The 16 year old was Ella Flora Coody [Robinson], born at the Frozen Rock Plantation of her father William Shorey Coody on April 28, 1847. Her brother was Sgt. William S. Coody, Co. I, 2nd Cherokee Mtd Vols (Adair’s). Her step-father was Maj. John Vann (formerly captain Co. I) also 2nd Cherokee Mtd Vols (Adair’s). Her grandfather was Capt Richard Fields of Drew’s Regt who was captured at Pea Ridge and, at the end of the war, was a delegate of the Southern Cherokee to reestablish relations with the US government.

Her step-father, John “Salaule” Vann was the brother-in-law of Lt. Col. O.H.P “Perry” Brewer and also brother-in-law of Maj. Israel G. Vore (quartermaster of Drew’s Regt and later of Cooper’s Brigade). The Brewers lived at Brewer’s Bend, a few miles upstream of Webbers Falls. The Vann family was one of the richest in the Cherokee Nation. The Vann house was on a ridge about two miles west of Webbers Falls and was a copy of their former home at Springplace, Georgia, shown below.

From her lengthy interview in the Indian-Pioneer Papers, she states the following occurred in 1863:

Late that same evening another detachment of Union soldiers came with Colonel Phillips himself in charge and set fire to the house and burned it to the ground. They went through and kindled a fire in every room. Mother pleaded with him ot allow her to remove a few prized pieces of furniture, (her bed was one). He refused and said, “Madam, it’s entirely to fine”. Mother replied, “Well, it’s mine and paid for.” They went through the house with an axe and broke every mirror and marble slab on the furniture…. Some of our neighbors who had not been burned out gave us a few things but in a few days Union troops set fire to the little village and burned the whole place out..

The Vann family eventually moved to Bloomfield Academy in the southern Choctaw Nation for a year and then across the Red River to Preston TX.