Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-02-21
WANTED.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE BAT.
TIE OF CHUsT
WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE CHEROKEE NATION
on THE 26TH OF DECEMBER, 1861.
HEADaUARrERs DIVISION Vas BUREs ARK.

4
| GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the
following report Of the battle Of Chustenahalah which
took place in the Cherokee nation on the 2th Of Decem
1 Der 1861.
necessary for that entered the Cherokee
nation with portion Of my division, upon the rePrr
senta-i1n Of Col Cooper somandng tie Indian depart
msut calling upon me tor additional force f1is csii " g.
bssed upon hostile stand taken ~ the Creek CHIEF
Opohleyoholnh and the disshecon which had sprung
MP in Of the Chero regiments fastened to Fort
Gibson with one thousand six hundred men, had inter
view with Col Cooper, aud entered into ucuts
for mutual cooperation. The plan proposed was. thai
Col Cooper with his force, strengthened BY q Whit
hed battalion should move mp the Arkausas river and
endeayor % get in the of DpOtheyohosb p0si0,
o1 Of the tributaries Of the Fgrigrs river, th
| Big bend ot TIE Arkansas, While my force should
march up the Ferigrs river, opposite thu position held
BY the enemy, and then move directly upon him.
On account Of the scarcity of the forag It vyss
ally determined that either force should saek thssnemy
lien Fort Gibson at l2 n tbe 22d December with the
following force Five companies Of he Sourh- Kansas
| Texas regiment, commanded by Lieut-Co Lane. Tby
avail able strength Of the 9Th regiment Of Texas cavalry
under Lieu Col Griffith Seven companies Of the 81
re egiuent of Texas cavalry, commanded by Col Young
] Four companies OF my own regiu ent, % Arkansas
mounted rifemeu under Capt'in Gibson and Captain
Benefits company Of Texans attached 70 the heal
quarters Of the division. This force amounted
thousand three hundred and eighty men, CysS0) On
the evening Of the 25th u part Of the enemys force
appeared IN sight immediately after arrival in camp
regiment was sent % ooser.e them soon became
satisfied that thus party eBdeayorng % lead
fruitess chase Therefore restrained my impatient ms
and oraered them oa 1 70 camp During the evening
an express reached ne from Col Cooper with the intel
lieBce that Il w0na probably be two three days be
fore he could make the prconesrted movement on ac
count Of the deseron OF his teamsfers and generously
stated that if f0unl it necessary advance he would
gvsme all the as tance IN his power. Prom this point
knowing 1t was impossible TO move my trai1 further,
ordered It 70 remain IN charge of Capt Elstner acting
4 brigade quartz aster, with guard hundred
men With foar dags cooked rahons left camps early
on the morning OF the 25th and moved cautiously to-
wards the strongacld Of the enemy among the noun
tains running bael into the b < Bend Of the ar
1 kansas
Lieut. Col ane with bis regiment, moved IN advance
1 A company Of his regiment under Capt Short was
thrown forward sn advance guard With orders 70
throw out aankers 10 the right and left Towards u ~
We approached snc eeeS tributary Of The Verdigris
As soon Capt short had crossed the stream heavy
and continuous IRE was opened upon him The oompany
CALAMITY maintained s position Immediately ordered
Lieut. Col Griffith wish his regiment 20 move mon the
right and Col Young the lett The centar composed
Of L5u Col Lanes regiment Capt. Benn tfs company
aud the detachment Of the Cd regiment Of Arkansas
Mounted Rfsmenr hehmoved forward and crossed the
stream the face Of the enemy large nuhers posted
% the gh. high and rugged nil with liz side covered
with oak trees The enemy continued their IRE upon
Col Young promptly crossed the stream and formed uu-
the left Of the center which already in line bat
tie Lieut. Cot Grilth with his regiment order
% march up the stream which flowed al the Of the
hll which The enemy posted and after coming
opposite totheir LEFT sank to dnount ers the srea
attack him in or,Isrs
apd efficiently executed aud the whole force ready Tor
action The enemy was in very strong position ana
gallant resolve which animated the hearts Of those the
| va ley below them
The Semnsles under the celebrated Chief Halek Tus-
enuggee were foot posted behind the trees and rocks
Will. others IN line the summit Il the hiH
Opotheyohoas Creeks the other side on horse
back few representatives q other tribes also
in the battle The whole force estimated at Que
thousand seven hundred.
Between - and the rugged side of the hill space Of
two three hundred yards interviewed Of open ground
Esch the hillside screened staivsrt warrior
It seemed desperate uoisrtakin- 70 shsr9e 7.itio1
Z - mHw- aa~m
charge 10 ts TOP 0f ne hH responsive feeling from
each gallant heart in the i'm and 81 y n ths charg.
burst upon the air and the living mas hurled tsefupoa
ths foe The sharp report Of the rifle from every
Tee aud rock bHt our brave rushed stopped
until the summit Of the the hill gained and Ee were
mingled with the enemy
The South kansas Texas regiment led BY those snant
officers Col Lane gnd Major Chiffon breasted tsslf for
the highest point Of the M and rushed over rs side with
the irresistible force Of tornado and swept everything
before t. The brave Major Chiton while approaching
the summit OF the hi, r,csived wound IA the
head but with unabGtsd vigor continued IN the fght
Cant neuneet with he COMPANY and The a. tsciat az
the ID regiment ar Mounted RiAelncn, under
Capt Gibson, gallsnty charged side by side. Capt Glib
ordered % dsmouat his command aid move .
% thcket into which be had driven portion uf the
enemy which be I'D promptly and with geai cutian
gallant Col Young observing that the saelsv was NOV
ing 70 the rugged part Of the aaid bsefs on The
right with ready foresighf rapidly MOVED he regime %
that portion Of .le aea and succeeded in cutting OF
uanv Of the enemy
LeutCol Griffith, having obeyed the irs order giy-n
him. obse wing the enemy hy Ing from fhe bill rapidly
mounted his c0usnsnd nsd moved forward M n, sr5
crossed distance above and bravely aud slspl
encountered the enemy who hsd mace stand near their
The enemy by rs tiuie, were much scattered, and
had retTeat TIE rocky F0res amid the deep rc~res
y "a rloHnis'as where they were pursued by vic
fous fooF5 and routed In every Instance. With great
osA They sHdeayored to make stand at iher eueaup
meut but their efforts were nefsstaa sBd we were
soon in the midst of T. Properly OF every description
q iszfF a6'el
when she hrng gradually cessed. ard remained vic
tors IN ths osuter Of 0pothieyhoiahs camp The lass
sustained by the enemy very severe Their killed
amounted % upwards Of two hundred and fity Oar
loss eight billed sud thirty two wounded.
The brave and gallant It. Fitzhue w4s shot "a the
bead and frll while galanty .eading his oompany I
Capt J. d. Young ef Youugs regiment. aad Lieut. !
Du-hhln- OF the SOUTH kansas Texas q eut were !
both wounded while IN tbs shick Of the battls,
We captured one hundred and sixty women and chill
about i've hundred Indisa bsrsss several hundred
head Of cattle one hpnersd aheep, and great qusnty
OF property q much ys71s 20 the enemy. Tbs strong
bold cf Opothlsyohoish completely broken Up and
his force scattered IN evrsy drectioa destitute Of the
smp est elements Of subsistence At four O'Clock tb
reliy was sounded, and the different commands went
into camp the battle fsld The dead and wounded
were collected snd cared for The ofcers Of the Ne5i
onl Dsparme Mt of the different ragmsrs deserve much
credit for their promppess Ia steaing the wounded
A party 0f Stand Wat8s gmeut Of Cherokees, nun
beriqg Aree hundred under command Of the colonel al
thoegh uhder ny orders came up Just a. the bsie ter
minated This regiment had been ordered 70 ioir ne
from its station on Grand river i falt of is
that It did not each Every eort
On his part made in erd resch rs in time Al
early dawn tbs DAY after the Battle again ien eap
IN purs 4 oi the ayiug enc Y. Afer hot pursuit 6f
tsuty-fve nes overlook two wagons vi hich yger,
,aptured and burned A. this moment sham firing was
heard upon the leis AID messenger from Col
is enemy. I Immediately moved in The direction and
lpOu arriya aSeeTt ncd that Col Waite had over
AIKEN num6er Of the enemy and bad CALAMITY ohspEed
hem Ma Boudinot commanding the lea faux Of the |
egrnent had rushed into deep ray me aud driven ths
neuy from it. In ths skirish nfteen Bn of the enemy
we're killed and Of vv0lgp and children taken
Throughout our rapid uarcA sometime on -roUnd eov :
. 81 with snow, nd a. others facinQ DE chilly basfs f
be norh. the gre attest euthaasu lreyied in an1iciu
on Of the coming strgsge And all times during the
nareh, and The BATTLEFIELD ever officer ant soldier Of
be brigade Qbl9 did biz duty. And with heartfelt
fde toat bring them to the notice u the department
A=2 ena.ga st tha commencement Of tie battle I
pleDdid None gallant was ever made. Iudivid-
p acts q daring, and hand % hand encounters were Of "a
cnebt occurrence during the day, but Il woud be in a
ossible 70 enumerate them
therefore refer the Depar5eat 10 BE report Of re r,
ents and detachment eoumandors herewith frsnsui =
d To Capt Eatner, 9f uhe ii regiment Of ArkansAs
counted neInen, Who acted g. brigade qaarterEnasts er
NJ conmssary, my thanks due ,hs sficlent ssd
ole maunsr IL which he conducted the asr o Rs d.
srtmenk -
To my personal star an inds5ted fs ulqoS rsHsbl. Ct
rviee both sr. Frank g Arassrong snd Air James
Vann my volunteer aids Do camp went Fala1. into
fight and bore themselves with greet eoonsss an
! lst q; A. Thornten. tho aesips ss.,..an, a5uis,+
ers, deserves great credit fer bis co0lness during
e bsttle. have thc honor 70 BE- general. :
Very respectfully, your ob't servE Il
JAMES MCINTOSH
Col Com. Division ~
n S. COOFEE, ADJ Gen. G. S. "a, Isehnand Va
TIE FEDERAL BANKRUPT LANA late
'rthern paper says y
The se.se; oommittes on general bankrupt
y, OF which Air. Roscoe Coukling, Of New G
lrk, Is chairman, have never yst had for a. 4
Getting. The whole matter IS in stafu qu0 ~ =
Oposi.ions haze been Submitted to the com =