In Wilfred Knight's "Red Fox : Stand Watie and the Confederate Indian Nations During the Civil War Years in Indian Territory", he states that Stand Watie's 1st Cherokee Mtd. Vol.'s was ordered by Hindman during the Prairie Grove Campaign to attack Union pickets at Evansville and Dutch Mills. This he did successfully, occupying Dutch Mills at abt. the time of the battle of Prairie Grove. Knight also states that Bryan's 1st Cherokee Battalion was acting as skirmishers for Marmaduke's Division. There is also a statement that Sampson Folsom's 1st Choctaw Regiment linked up with Watie and that Tandy Walker's 1st Choctaw-Chickasaw Regiment were moving to the area.

First of all, I've never seen this reference to Bryan's Battalion acting in concert with and for Marmaduke's Division. Secondly, I was not aware that the 1st Choctaw and 1st Choctaw-Chickasaw Regiment participated. This makes a fairly sizable force of Indian troops acting in concert with Hindman's army in Arkansas during the battle of Prairie Grove.

For anyone that might know, I have a couple of questions.

1) While at Dutch Mills, Watie hatched a plan to capture a Union Wagon Train (Blunt's?) which was moving toward Cane Hill/Prairie Grove. Apparently, Watie placed his troops at a gap where he calculated the wagon train would pass; however, they took a different route. Does anyone know which gap or road he expected them to take? And, what was the route this wagon train "actually" took?

2) At one point, Watie's men fall-back to a place called Peyton Springs, which I would guess was South of Evansville. Does anyone know the modern name or location of this site?

Thanks for any help you can offer regarding the locations and/or participation of the Indian troops in the Cane Hill/Prairie Grove Campaigns.

Jim