Construction of the fort was started by Lt. Richard S. Ewell
and later continued by Captain Thomas Swords. The original construction
consisted of a central 350 foot square parade ground and a collection of buildings.
&nbsp;Unlike most forts the original site did
not have a wall of any kind. The site today consists of the Parade ground and
20 buildings, including a hospital, Blacksmith shop, stables, magazine, bake
shop, and multiple barracks.

The fort was abandoned in 1853 when further westward expansion
settling began.&nbsp; The site and its
buildings were taken over by civilians and some of the buildings were made into
hotels.&nbsp; Prior to the American Civil War
and during its civilian control, Fort Scott, Kansas was the center of conflict
over whether Kansas would become a free or slave state. &nbsp;This time became known as Bleeding Kansas.
Many supporters of each cause flooded into the area to sway the votes.

During the Civil War, Fort Scott was again occupied by the military,
becoming a Union army base. It remained so from 1861 to 1865.&nbsp; While occupied by the Union army the fort was
expanded and over 40 miles of fortifications were constructed.

Fort Scott includes twenty buildings that visitors can tour

Fort Scott is maintained by the National Park Service and is located in downtown Fort Scott, Kansas.  

More Info

Website

This is the application for the National Register 

Other

Fort Scott was established in 1842. Named for General Winfield Scott, the fort was part of a line of forts on the Indian frontier. Established as part of a boundary between the settlers and the Plains Indians, the fort became the basis for a large community.

Fort Scott National Historic Site

These five Clio entries, arranged in chronological order, share the history of an important chapter of Native American history within the Civil War. As the Civil War loomed on the horizon in 1861, Confederate commissioner Albert Pike sought to create alliances with the Native tribes of Indian Territory (present Oklahoma). Particularly important were the Five Tribes—Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole—who possessed many aspects of American culture, including agriculture, representative government, and chattel slavery. By autumn, Pike secured alliances with all Five Tribes. Yet his diplomacy papered over serious resistance to the Confederacy, as many Natives desired neutrality. In response, thousands of Creeks, Seminoles, runaway slaves, and other Indians gathered under Creek Chief Opothleyahola in resistance to Confederate authorities; his followers included several thousand Indian warriors. The Confederacy dispatched over 1,000 men under Colonel Douglas Cooper to quash Opothleyahola’s Rebellion. The first clash, a small skirmish at Round Mountain on November 19, proved inconclusive [STOP 1]. So too did the second, much larger engagement at Chusto-Talasah on December 9 [STOP 2]. Unable to defeat Opothleyahola, Col. Cooper requested the aid of Colonel James McIntosh, who left Fort Smith [STOP 3] and decisively defeated Opothleyahola’s forces at Chustenahlah on December 26 [STOP 4]. The rebellion broken, thousands of Opothleyahola’s followers fled to refugee camps in Kansas. Eventually, however, many of these Loyal Indians served in the Union Indian Home Guard regiments in expeditions to liberate Indian Territory, for which Fort Scott was a central hub [STOP 5]. Often forgotten, Opothleyahola’s Rebellion constituted a significant event in local Native-American, Civil War, and Indian Territory/Oklahoma history.

At the start of the Civil War, Native-Americans in Indian Territory (present Oklahoma) struggled to determine a political course of action. Although these tribes enjoyed peaceable relations with the United States government, they shared many cultural traits with Southerners, including a primarily agricultural economy based on enslaved Black labor. Many Native-Americans preferred to remain neutral under existing Federal treaties, while others favored allying with the nascent Confederacy. In May 1861, United States forces evacuated Indian Territory, and into this gap Confederate negotiators worked to secure treaties of alliance with the Five Tribes. Although the Confederacy proved successful in negotiating alliances with all the tribes, they resorted to nebulous tactics in order to do so. In particular, the Confederate perpetrated treaty fraud in dealing with the Creek and Seminole Nations. Despite staunch opposition to a Confederate treaty from many of these tribes’ members, the treaties were signed by tribal governments anyway. This treaty fraud, combined with political factions within the Creek Nation, gave rise to a massive anti-Confederate Indian rebellion in the winter of 1861. The leader of this rebellion was an old Creek chief named Opothleyahola. Refusing to agree to the Confederate-Creek treaty, in the autumn he began to mobilize many Creeks who favored neutrality. Many of these Creeks were traditionalists who spurned the growing influence of white culture among their people. Gathering in camps along the Canadian River, several thousand Creeks along with hundreds of Seminoles joined Opothleyahola. Small bands of many other tribes joined the revolt, as did several hundred runaway slaves. Although the exact number isn’t known, probably 4,000-6,000 Native-Americans and Blacks participated in this mobilization, several thousand of whom were warriors. Opothleyahola likely hoped the United States would arrive to restore order, and indeed, he and Creek leader Oktaharsharjo wrote a letter to President Abraham Lincoln pleading for help: “Now I write to the President our Great Father who removed us to our present homes, &amp; made a treaty, and you said that in our home we should be defended from all interference from any people and that now white people in the whole world should ever molest unless the come from the sky but the land should be ours as long as grass grew and waters run, and should we be injured by anybody you would come with your soldiers &amp; punish them, but now the wolf has come, men who are strangers tread our soil our children are frightened &amp; the mothers cannot sleep for fear. ﻿I was at Washington when you treated with us, and now White People are trying to take our people away to fight against us and you. I am alive. I well remember the treaty. My ears are open &amp; my memory is good.”[1] Yet faced with a massive rebellion across the South, the United States was in no position to afford Opothleyahola any help. Local Confederate authorities, including Native American regiments raised for Confederate service, grew increasingly nervous over the size of Opothleyahola’s rebellion. When Opothleyahola and the “Loyal Indians” (as they came to be known) refused Confederate negotiation attempts, Confederate Colonel Douglas Cooper determined to “either compel submission…or drive him and his party from the country.” Douglas led a force of 1,400 mounted Confederates, including Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Texans, to attack Opothleyahola’s party. On November 19, 1861, the Confederates finally found the rebellious Indians near the Red Fork of the Arkansas River. Discovering a recently abandoned campsite, several companies of the 9th Texas Cavalry charged ahead thinking they would catch the enemy. Instead, they rode directly into a trap. Opothleyahola’s men were sheltered atop a horseshoe-shaped hill covered with brush and timber. As the Texans rode forward, they were greeted by fire on three sides. As one Rebel private recalled, “We was surrounded with Creaks [sic] except one little space where we marched. It was in the shape of a horse shoe [nearer] than any comparison then [sic] I can make. The enemy was discharging their guns from every side except the side in which we marched in at.”[1] Some Creeks were armed with bows and arrows, and Confederate troopers learned the whistling sound an arrow makes as it cuts through the air. The Texans fell back and rallied, while Colonel Cooper arrived with reinforcements. The Confederate Choctaws and Chickasaws joined the fray, and opposing Indian forces clashed as dusk set in. A sharp firefight ensued, and prairie fires broke out on the battlefield. But the engagement ended abruptly as night fell. Opothleyahola’s warriors, having bloodied the enemy and protected the thousands of civilians accompanying their army, retreated into the darkness. The Battle of Round Mountain was over. The battle proved indecisive. The Confederates suffered six killed, five wounded; relatively light casualties given they were ambushed. Although a tactical Confederate victory, they failed to achieve any meaningful strategic goal. Suffering perhaps 60 killed and wounded, Opothleyahola and his followers lived to fight another day, and indeed, Confederate forces clashed with the Loyal Indians twice more than winter at Chusto-Talasah and Chustenahlah. Finally defeating Opothleyahola at Chustenahlah, the Loyal Indians sought refuge in nearby Kansas. Huddled in stark refugee camps throughout the winter, many of the men later enlisted in the Union Indian Home Guard regiments and helped liberate Indian Territory later in the Civil War. A notable debate emerged throughout the 20th century as to battlefield’s exact location; some argued in occurred in Pawnee County, on land now under the waters of Lake Keystone. Yet most agree it occurred just west of Yale, Oklahoma in Payne County, and a nearby Oklahoma Historical Society marker denotes the battle’s importance in local Civil War history.

During the Civil War, the Confederacy secured treaties of alliance with the Native American tribes of Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma). Yet many Indians, especially among the Creek and Seminole tribes, disavowed the Confederate alliances in hopes of remaining neutral. Thousands of "Loyal Indians" gathered under Creek chief Opothleyahola in protest. Confederate Colonel Douglas Cooper set out with 1,400 men to defeat these rebellious Indians. On November 19, 1861, Opothleyahola's forces ambushed the vanguard of Cooper's force near the Arkansas River. In the brief but sharp engagement, Loyal Indians clashed with Confederate Indians and Texans amid burning prairies. Nightfall ended the engagement. While the Confederacy won the battle, Opothleyahola's forces survived to fight twice more that winter. Today, the Round Mountain battlefield is thought to be located near Yale, Oklahoma, and a state historical marker stands near the site's historic location.

Battle of Round Mountain

At the onset of the Civil War, the Confederacy courted the Five Tribes living in Indian Territory (present Oklahoma): Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole. These tribes had adopted many aspects of American society and culture, including agriculture, representative government, and the use of enslaved African labor. Confederate officials managed to secure the support of many tribal leaders (particularly slaveholders) and inked treaties of alliance with the Five Tribes. Yet these treaties did not enjoy the support of all Native Americans. Among the Creek and Seminole tribes in particular, many Indians viewed the treaties as fraudulent and favored remaining neutral in the brewing Civil War. In the autumn of 1861, thousands of Creeks, Seminoles, and runaway Blacks, along with small numbers from other tribes, gathered under Creek Chief Opothleyahola in opposition to the Confederate treaties. Although these dissident Natives desired neutrality, their refusal to acknowledge the Confederate treaties resulted in conflict. In November 1861, Confederate forces under Colonel Douglas H. Cooper clashed with Opothleyahola’s forces at the Battle of Round Mountain. Although the “Loyal Indians” (as they came to be known) under Opothleyahola were forced to retreat, they performed well in the short battle and remained a threat to Confederate authorities. In early December, Colonel Cooper again set out to defeat Opothleyahola, whose force included Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Texan units. On the evening of December 8, Cooper’s forces camped near the enemy near Bird Creek. Opothleyahola’s force numbered between 2,500-4,000 warriors. During the night, many of the Cherokees under Col. Cooper fled. Unwilling to clash with other Native-Americans (with whom many Cherokees were sympathetic), hundreds of Cherokees deserted and some even defected to Opothleyahola. On the morning of December 9, having lost several hundred defected Cherokees, Colonel Cooper attempted to avoid battle, having only 1,100 men. But Opothleyahola forced an engagement.For nearly four hours, the two small armies fought along the banks of Bird Creek. Opothleyahola’s forces utilized a horseshoe bend in the creek as a stronghold. Indians clashed with Indians amid the brush, and the Confederate made repeated attempts to capture the horseshoe bend stronghold. Just as Opothleyahola’s forces began to buckle, the sun set. Darkness ended the battle and allowed Opothleyohola and his followers to escape. Colonel Cooper likewise ordered a retreat. The Battle of Chusto-Talasah (also referred to as “Caving Banks”) proved a fiery but indecisive engagement. Although tactically the Confederates could perhaps claim victory, Opothleyahola’s army remained a strategic threat. The Confederates suffered 15 killed and 37 wounded. Native casualties are harder to determine but probably numbered around 150. Unable to defeat Opothleyahola, Colonel Cooper eventually requested aid from Arkansas. On December 26, Colonel James McIntosh finally and decisively defeated Opothleyahola at the Battle of Chustenahlah. Opothleyahola’s followers were forced to feel into a Kansan exile in the dead of winter. Many of Loyal Indians eventually enlisted in the Union army within the Indian Home Guard regiments. Today, two historical markers in Sperry, Oklahoma acknowledges the importance of Chusto-Talash within Oklahoma history. The battlefield is inaccessible, unfortunately compromised because of the dirt mining taking place on the location.

During the Civil War, the Native American tribes of Indian Territory (present Oklahoma) primarily allied with the Confederacy. Yet in 1861, thousands of rebellious Natives gathered under Chief Opothleyahola in rejection of Confederate alliances. Confederate forces under Colonel Douglas Cooper attempted to quash this rebellion. On December 9, 1861, 1,100 Confederates (including Confederate Indians) clashed with several thousand of Opothleyahola's warriors along the banks of Bird Creek. The four-hour Battle of Chusto-Talasah (also known as Caving Banks) proved indecisive. Opothleyahola's forces were decisively defeated later in the month at the Battle of Chustenahlah.

The Battle of Chusto-Talasah

The Fort Smith National Historic Site shares 80 years of Fort Smith history with visitors from across the country and around the world. When guest enter the visitor center, they are greeted by National Park Rangers who give them an overview of what they can see inside the building and outside. 	Inside the main building, visitors typically begin by watching a short film that provides the 80 year history in about 15 minutes. After the film, visitors can make their way down the hall to see the first jail, nicknamed the “Hell on the Boarder” jail. Visitors can then continue upstairs where they can see a recreation of the second jail that was built. In this area, there are also exhibits on Deputy Marshals. Continuing on through the latter portion of the museum, visitors can see exhibits on military and the Trail of Tears before entering Judge Parker’s courtroom. This exhibit is what most people come to see. When visitors finish inside they can explore the grounds where they can see a recreation of the gallows, the Commissary which is the oldest building in Fort Smith, and they can travel out to see the foundations of the First Fort Smith.	For those wanting to come to the museum they are open from 9 am to 5 pm every day except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[1]</a> To go through the museum it will cost $10 for those sixteen and older and those under sixteen are free.<a href="#_ftn2" target="_blank">[2]</a> This price will cover seven consecutive days of reentry.<a href="#_ftn3" target="_blank">[3]</a> The museum also accepts any America the Beautiful National Park Passes.<a href="#_ftn4" target="_blank">[4]</a> This is a great museum for all ages. <a href="#_ftnref1" target="_blank">[1]</a> “Operating Hours &amp; Seasons,” National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/hours.htm" target="_blank">https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/hours.htm</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref2" target="_blank">[2]</a> “Fees &amp; Passes,” National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/fees.htm" target="_blank">https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/fees.htm</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref4" target="_blank">[4]</a> Ibid.

The Fort Smith National Historic Site covers around 80 years of Fort Smith, Arkansas history from 1817 to 1896.  This site primarily focuses on the years in which Judge Isaac C. Parker served the Federal Court of the Western District of Arkansas, 1875-1896.  This site includes an indoor museum, several outdoor exhibits, and a walking trail that leads visitors to the foundations of the First Fort Smith. This National Park Site is a great place to take friends and family to learn more about the history of the town.

Fort Smith National Historic Site

In the autumn of 1861, Creek Chief Opothleyahola led a large-scale indigenous rebellion against Confederate authorities in Indian Territory (present Oklahoma). Although the Five Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole) of Indian Territory allied with the Confederacy, there was considerable dissent to these treaties among those who preferred neutrality. Thousands of Creeks, Seminoles, runaway slaves, and smaller numbers from other tribes gathered under Opothleyahola in resistance to the Confederacy. Unwilling to accept their neutrality, Colonel Douglas Cooper set out in November with over 1,000 Confederate Indians and Texans to crush Opothleyahola’s rebellion. Cooper did not fare well. In clashes at Round Mountain (November 18) and Chusto-Talasah (December 9), Cooper scored minor tactical victories over the enemy but strategically failed to crush the rebellion. Opothleyahola’s army remained in the field and a major threat to Confederate authorities in the region. Colonel Cooper worried that Opothleyahola’s continued resistance would attract more followers. In need of assistance, Cooper asked Colonel James McIntosh in Arkansas for help. A West Point graduate and aggressive commander with combat experience, McIntosh left Arkansas with nearly 1,400 men (including Texans and Arkansans) and pursued Opothleyahola. Although Col. McIntosh intended to join forces with Colonel Cooper, he found Opothleyahola first. On December 26, 1861, after celebrating a cold Christmas, McIntosh’s men found Opothleyahola’s force encamped near Shoal Creek within the Osage Hill (in what is now Osage County, Oklahoma). Opothleyahola’s warriors boasted a strong defensive position. They were nestled among the trees along a hillside, with Shoal Creek to their front. Yet having clashed twice with Confederates already in the prior two months, they were desperately short of ammunition. Some even utilized bows and arrows. Still, the rebellious Indians were confidence; as one Texan noted, the Indians were “barking like a dog howling like a wolf and yelling and gobbling like a turkey.”[1] Not one for complex tactics, Colonel McIntosh simply ordered his men to dismount, ford Shoal Creek, and assault the enemy position. Around noon, the Confederates charged. According to Texas trooper Douglas Cater, “one wild yell from a thousand throats burst upon the air, and the living mass hurled itself upon the foe.” Although Opothleyahola’s warriors attempted to stymie the Texan charge, the Confederates swept irresistibly onward. As ammunition faltered and the Texans advanced, Opothleyahola’s forces shattered and ran. Utterly defeated, the Indians suffered an estimated 150 casualties; the Confederates lost 9 killed and 40 wounded. During the Indians’ flight, they lost much-needed supplies, including 30 wagons, 70 oxen, 500 ponies, and many other belongings and supplies. The Battle of Chustenahlah shattered Opothleyahola’s rebellion against the Confederacy. In the wake of the battle, thousands of the Creek chief’s followers trekked northward to relative safety in Kansas. Bereft of provisions, food, shelter, and even clothing, the “Loyal Indians” (as they came to be known) suffered terribly on their way north. Arrival in Kansas offered little more than protection from their Confederate pursuers; nearly 5,000 Native Americans huddled in Kansan refugee camps throughout the winter, and many died. In the spring of 1862, however, many of Opothleyahola’s warriors enlisted in the Union Indian Home Guard regiments and served in the Union Army for the remainder of the Civil War, eventually liberating much of Indian Territory from Confederate control. Today, the site of the Battle of Chustenahlah is located on private property. A granite Oklahoma Historical Society marker in nearby Skiatook acknowledges the important place of the Battle of Chustenahlah within Native American, Civil War, and Oklahoma history.

The Battle of Chustenahlah constituted the last engagement between Creek Chief Opothleyahola and the Confederate States. Unwilling to acquiesce to the alliances between tribal governments and the Confederacy, thousands of Native Americans joined Opothleyahola in rejecting the alliances. Confederate forces waged a campaign to defeat Opothleyahola, and after two inconclusive clashes at Round Mountain and Chusto-Talasah, Colonel James McQueen finally defeated the rebellious Indians at Chustenahlah on December 26, 1861. The defeated shattered Opothleyahola's rebellion and forced his followers into exile in Kansas. A historical marker in Skiatook acknowledges the battle; the battlefield itself is located on private property.

Exploring Opothleyahola's Rebellion

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information