with a

victory.

Notes

References

External links

Regimental rosterReenactment unit

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20121024013411/http://www.library.okstate.edu/okmaps/ Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory {{DEFAULTSORT:1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles Cherokee Confederates Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Indian Territory Cherokee Nation (1794–1907) 1861 establishments in Indian Territory 1865 disestablishments in Indian Territory Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865

Origin

Dissension among the troops

Reorganization of the regiment

Successes under Watie

Battle of Pea Ridge

Battle of Old Fort Wayne

Battle of Cabin Creek

Notes

See also

References

External links