The Battle of Chustenahlah was fought in

Osage County, Oklahoma Osage County is the largest county by area in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Created in 1907 when Oklahoma was admitted as a state, the county is named for and is home to the federally recognized Osage Nation. The county is coextensive with the Os ...

, (then

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 ...

) on December 26, 1861, 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 ...

. A band of 9,000 pro-Union Native Americans was forced to flee to

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

in bitter cold and snow in what became known as the

Trail of Blood on Ice The Trail of Blood on Ice was a December 1861 campaign in the American Civil War in which pro-Union Native Americans, led by Upper Creek Chief Opothleyahola, fought their way north from Indian Territory (then under Confederate States of America, Con ...

Background

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

troops undertook a campaign to subdue the Native American Union sympathizers in Indian Territory and consolidate control. They attacked Chief Opothleyahola's band of Creek and

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

(led by Chief Halek Tustenuggee) at Round Mountain and Chusto-Talasah. The Confederates wanted to finish off the Indians by attacking them in their camp at ''Chustenahlah'' (corruption of the

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 ...

word ''"U-s-ta-la-na",'' meaning a shoal or sandbar in a stream or creek) in a well-protected cove on Bird Creek.

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 ...

James M. McIntosh and Col.

Douglas H. Cooper Douglas Hancock Cooper (November 1, 1815 – April 29, 1879) was an American politician, soldier, Indian Agent in what is now Oklahoma, and Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Early life and career Cooper ...

, commanding the Indian Department, planned a combined attack with each of their columns moving on the camp from different directions. McIntosh left

Fort Gibson Fort Gibson is a historic military site next to the modern city of Fort Gibson, in Muskogee County Oklahoma. It guarded the American frontier in Indian Territory from 1824 to 1888. When it was constructed, the fort was farther west than any othe ...

on December 22, with 1,380 men.

Order of battle

''McIntosh's Brigade'' (Confederate) – Col. James McQueen McIntosh * 5 Companies, South Kansas-Texas Cavalry – Lt. Col. Walter P. Lane * 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment – Lt. Col. John S. Griffith * 7 Companies, 11th Texas Cavalry – Col. W. C. Young * 4 Companies, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles – Capt. William Gipson * Bennett’s Texas Company – Captain Bennett * Rock River Rangers Company - Captain George McGregor (was detached to control indians in the area of Esti Capcaki Valley, today north side of Skiatook Lake, Oklahoma.) ''Principal Indian Commanders'' (Union) – Chief Opothleyahola (Creeks), Chief Halek Tustenuggee and

Sonuk Mikko Sonuk Mikko (unknown—ca. 1864), commonly known as Billy Bowlegs and also known as So-Nuk-Mek-Ko, was a Seminole who gained recognition as a captain in the American Civil War. Mikko adopted the name of Chief Billy Bowlegs from (Holato Micco), who ...

(Billy Bowlegs) (Seminoles)

Battle

On December 25, McIntosh was told that Cooper’s force could not join him for a while, but he decided to attack the next day, despite being outnumbered and facing severe cold weather conditions. McIntosh attacked the camp at noon. The 1,700 pro-Union defenders were secluded in the underbrush along the slope of a rugged hill. McIntosh devised a plan to converge on the crest, with the South Kansas-Texas Cavalry (also known as the 3rd Texas) ordered to charge directly up the steep bluff on foot. The 11th Texas advanced to their left using a defile for concealment, while the 6th Texas circled to the right. As the Confederate attack progressed, the Native Americans began to fall back, taking cover for a while and moving back. The retreat became a rout as the Federals reached their camp. The pro-Union Native Americans tried to defend their position but were forced away again by 4:00 p.m. The survivors fled; many went all the way to

where they found loyal Unionists. Col.

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 ...

, with 300 Cherokee fighting for the Confederacy, intercepted the fleeing Creek and Seminole, killing 15. Chief Opothleyahola’s band mounted no further resistance after this encounter. The Confederates followed no further. The remaining Union fighters and their families trekked to

Fort Row Fort Row, located on the south bank of the Verdigris River and east of the present town of Coyville, Kansas, was built in the fall of 1861, probably in October. It was built by the local mounted militia for their use. However, the fort became asso ...

, Kansas, deprived of many of their provisions due to their being forced to flee in haste. Nearly 2,000 died at or shortly after their arrival, due mostly to exposure and disease.

Outcome

The victorious Confederates captured 160 women and children, 20 blacks, 30 wagons, 70 yoke of oxen, about 500 Indian horses, several hundred head of cattle, 100 sheep, and large quantities of supplies. Casualties were 9 killed and 40 wounded for the Confederates. Col. McIntosh in his official report estimated the Union Indians' loss as 250. Michael A. Hughes, "Chustenahlah, Battle of." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
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Notes

References

National Park Service Battle Summary

CWSAC Report Update and Resurvey: Individual Battlefield Profiles

Other sources

* U.S. War Department, ''The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'', 70 volumes in 4 series. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901. Series 1, Volume 8, Part 1, pages 8–15. * White, Christine Schultz and White, Benton R., ''Now The Wolf Has Come: The Creek Nation in the Civil War'', Texas A & M University Press, 1996. .

External links

Michael A. Hughes, "Chustenahlah, Battle of." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.

Creek Indians in the American Civil War

On this date in the Civil War: December 26, 1861 - The Battle of Chustenahlah (150th Anniversary)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chustenahlah Trail of Blood on Ice Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War Confederate victories of the American Civil War Battles of the American Civil War in Indian Territory Osage County, Oklahoma Forced migration Forced marches 1861 in the American Civil War 1861 in Indian Territory December 1861 events Skiatook, Oklahoma