McCulloch departed Fort Smith for Richmond, Virginia, on November 29, 1861, leaving Col. James McIntosh in charge. McCulloch didn't return to Arkansas until February 10, 1862, so the Indian Territory campaign of December 1861 was McIntosh's show.

McIntosh took the 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles and four companies of the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, supported by the 3rd, 6th and 11th Texas Cavalry, into the Indian Territory put a stop to the reported attacks on whites by Indian forces deemed to be loyal to the Federal government -- mostly Creeks and Seminoles under the aged Creek chief Hopoeithleyohola.

McIntosh departed Fort Gibson on December 22, 1861, and marched up the Verdigris River, thence west across Bird Creek to a site called Chustenenlah (in present-day Osage County, Oklahoma). There he met and defeated the Creeks and their allies, and returned to Arkansas.

McIntosh reported killing 250 and capturing 160 women and children, 20 negroes, 30 wagons, 70 yokes of oxen, 500 horses, several hundred cattle, 100 sheep "and a great quantity of other property."

Confederate losses were 8 killed and 32 wounded.

By December 31, 1861, McIntosh was in winter quarters at Cantonment Bee, near Huntsville, Arkansas.