This week in the Civil War History of Elk County

[flintauqua]

During this week 150 years ago, Chief Opoethleyohola entered Kansas, somewhere between the Ark River and the Verdigris, just where is subject to debate.  The vast majority of the research I have done would indicate a more western entry point, probably into southeastern Cowley or southwestern Chautauqua County.  On his trek to Fort Row, near present-day Coyville, he and/or bands of his followers most likely crossed parts of Elk County.

A good overview of primary sources about his last battle against Confederate forces on Dec 26, 1861 near present-day Skiatook, OK and skirmishes between his rear guards and pursuers can be found here:

http://thisweekinthecivilwar.com/2011/12/23/on-this-date-in-the-civil-war-december-26-1861-the-battle-of-chustenahlah-150th-anniversary/

Charles

[larryJ]

This is great!  Thanks for the post and the link.  I'm gonna be busy all day reading this link.

Larryj

[redcliffsw]

It seems like I read that Opoethleyohola entered Kansas near the east side of the Arkansas River.
Also a landowner there mentioned it to me.

There is a man who is buried in Elk County who served in the Confederate-Cherokee Mounted Rifles. 
He was probably in that battle.

[Wilma]

Do you know where he is buried?

[srkruzich]

Do you know where he is buried?

I would say in the ground if i were to take a educated guess

[flintauqua]

I have come across two different places for his burial.

One - "Where he died and was laid to rest in an unknown and unmarked grave at or near the Sac and Fox Agency at Quenemo, Osage County, Kansas."

Two - "After  much  suffering  and  loss of  dignity, Yahola died on or about March 27, 1863, was buried beside  his  daughter on a  hill that overlooks  old  Fort  Belmont,  where  many  of  his  loyal followers  were also laid  to rest."

It could be he was buried at Quenemo and later re-interred in Woodson County.

Exactly where in SW Woodson County Ft. Belmont was I have not acsertained, however there is much in print about the Indians being settled along Big Sandy Creek when some were moved to Ft. Belmont from the Ft. Row area.

There is a Belmont Cemetery two miles west and three miles south of the US75/US54 intersection in Yates Center.  The area is drained by Big Sandy Creek and it is within BelmontTownship.  Big Sandy Creek empties into the Verdigris due north of Fredonia, where the paved road to Coyville turns west.  Fort Row is said to have been in this vicinity, so the two 'Forts" couldn't have been more than fifteen miles apart.

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Also, to help think about the areas involved, one of the two maps most widely referenced by primary and secondary sources of information about the battles and trek to Kansas:

http://web.mit.edu/wjohnson/www/HHD/HHD_web/Great_Escape_Route_Map.jpg

On this map there are lines showing Indians moving directly up the Verdigris, and moving up Hominy Creek then proceeding up the Ark River, then "Walnut Creek" before turning NE to Ft. Row.  (Chelsea is acknowledged as being in the wrong spot on this map, it should be on the east side of Walnut Creek, which is actually the Walnut River.)  

The more I research this subject, the more I realize that most authors and historians have no earthly clue as to just where the Indians traveled, except that it was between the Verdigris and Arkansas Rivers and south of the white settlements of the day, which means basically south of US 54.  That's a huge area!

As the Indians had been scattered by their pursuers, it's entirely probable that different groups traveled distictly different routes and entered Kansas at distinctly different points anywhere west of Coffeyville and east of Ark City.

Charles