Contemporary accounts reported on the hunt for Chitto Harjo. All reported that he had been wounded, most probably in the hip in the shootout that came to be known as the "Smoked Meat Rebellion." The resulting manhunt included the first deployment of the Okla. National Guard after Statehood. Many speculated that he died from his wounds. Even the account of his death in Choctaw country claimed that he ultimately died from his wounds.

The Federal Governor continued looking for Harjo for many years. In 1913, a reporter, Fred Barde, discovered a part of the story for the Kansas City Star newspaper. Barde had covered the manhunt for the Guthrie Ledger in 1909. Fred Meserve recounted a portion of the same in his note at the conclusion of "THE PLEA OF CRAZY SNAKE (Chitto Harjo)," Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 11, No. 3, September, 1933, p899 at 910 (online version at http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v011/v011p0899.html ). However, it was, according to my Lizzie Garrett Gibson just part of the escape story. Micco Gibson took Harjo to a supporters house and got the wagon. They made their way to Eufaula to treat Harjo's wounds. The Federals did not find him at their home. Harjo healed. Harjo did make his way to Henryetta and the home of Daniel Bob. It was another stop on his escape route. The families mentioned and the round about route taken were used. Descendants of the families involved in the trip to Henryetta are alive today. Other supporters of Harjo then assisted him in each leg of the trip to Texas and on to Mexico. I hope to include in the appendix to the Garrett-Gibson book the FOIA responses on the "grave" as there are no "official military records", National Guard or actual US Army, on the investigation of the grave at Daniel Bob's house.

While Harjo may not have been well educated by formal standards, many of his supporters were. Disinformation was a standard tactic. Micco Gibson had changed his name as a very young man. "Micco" means chief in Muscogee language. He was called "Mick". He changed his name after a battle with Choctaw freedmen in an area of disputed boundaries when, as a Creek Lighthorse, he killed a Choctaw while trying to serve an eviction notice and warrant with other Lighthorse. A warrant was sworn out with the Choctaw Lighthorse for him in his given name, but his first name was never spoken amongst the Creek ever again.

See digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v031/v031p037.pdf - 2005-11-14 for a excellent article in the Chronicles on the Smoked Meat Rebellion or the shootout and hunt for Harjo. It is most interesting that the confirming statements of "secrets about the death of Harjo in Choctaw land were revealed in 1937. Around the time that the cards from Mexico stopped coming to Granny Gibson in Eufaula.