Oklahoma
Genealogical Society
The Battle of Round Mountains, November 19, 1861
Transcribed
to Electronic form by Jo White
Published in The Oklahoma Genealogical Society Quarterly
Volume 9, Number 3, 1964
As officially reported by Colonel
Douglas E. Cooper, Confederate Commander.
This
is an account of the first battle of the Civil War in the present state of
Oklahoma. It was contributed by Dr. Berlin B. Chapman, Oklahoma State
University, from his collection of Oklahoma historical records from the
National Archives.
Having
exhausted every means in my power to procure an interview with
Hopoeithleyohola, for the purpose of effecting a peaceful settlement of the
difficulties existing between his party and the constituted authorities of the
Creek Nation, finding that my written overtures, made through several of the
leading captains, were treated with silence, if not contempt, by him, and
having received positive evidence that he had been for a considerable length of
time in correspondence, if not alliance, with the Federal authorities in
Kansas, I resolved to advance upon him with the forces under my command, and
either compel submission to the authorities of the nation or drive him and his
party from the country.
Accordingly,
on the 15th day of November last, the troops, consisting of six
companies of the First Regiment Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted Rifles; a
detachment from the Fourth (Ninth) Regiment Texas Cavalry under
Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle; the Creek regiment, under Col. D.N. McIntosh (the
Creek war chief), and Maj. John Jumper (Chief of Seminoles), in all about 1,400
men, were moved up the Deep Fork of the Canadian towards the supposed camp of
Hopoeithleyohola’s forces. The camp, which had been abandoned, was found, and
the trail from it followed, with varied prospects of success, until the 19th
of the month named, on which day some of the disaffected party were seen and a
few prisoners taken. From those prisoners information was obtained that a
portion of Hopoeithleyohola’s party were near the Red Fork of the Arkansas
River, on their route towards Walnut Creek, where a fort was being erected, and
which had for some time been their intended destination in the event of not
receiving promised aid from Kansas before being menaced or attacked. ("Red
Fork" is the old name for Cimarron River.)
After
crossing the Red Fork it became evident that the party was near and the command
was pushed rapidly forward. About 4 o’clock p.m. some camp smokes were
discovered in front a short distance and the enemy’s scouts seen at various
points. A charge was ordered to be made by the detachment of Texas cavalry,
under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle, upon the camp, which however, was
found to have been recently deserted. Other scouts, being discovered beyond the
camp, were pursued by the Texas troops about 4 miles, when they disappeared in
the timber skirting a creek, upon which it was afterwards ascertained the
forces of Hopoeithleyohola were then encamped. While searching for the
fugitives the troops were fired upon by the concealed enemy, and 1 man was
killed. The enemy immediately appeared in a large force, and our troops,
rallying and forming, succeeded in making a stand for a short time, when the
efforts of the vastly superior force of the enemy to outflank and inclose them
caused them to retire.
During
the retreat towards the main body of our forces a constant fire was kept up on
both sides. Many of the enemy were killed, and on our part 1 officer and 4 men
and 1 man wounded. So soon as the firing was heard at the position of the main
body, the Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment was formed and advanced towards the
enemy.
The
exceeding darkness of the night rendered the relative position of our friends
and foes uncertain and restrained the firing on our part until the enemy was
within 60 yards of our line. Even then the order to fire was withheld until
Col. James Bourland, of Texas (my volunteer aide on this occasion), and myself
rode to the front, and the former called to those approaching, asking if any
Texans were there, which was answered by the crack of the enemy’s rifles. A
brisk fire was then opened by companies I and K, under Captains Welch and
Young, and by companies D, E, and G, under Captains Hall, Reynolds, and
McCurtain, as they successively took position. After a short but sharp conflict
the firing of the enemy ceased, and under cover of the darkness he made good
his retreat. About 50 Choctaws and Texans were then sent out, under Actg. Asst.
Adjt. Gen. R.W. Lee, to examine the ravine in front and on the flanks, when it
was found that the enemy had left the field and retreated in the direction of
their camps.
During
the action the line was re-enforced by portions of Captains Brinson’s, T.G.
Berry’s, J.E. McCool’s and Stewart’s companies, of the Texas regiment, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle, and by a few Creeks, under Lieut.-Col. Chilly
McIntosh, Captain Severs, and Lieutenant Berryhill. In the last encounter we
had two men severely wounded and 1 slightly. Many horses were shot. Our men
escaped mainly in consequence of being dismounted and by firing either kneeling
or lying down. Our entire loss in the engagement was 1 captain and 5 men killed,
3 severely and 1 slightly wounded, and 1 missing. Prisoners taken since the
battle concur in stating the loss of the enemy to have been about 110 killed
and wounded.
Soon
after daylight on the 20th the main camp of the enemy was entered,
and it was found that they had precipitately abandoned it, leaving behind the
chief’s buggy, 12 wagons, flour, sugar, coffee, salt, etc., besides many cattle
and ponies. Hopoeithleyohola’s force in this engagement has been variously
estimated at from 800 to 1,200 Creeks and Seminoles and 200 to 300 negroes.
The
conduct of both officers and men within the scope of my observation was marked
by great coolness and courage. I would particularize as worthy of high
commendation the conduct of Col. James Bourland (who kindly volunteered his
valuable services on this occasion and at other times); Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen.
R.W. Lee; Maj. Mitchell Leflore; Lieut. Joseph A. Carroll, acting adjutant
Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted Rifles; Capts. O.G. Welch, R.A. Young, and Lem M.
Reynolds, commanding Chickasaw companies, and Capts. Joseph R. Hall and Jackson
McCurtain, commanding Choctaw companies of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted
Rifles; Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle and Captains Brinson and McCool, of the Texas
Regiment; Captain Severs, of the Creek regiment; Lieut. Col. Chilly McIntosh,
Creek battalion, Lieut. Samuel Berryhill, of the Creek regiment, and Maj. J.
Jumper, Seminole battalion.
The
promptness with which the Choctaws and Chickasaws came into line and the
steadiness with which they maintained their position during the entire action
merit unqualified praise, especially when it is considered that the night was
extremely dark, the number and position of the enemy uncertain, and that they
stood for the first time under an enemy’s fire.
The
following is a list of the killed and wounded; W.J. Lyttle, Captain Welch’s
squadron Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment, severely wounded; Daniel Cox, Captain
Welch’s squadron Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment, slightly wounded; Capt. C.S.
Stewart, Texas Regiment, killed; John H. Crow, Texas regiment, killed;
_____Reed, Texas regiment, killed; _____Jackson, Texas regiment, killed; John
Friend, Texas regiment, severely wounded; _____Smith Creek regiment, killed;
_____Smith, Creek regiment, severely wounded; one killed, name not reported.
1. Col. Douglas H. Cooper commanded a force of 1400
Confederate men at the Battle of Round Mountains, Nov. 19, 1861. The above is a
copy of his official report to the battle. The report is in War of the
Rebellion: Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, First Series, vol. VIII, pp. 5-7.
2. For an excellent character sketch, see Muriel H. Wright,
"General Douglas H. Cooper, C.S.A.," Chronicles of Oklahoma,
vol. XXXII, No. 2 (Summer, 1954), pp. 142-184. In regard to location, see Angie
Debo, "The Site of the Battle of Round Mountain, 1861," Chronicles
of Oklahoma, Vol. XXVII, No. 2 (Summer, 1949), pp. 187-206.
3. Archival Records are supplemented by 130 vols. of Official
Records of the War of the Rebellion. (This note not specifically applicable
to the Battle of Round Mountains.)
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