The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-07-28
ron the \. 7. herald.
Details Of the Recent Fight in
the Tn rOkse Settlement OF
the Indian Territory.
complete Route of me Nebels.


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HHAnQUARrERs. Amy or IHE fRoNIFn,1
CatN CsrEK, CurRoEEE NATION, July 5, 1868
Movements Of Gen. Rlunt-En Route fr the Enemv-
Battle 10 tho Cherokee Naiion-Engag mont be-
tween a Union Force, Whites, Negroes and Indiana.
aod The Rchels, Texans ard Cherokee hafbrociH-
Deep rate NslOr Of our Negro soldiers, etc.
Major General Blunt, with eight COM
panies Of cavalry under his command,
arrived at this point TO- day, on the way
TO Fort Blunt. This encampment is on
the banks of q small stream, a branch Of
the Neosho, or as il is called in this re-
gion, the Grand river. II was the scene
Some days since Of a sharp engagement
between a Union force, under Col. j. NJ.
Williams, First regiment Kansas Colorcd
Volunteers, commanding that regiment
aud the Second Colorado Volunteers,
with q detachment of cavalry, escorting
q train 20 Fort Blunt, and q rebel force
of Texans and Indians, under Colonel
Standwaitie, a Cherokee half breed.
The particulars of the affair are abOut
as follows:-A supply train, consisting
of two hundred and eighteen wagona,
containing subsistence, &c, for Colonel
Phillips command, on the Arkansas, and
n number Of sutler wagons, with a sub.
s~istenoe train for the Indian refugees.
numbering in all about three hundred
wagons, left Fort Scott about the 18th
of June. 1t was escorted by two com
panies of the Wisconsin Third cavalry,
under Captain Moore, who was in COM
mand Of the escort; two COMPANIES Of
the Ninth Kansas cavalry, under Capt
D. h. Stuart; one Company of the Sixth
Kansas cavalry, and wo new companies
raised for the latter regiment, but mus
tered into the new cavalry organization,
the Fourteenth Kansas Volunteers. This,
with two twelve. FOUNDER howitzers.
constituted the train escort. They met
nothing remarkable between Fort Scott
and Bakers Springs. Here they found
the First Kansas colOred infantry, Col.
Williams, with q section of the Second
Kansas battery, and six companies of
the Second Colorado Volunteer infantry,
Lieutenant Colonel Dodd, waiting TO
move with the train. Colonel Williams,
as the ranking officer, assumed command
of the entire force, which reached, in
effective strength, TO about one thousand
six hundred men and five guns.
On the 18th of June our advance
guard came upon q scouting party of
thirty men from Sandwiches command,
seven miles from the place Of this en-
campment. A brisk engagement ensued,
in which the rebels lost seven killed and
wounded. The party consisted of Tex.
ans and Indians. Colonel Williams wa
informed by the wounded prisoners that
StandWaitie, with one thousand SIX hum
dred men, was encsmped in a strong po-
sitiOn on the south side of Cabin creek.
IL being near night, it was decided to en-
camp the train and force, send out scout
ing parties TO feel the enemy, and press
forward in the morning. This was done.
That evening our scouts exchanged shots
with the rebel pickets on the north side
of the creek. The stream is narrow
and at times deep, the current running
with great swiftness. Such was the
case at the time.
! EARLY in the morning of the LIST Of
, July Colonel Williams moved his COM
, mand forward to an advantageous posi-
: ton on the prairie overlooking the creek
bottom, and near the dense timber,
which is over a mile broad, the major
! portion being on the north side of the
6 etream. The south side was lined with
! dense brush, and the banks were quite
! steep. Behind this the rebels were post
. ed. The train was concealed, snd Col
4 Williams, with eight companies of the
, First Kansas colored, four of the Sec
|, ond Colorado, and q portion of the cav
! airy and the three hOwitzers, moved
down 10 the creek. A large force of ne
gro skirmishers was deployed. II was
found that the north side was clear OIL
rebels. On reaching the bank of the
q creek il was found impossible TO ford
! the current being very swift and the
enemy being strongly and advantageous
. ~ posted.
!, The hOwiizers were ordered into DO.
b %sition, and for a couple of hours The
s rebel position was shelled. II was al
most impossible TO discover their force.
except by the Interchange of musketry
Q between the skirmishers. Nothing de-
d cisive occurred that day, in the course
g of which our forces were reinforced by
a detachment from the Indian brigade
under Major FormAn of the Third regi.
ment, numbering eve hundred men and
. one hOwitzer, sont forward by Colonel
Phillips TO reinforce the train.
, Early on the morning of the I'd th,
attack recommended on Standwaitie'l
9 position. Col. Williams, after Smelling
r the enemy's lines, formed the colores
regiment, four or i've companies of tb1
Colorado, second and a portion of III,
q cavalry, dismOunt as skirmishers, anC
0 moved across the stream, in face of
: heavy fire, forming and deploying il
!, perfect order on the opposite bank, anC
charging upon and utterly routing thu
rebels, who fled in confusion, throwing
n away arms and acooutrements As thu
: brush was so dense, they made gooC
their escape with The most Of theil
wounded.
The gallant affair cost us severely
3 Five negro soldiers were wounded, tw'
{ of the Colorado Second, one Indian killed
and several wounded, and fifteen Of Cap.
tain Stuart's command, Ninth kansal
q cavalry, were wounded. Five white ant
Indian soldiers were killed Maj. For
man, commanding the Indians, received
three severe flesh wounds, non Of whiol
g are dangerous, and in all about thirtl
were wounded. The enemy had ever
advantage of position, and, il thel
had had artillery, could have maintained
q themselves till their reinforoements ar
q rived.
From prisoners Col. Williams learne,
that about one thousand five hundred
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