Info on Cherokee Indians that fought during the Civil War

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

St. George,
Do you or any body that reads this, know where I can find information on the Cherokee's that fought on the Southern side during the War Between the States? I need information such as; what Regiments, Companies, Battles they took part in, what specific duties they were assigned to, and any information to illustrate the uniform or clothing (if not tradtional Cherokee) that would have been worn.
I am developing a Civil War impression that I am going to use for the Civil War mounted shooting competition and maybe at the GAF muster this year. I already have most of the eastern woodland Native American clothing and hope that this will be appropriate. I would appreciate any help I can get from you all....

Bill

[St. George]

By the spring of 1861, Stand Watie (1806-1871), the leader of the southern faction of the Cherokee Nation, was a prosperous attorney and speaker of the nation's National Council (the lower house of the Cherokee legislature).
He owned a plantation and mill at Honey Creek in the Illinois District of the Cherokee Nation.

1st (Watie's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers

(2nd Cherokee Mounted Volunteers[designation changed to 1st Regiment about Dec 62, after Drew's regiment had disbanded],

Watie's Regiment Cherokee Mounted Rifles)

COLONELS.
Stand Watie, promoted Brig Gen 6 May 64
James Madison Bell, promoted and transferred from Lt Col of the 2nd Regt. after Watie became general

LIEUTENANT COLONELS. Thomas Fox Taylor, KIA 27 Jul 62, Bayou Menard (n. Fort Gibson)
Robert Calvin Parks, replaced Taylor ( from Capt, 1st Co B) killed by a fellow officer in a personal difficulty at Fort Washita in April 1864
Clement Neeley Vann, succeeded Parks (prev pvt Co K, Drew's Regt.?)

MAJORS.
Elias Cornelius Boudinot, after reorganization elected Cherokee delegate to Congress, Col and Vol ADC on Maj Gen T C Hindman's staff in Dec 62
Joseph Franklin Thompson, (from Capt, 1st Co I)
Erasmus J Howland, succeeded Thompson in 1864 (from Capt, 2nd Co D).

REGIMENTAL STAFF

Adjutant:
1st Lt Charles E Watie, to 1st Lt, 2nd Co B after reorganization
1st Lt Thomas F Anderson (from pvt, 1st Co H) to Brigade AAG 1864

Assistant Quarter Master: 1st Lt George W Adair, died April 62
1st Lt William Penn Adair, to Col of 2nd Regt. 3 Feb 63
1st Lt Johnson Thompson

Asst. Commissary of Subsistence:
1st Lt Joseph M Starr, Sr, until 62
1st Lts Oliver W Lipe (from pvt, 2nd Co G) resigned 3 Jun 63
Peter G Lynch (from pvt, 2nd Co B)
Samuel M Ware (from pvt, 2nd Co A)

Surgeon:
Maj Walter Thompson Adair, to Brigade Surgeon 1864

Assistant Surgeon:
Capt William D Polson, resigned 1 Jul 62
Capt Francis H Fisk (from drill instr, 1st Co I)

Surgeon's Interpreter:
Capt Richard Fields (prev Capt, Co F, Drew's Regt)

Chaplain: Rev J N Slover

Sergeant Major:
George W West, KIA 20 May 63
R M Morgan (from sgt, 1st Co C)
H Lincoln Foreman (from pvt, 2nd Co D)
Patrick Patton (from 1st Sgt, 2nd Co A)

Quartermaster Sergeant:
Benjamin W Carter (from pvt, 2nd Co G)
John G Schrimsher (from pvt, 2nd Co G)

Ordnance Sergeant: George W Harlin

Hospital Steward: Jasper Polson, Ben Trott


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Companies and their Commanders: First Organization


Company A. Buzzard, KIA 20 May 63 n. Fort Gibson.
Company B. Robert Calvin Parks, to Lt Col after reorganization.
Company C. Daniel H Coody
Company D. James Madison Bell, to Lt Col of the 2nd Regiment 3 Feb 63.
Company E. Joseph Franklin Thompson (prev in the Arkansas State service) to Major after reorganization.
Company F. Joseph F Smallwood
Company G. George H Starr
Company H. John Thompson Mayes
Company I. George W Johnson
Company K. James H Thompson. This company became Co H, Clarkson's Battalion, Independent Rangers 14 July 62. This Bn was broken up in Nov 62, 5 cos merged into Clark's Missouri Infantry Regiment.
Company L (aka J). Bluford West Alberty.
In addition, Thomas J Parks was designated to lead Company M, but this does not appear to have materialized.

ORGANIZATION.
On July 12, 1861, Stand Watie received a commission from Brig Gen Benjamin McCulloch to raise a regiment.
At a mass meeting of the southern sympathizers among the Five Civilized tribes held at Old Fort Wayne, Delaware District, in the Cherokee Nation, on July 27, 1861, organization of the First Cherokee Regiment began.
After the twelve-month enlistment time expired, the regiment was reorganized around 12 July 1862 at Spavinaw Creek, Tahlequah District, for 2 years, with mostly new officers and many new men. Note that the companies were not reorganized separately, rather a set of new companies were formed and new officers elected, although the majority of the men continued in service from the first organization.



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Companies and their Commanders: SECOND Organization


Company A. Hugh Tinnin
Company B. Benjamin B Wisner (prev sgt, 1st Co D)
Company C. Charles Lowery (prev sgt, 1st Co E)
Company D. Erasmus J Howland (prev pvt, 1st Co G), to Major 1864; J S Knight (from 1st Lt)
Company E. Alexander Foreman (prev pvt, 1st Co C ), removed 25 June 63; John W Brown (from 1st Lt)
Company F. Dumplin O Fields (prev pvt, 1st Co D)
Company G. James L Butler
Company H. John Spears, to Frye's - Scales' Battalion, John Foster ? (from 1st Lt)
Company I. Moses C Frye (prev Sgt, 1st Co I) to Major of Frye's Bn about June 63; William W Alexander (from 1st Lt)
Company K. James Stuart (prev 1st Sgt, 1st Co H)
Acridge's Company. William H Acridge Became Co G, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Alberty's Company. Bluford West Alberty. Became Co B, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Brewer's Company. O H Perry Brewer (prev 1st Lt, 1st Co C) Became Co F, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Patton's Company. D C Patton Became Co E, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63
Vann's Company. John Vann (prev pvt, 1st Co C) Became Co I, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.

ORGANIZATION.
Company A was mustered in 12 May 62 in Maysville, Ark.
Companies B to K, plus Acridge's, Alberty's, Brewer's, and Patton's are all on record as having enlisted 12 July 1862 at Spavinaw Creek, Tahlequah District, Cherokee Nation.
On September 1, 1862, another company - John Vann's - was added, made up mostly of loyal men from Drew's late regiment.
The five unnumbered companies were on February 3, 1863, merged with Bryan's 1st Battalion, Cherokee Partisan Rangers to form the 2nd (Adair's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers.



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Drew's Regiment, Cherokee Mounted Rifles
(1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles)

COLONEL.
John Drew.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL.
William Potter Ross, later sutler for 3rd Indian Home Guards.

MAJOR. Thomas Pegg, later Capt, Co A, 2d Indian Home Guards.

REGIMENTAL STAFF

Adjutant:
1st Lt James S Vann, resigned 12 Dec 61

Assistant Quarter Master:
Capt Israel G Vore, later AQM on Brig Gen D H Cooper's staff

Assistant Commissary of Subsistence:
1st Lt Frederick Augustus Kerr, dropped 2 Aug 62

Surgeon: Maj James P Evans, POW 7 Mar 62, Pea Ridge

Assistant Surgeon:
Capt Joseph V Carden, resigned 7 Apr 62

Chaplain:
Rev Lewis Downing, later Lt Col, 3rd Indian Home Guards

Companies and their Commanders

Company A. (Saline District) Jefferson D Hicks, KIA 27 Jul 62, Bayou Menard, n. Fort Gibson ?
Company B. (Tahlequah District) Nicholas B Sanders
Company C. (Canadian District) John Porum Davis, to 2nd Lt, Vann's Co, 1st Regt 1 Sep 62 (became Co I, 2nd Regt)
Company D. (Delaware District) Isaac N Hildebrand
Company E. (Flint District) James Vann, later Capt, Co A, 3rd Indian Home Guards.
Company F. (Illinois District) Richard Fields, POW 7 Mar 62, later served on the staff of the 1st Regt.
Company G. (Going-Snake District) George W Scraper, later Capt, Co H, 2d Indian Home Guards.
Company H. (Tahlequah District) Edward R Hicks
Company I. ( (Tahlequah District) Albert Pike
Company K. ( (Sequoyah District) Pickens M Benge, MW 24 Aug 62.
Reserve Company. (Cooweescoowee District) James McDaniel, later Capt, Co A, 2d Indian Home Guards.
ORGANIZATION. At a mass meeting at Tahlequah 21 August 1861, the Cherokees decided to seek alliance with the Confederate States, and also to raise a mounted regiment. Each of the nine districts of the Cherokee Nation raised one company, except Tahlequah, which furnished three. By October 7, the day the treaty between the Cherokee Nation and the Confederacy was signed, the regiment was almost completed. At Fort Gibson, on November 5, 1861 the regiment was officially mustered in for a period of twelve months, with 1214 men on the rolls.

Drew's regiment, composed mostly of full-blood Cherokees («Pins») hostile to Stand Watie and his followers, never identified with the Southern cause.
During the pursuit of the Creek dissident Opothleyahola in December 1861, officers and men refused to fight, deserted in large numbers, and many even joined the enemy.
A reorganization of the regiment was attempted, and about 500 of its men fought at Pea Ridge the first day (March 7, 1862), where they scalped some Federal soldiers.
A Union invasion of the Cherokee Nation in July 1862 resulted in the mass surrender of most of Drew's men, and their subsequent enlistment in the Federal 2nd and 3rd Indian Home Guard Regiments.
A few officers and men (notably Colonel Drew, Captains John Porum Davis, Pickens M Benge, Richard Fields, and Lieutenant Charles Drew) remained loyal to the Confederacy and later served under Stand Watie.
Captain John Vann's company of Watie's 1st Regiment, later Co I of the 2nd Regiment (formed 1 Sep 62), was composed mostly of loyal Confederates from the ranks of Drew's late regiment.



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1st (Bryan's) Battalion,
Cherokee Partisan Rangers
(Bryan's Battalion, Cherokee Mounted Rifles)

MAJOR.
Joel M Bryan, to commander of Cherokee Bn Special Service 1865.

BATTALION STAFF

Adjutant:
Lt. Joel B Mayes, to AQM of 2nd Regt

Assistant Surgeon:
Capt Harrison J Payden, to Ass Surg of 2nd Regt

Companies and their Commanders


Company A. Joel M Bryan , to Major 13 Sep 62, William H Shannon (from 1st Lt) Became Co H, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Company B. Joseph L Martin Became Co D, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Company C. John R Harden Became Co C, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Company D. Alexander Wofford (prev 2nd Lt, 1st Co G, 1st Regt), resigned 16 Oct 62); E M Adair (from 1st Lt) Became Co K, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Company E. John Miller Became Co A, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.

ORGANIZATION.
Joel M Bryan was authorized by Brig Gen Albert Pike to raise 100 men or more as partisan rangers during the summer of 1862.
The company (A) was mustered in at Fort Davis, Canadian District, Cherokee Nation, July 20, 1862. Bryan proceeded to recruit another four companies, and was ordered by Maj Gen Thomas C Hindman to organize the force into a battalion, which was done September 13, 1862.
By order of Brig Gen Douglas H Cooper, the battalion was on February 3, 1863, consolidated with 5 companies attached to Watie's 1st Cherokee Mounted Volunteers to form the 2nd (Adair's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers



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1st (Holt's) Squadron, Cherokee Mounted Volunteers

CAPTAIN.
Charles H Holt, to Captain of Co L, 2nd Regt after 30 Jun 63 ?.

STAFF.

Adjutant
Charles C Reed.

ORGANIZATION.
This company was mustered in at Webber's Falls, Canadian District, Cherokee Nation, 12 December 62, for two years.
The last record of the company is dated June 30, 1863, it may have been assigned to the 2nd Regiment as Company L after that date.

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2nd (Adair's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers (Adair's Regiment, Cherokee Mounted Rifles)

COLONEL.
William Penn Adair (prev AQM, 1st Regt).

LIEUTENANT COLONELS.
James Madison Bell (from Capt, 1st Co D, 1st Regt) promoted and transferred to the 1st Regt in June 1864
O H Perry Bewer, succeeded Bell (from Capt, Co F).

MAJORS.
T Porter Hammock, appointed 26 Apr 63 ( from 2d Lt, Co A)
John R Harden, by May 64 ( from Capt, Co C )
John F Vann, by Sept 64 ( from Capt, Co I).

REGIMENTAL STAFF

Adjutant:
1st Lts Joseph A Scales (from 1st Sgt, 2nd Co F, 1st Regt) to Capt, Co A, Frye's Bn June 63; Andrew J Greenway (from 2nd Lt, Co B)
S T Fair (from pvt, Co C)

Assistant Quarter Master:
Capt Joel B Mayes (from Adjt, 1st P R Bn) to Brigade AQM 1864)
J W Phagan, to Capt, Co G, 12 Jul 64

Asst Commissary of Subsistence:
1st Lt Richard F Martin

Surgeon: Maj Thomas M Colley, resigned 16 Apr 63; William J Dupree appointed 24 Jul 63.

Assistant Surgeon:
Capts Robert White, resigned 16 Apr 63; Harrison J Payden (prev Ass Surg of 1st P R Bn)
W C Dunn

Chaplain:
Rev Elder L Compere

Drill Master:
2nd Lt Michael L Coudon (from pvt, Co G) to 2nd Lt, Co E, June 63.

Sergeant Major:
J W Burk (from pvt, Co D)
Riley Walter Lindsay (from Co H)

Quartermaster Sergeant:
A W Timberlake

Ordnance Sergeant:
J Foster Bell

Hospital Steward:
J Frank Marrs (from pvt, Co H)

Companies and their Commanders

Company A. John Miller, to Cherokee Battalion, Special Service 1865; T D Flinn ? (from 1st Lt)
Company B. Bluford West Alberty
Company C. John R Harden, to Major by May 64; W H Hendren (from 1st Lt)
Company D. Joseph L Martin
Company E. D C Patton
Company F. O H Perry Brewer, to Lt Col July 64; Thomas F Brewer ? (from 1st Lt)
Company G. William H Acridge, J W Phagan (12 Jul 64, from AQM)
Company H. William H Shannon
Company I. John F Vann, to Major by Sept 64; Cary Walker ? (from 1st Lt)
Company K. E M Adair
Company L (?). Charles H Holt

ORGANIZATION.
Formed 3 February 1863 at Prairie Springs, Creek Nation (winter camp of Indian Cavalry Brigade, 15 miles southeast of Fort Gibson), by the consolidation of Bryan's 1st Battalion, Cherokee Partisan Rangers, and five companies attached to Watie's 1st Cherokee Mounted Volunteers.

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Frye's - Scales' Battalion, Cherokee Mounted Volunteers (1st Battalion, Cherokee Mounted Rifles)

MAJORS.
Moses C Frye (prev Capt, 1st Co I, 1st Regiment)
Joseph Absalom Scales, promoted Major 23 Apr 64 (from Capt, Co A), to Brigade AIG after Bn was disbanded.

Companies and their Commanders

Company A. Joseph Absalom Scales (prev Adjt, 2nd Regt), to Major 23 Apr 64.
Company ?. Morgan (prev 1st Lt, Holt's Squadron ?), MW 18 Dec 63, Barren Fork, I. T.
Company ?. John Spears (prev Capt, 2nd Co H, 1st Regt)

ORGANIZATION.
On April 1, 1863, Col Watie was authorized to raise a Cherokee brigade.
After the 2nd Regiment had been formed, steps were taken to enlist another unit.
The first company (A) was probably organized on 3 June 63, but details about the other companies are missing.
Consisted of 4 companies by December 1863.
The battalion was apparently broken up and consolidated with the 1st and 2nd Regiments about 12 July 64.

A general reorganization of the Cherokee forces took place on Limestone Prairie, Choctaw Nation, after Watie had been promoted Brigadier General and the Cherokees on June 27, 1864, had declared their unanimous reenlistment for the war.
On July 11, the Cherokee National Council passed a conscription act, which required that all able bodied free citizens between 17-45 report for duty before August 1.

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Cherokee Battalion (or Regiment),
Special Service (Bryan's Battalion)

LIEUTENANT COLONEL.
Joel M Bryan (prev Major, 1st Partisan Ranger Bn)

Companies and their Commanders

Company ?. John Miller (prev Capt, Co A, 2nd Regt)
Company ?. Owens.

ORGANIZATION.
Not much is known about this organization, which is mentioned in Brig Gen Douglas H Cooper's correspondence in March and May of 1865 and in a Federal report dated 23 Apr 65, then supposed to be at Fort Towson (in the southern Choctaw Nation), 300 strong.
Joel M Bryan, who previously led the 1st Partisan Ranger Bn, was the commander. Captain John Miller led a company, and a Captain Owens another.

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NOTES:
1st (Meyer's) Battalion, Cherokee Cavalry is a "paper" organization that never existed.
Major Benjamin W Meyer may have received authorization to raise a battalion early in the war, but he never did.

Brigade Staff Upon Watie's promotion to Brigadier General in the summer of 1864, he was entitled to appoint staff officers to the following positions:

Aides-de-Camp: Capt Lucien B Bell, 1st Lt Saladin Ridge Watie (from pvt, 2nd Co G, 1st Regt)
Assistant Quartermaster: Major Joel B Mayes (from AQM, 2nd Regt)
Assistant Adjutant General: Capt Thomas F Anderson (from Adjt, 1st Regt)
Assistant Inspector General: Major Joseph A Scales (from cdr of Frye's-Scales' Bn)
Surgeon: Major Walter Thompson Adair (from Surg, 1st Regt)
Assistant Surgeon: ?
Ass Commissary of Subsistence:?
Ordnance Officer: ?


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Cherokee Battalion, Thomas' North Carolina Legion (2nd Battalion, Thomas' Legion; Indian Battalion)

COLONEL.
William Holland Thomas, Col of Thomas' NC Infantry Regt 27 Sep 1862, which was a month later increased to a Legion.
Relinquished field command of the Legion about 1 Sep 63 (officially in command until March 1865), except the Cherokee Battalion, which he personally commanded until war's end.

Companies and their Commanders

Company A. William Holland Thomas, 9 April 62, to Major of Thomas' Inf Bn Jul 62
James W Terrell, 19 Jul 62 (from 1st Lt), to AQM of Thomas' Inf Regt (later Legion) 27 Sep 62; Matthew H Love, 27 Sep 62 (from the 16th NC Inf Regt).
Company B. Gideon M Hanks, 18 May 62, KIA late 1863; James Taylor (from 1st Lt)
Company C. Campbell H Taylor (from 2nd Lt, Co B), resigned 4 Jun 64; James Welch
Company D. Black Fox

ORGANIZATION.
The nucleus of the battalion was the «Junaluska Zuaves», a North Carolina militia company of Cherokees organized in Quallatown in May 1861 by William H Thomas.
Company A was mustered into CS service April 9, 1862, at Quallatown.
Company B was organized in Knoxville, Tn, on May 18, 1862, by a division of the over strength Co A. In July 1862, these two companies formed part of Thomas' Infantry Battalion.
The battalion was increased and reorganized as Thomas' NC Infantry Regiment on September 27, 1862, in Knoxville.
The Cherokee companies then became Cos C and D, respectively.
In October, another battalion (Walker's) was added to Thomas' command, which thereafter became known as Thomas' Legion of Indians and Highlanders.
In January 1863, the two Cherokee companies reverted back to their previous designations as Co A and B of the Infantry Regiment (Love's), Thomas' Legion.
The Cherokee companies were detached from the regiment in September 1863, and from then on served as a separate battalion under Thomas' direct command (who at that point relinquished field command of the Legion).
Company C was added in Quallatown in December 1863, and Company D organized in the summer of 1864.
Not until April 9, 1865, however, was the Cherokee Battalion officially mustered as a separate unit of Thomas' Legion. At that time the battalion reportedly totalled about 300 men.

....................

Incidentally  - Isaac Proctor served in the War - and was from Cherokee County, Oklahoma - the county seat's Talequah.

..................


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Try reading these - or portions thereof.

Wilfred Knight, Jr Red Fox: Stand Watie's Civil War Years in Indian Territory
Annie H Abel The American Indian as Slave holder and Secessionist
Annie H Abel The American Indian in the Civil War 1862-1865
Annie H Abel The American Indian and the End of the Confederacy 1863-1866
Larry C Rampp & Donald L Rampp The Civil War in Indian Territory
Carolyn M Bartels Stand Watie and the First Cherokee Regiment 1861-1865
Edward E Dale & Gaston Litton (eds) Cherokee Cavaliers: Forty Years of Cherokee History as Told in the Correspondence of the Ridge-Watie-Boudinot Family
Mabel W Anderson Life of General Stand Watie
W. Craig Gaines The Confederate Cherokees: John Drew's Regiment of Mounted Rifles
Stewart Sifakis Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, the Confederate Units, and the Indian Units
National Archives Microfilm M861 Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Confederate Organizations Roll 74 - Organizations raised directly by the Confederate Government (regular infantry, Indian units, engineer troops, etc)
Marybelle W Chase Index to Civil War Service Records: Watie's Cherokee Regiments
Vernon H Crow Storm in the Mountains: Thomas' Confederate Legion of Cherokee Indians and Mountaineers
Official Records of the War of the Rebellion
Confederate Veteran

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

St. George,

Thanks for all the information, just what I was looking for. Is there any source material such as photgraphs, descriptions etc; that describe, or tell how they were dressed.....uniforms..or, every day traditional dress???

By the way, When Isaac Proctor moved west to the Red Bird distrct of Oklahoma, he became one of the areas worst outlaws along with Ned Christy....

Bill

[St. George]

What information on dress will be found in those references - but I do seem to remember that Osprey did a booklet in their 'Man At Arms' series.

What I'd do is to contact the Cherokee County Historical Society in Talequah and see if anyone's done a monograph or two.

That'd be the best and the fastest.

'In general' - the only 'uniform' items issued to Native American soldiers - until the Indian Scouts were formed up - was weaponry - sometimes an issue coat and hat.

Usually not first-line - but ammunition commonality was genearlly maintained.

Good Luck with creating your Impression, as it's an uncommonly-seen outfit and needs more exposure.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

St. George, and River City John,

MeGwetch for all the help, I've probably got more then I need. the Civil War Mounted competition requires that the Remington 1858 be used with the Kirst cylinder that looks like a percussion cylinder. It has a backplate/recoil shield that has one floating firing pin and the rest are fake nipples. I probably have all the neccesary traditional clothes needed and I'll pick the appropriate regiment to use them and go with that, with a mixture of military clothing. I'm going to see if I can find the book St. George mentioned and some illustrations or photos....and also see if I can find the book that RCJ refferenced, Sam Bell Maxey and the Cofederate Indians.

Again thanks, I really appreciate it.

Bill

[Doc Neeley]

A Google search of the University of OK should turn up a bunch of info also. The Indian Regiments suffered the highest unit casualties of the war. My GG-Grandfater was a Lt. in the Chickasaw company and his son in law was friends with Jackson McCurtain (Colonel of the Choctaw Regiment)and a Dr. in Tuskahoma. The Choctaw had a battle flag so you might check to see if the Cherokee did also.

[Ozark Tracker]

This one is supposed to have been the First mounted Cherokee

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Ozark & Doc Neeley,

Thanks for the additional information. One of my mothers ancesters fought in the Civil War and is Cherokee, She is realted to the Swimmers and Goingsnakes of North Carolina. They are distant relatives to me, but I may do a some research to see if I can find out what regiments they fought with, especailly the goingsnakes since they are direct relatives. That's the  reason I chose the South instead of the North for this mounted shooting event. I am not enrolled as a Cherokee, but I am enrolled in the Ottawa Chippewa Band of Indians of Michigan, they are a Federally recognized tribe. My Father was/is full blood Odawa (Ottawa) Indian.

Bill

[Ozark Tracker]

Bill

Thee is a lot of information on the web concerning the cherokee, You may alrealy know that there was, in the old Cherokee Naiton a Goingsnake District, it was a part of what is now Adair, Delaware & Cherokee Counties in Oklahoma, some of the towns in that district are Watts, westville and Chrisite, very close to the Arkansas state line.  Since the Cherokee had a written lanuage very eary, they were able to keep some pretty good records, Historicial and geneological.  I know my Cherokee line can be traced back to the 1600's very easily by my roll number.  I think you will find the research very interesting. finding which clan your ancestor was a part of and the route they traveled to get to the Indian territory. All of them didn't come on the trail of tears, some came befoer that and a few after. hope you enjoy looking into it.

[Camille Eonich]

http://cherokeehistory.com/image2.html
http://www.civilwarhome.com/unionconfedindians.htm
http://members.aol.com/ciiisiii/cherokeepage/cherokee2.htm
http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/naind/html/na_007600_thecivilwari.htm



Google Cherokee Civil War

[US Scout]

Bill,

Here are a few books you might want to have your library get for you.  They cover Indian participation on both sides.

The Cherokee Confederates: John Drew's Regiment of Mounted Volunteers by W. Craig Gaines (1989, Louisiana State University Press)

Between Two Fires: American Indians in the Civil War by Laurence M Hauptman (1995, the Free Press)

The American Indian in the Civil War, 1862-1865 by Annie Heloise Abel (1919, reprinted in 1992 by the University of Nebraska Press)

Civil War in the Indian Territory by Steve Cottrell (1998 by Pelican Publishing)

Now the Wolf Has Come: The Creek Nation in the Civil War by Christine Schultz White and Benton R White (1996 by Texas A&M)

The Union Indian Brigade in the Civil War by Wiley Britton (1922, reprinted in 2004 by Kansas Heritage Press) (Note: Britton served alongside the Indian Brigade during the war so offers first hand accounts of some of their actions)

There are also some fairly recent biographies on Stand Watie available, though I don't have those handy at present to give you the citations. 

Britton and a few others indicate the Union Indian Brigade were issued Federal uniforms but they tended to mix and match with traditional attire.  I've seen references that the Confederate Indians were not as well uniformed as their Federal counterparts, and tended to be wear traditional attire, civilian clothing, or a mix of traditional, civilian and military.  I'll see what else I can dredge up in the next few days.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

I would like give a Gitchi MeGwetch (big thanks) to all that replied to my post. With all the reference information you all have supplied, I have more than enough material to put this persona/impression together and make it work.
When I get it all together and wriiten down (I usually write the history of a persona/impression I am doing in either journal form or in the form of the old time 10 cent wild west magazines of the era) I will post part of it here if you would like to see it. I've pretty much settled on one of the Units from the Indian Territories since I already own a Hope saddle that would be appropriate for that area. Again thanks, this is probably one of the better forums on this web site.

Bill

[St. George]

By all means - post it when you're ready.

It'll add to this Forum's growing references and teaching folks about the times and 'how it really was' helps everybody learn and sharpens their own skills when doing research in creating their Impression.

It gives a far different interpretation of the Frontier West than that found in the 'John Ford Reference Library' and a greater appreciation of what it took for our forebears to build this country.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Cannon Fodder]

Company of Military Historians plate no. 650- 2nd Cherokee Regiment of Mounted Rifles,CSA<1861-1865. Beautiful and on sale at CMH.

Best,

Cannon Fodder

[Luke MacGillie]

Bill,

There was a group portraying this unit based in southern Ill and parts west.  I dont know if they still exist or not.  If you know Tony Gerard you might want to touch base with him.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Luke (Fred),
Yea, I know Tony, met him and GAry Foreman during the filming of the Last of the Mohicans, man what a suprise when Tony took his hat off. Worked with Tony again on the Tecumseh and Pontiac thing for the history channell, My daughter Margaret was with me on that project and I had to keep all those guys at arms length away from her with a gun, she's quite a beauty in her native clothing!

Bill