Quoting:
Six months later his place of business was raided by the Confederate army, as also his home, and in July of that year he and his family were taken prisoners by the Union army.
[It would appear he is stating the raiding of the store occurred the same year they were "taken prisoner", 1862, but it must have been 1861 based on the statements that follow, i.e., the Treaty was signed in 1861. In July of 1862, during the 1st Indian Expedition and immediately following the action at Locust Grove, Capt Greeno was sent to Park Hill by Col. Weer to meet with Principal Chief John Ross. The Union Army and Indian Office, being advised by John Ross' friend Rev. Evan Jones, were sure Chief Ross would immediately resend the Cherokee-Confederate Treaty. They were somewhat surprised and confused at Ross' hesitancy which may have come from his well-founded lack of confidence in the Union Army to hold the country, his fear that the Confederacy would win the war or at least survive it, and his fear of Cooper's command who was at Ft Davis about 20 miles away. Ross was rightly fearful of Watie's men which is why the Pins of Drew's Regt were camped around Park Hill. Those that had not yet defected remained to protect Ross and themselves from the Watie faction of the tribe. The hostility and violence between the Ross faction and Watie faction can be traced far back in Cherokee history but particularly stems from the disputes regarding the removal treaty (1835 Treaty of New Echota of which Watie was a signer) and the subsequent forced removal from the East over the "Trail of Tears".]
It was General Albert Pike and his troops who raided the store, at which time they forced Chief John Ross into signing a treaty with them.
[This seems rather imprecise. Pike met with Ross and Ross refused to sign a treaty with the Confederacy and held fast to his stance of neutrality. Pike left to negotiate treaties with the other tribes. Other events apparently changed Ross' mind and Ross sent for Pike to return to negotiate a treaty. Pike returned, the treaty was negotiated and ratified, and Drew's Regt was created. As for "troops who raided the store", this could be any group of the Watie faction at any time since Nash was of the Ross faction. The store may have been ransacked, robbed, and/or vandalized by any group passing through, whether or not stemming from Nash's loyalties.]
When the Union army reached this portion of the country they claimed as prisoners the Chief, Lewis Ross, who was treasurer of the nation, and those who were immediately related to them, including Dr John D Ross, Major George Murrell, John W. Staples, and Mr. F.H. Nash
[This is an interesting list. I'd have to do some digging but I believe George Murrell was in Ft Smith at the time. The first reference I found to the skirmish in Park Hill on or about Aug. 6th was a letter from Col. Drew at Ft Davis to George Murrell on business in Ft Smith stating there had been a fight with Pins at Murrell's home. It was my impression that Ross et al were escorted north by Col Cloud about the same day so I supposed Murrell was not with them. While technically "arrested", the Union Army believed they were rescuing Ross from the Confederates and that is how Ross and his supporters characterized it.]
They were all married men and their families accompanied them when they taken to the north. At Leavenworth Kansas, however, they were immediately discharged and from Leavenworth they made their way to New York, spending a winter on Staten Island.
[Ross and his family spent the remainder of the war in the North. I believe Ross himself spent most of his time at his daughter's home in Philadelphia though spent much time in Washington trying to convince Lincoln and the War Department that the Confederate Treaty was signed under duress and that the Cherokee were truly loyal to the Union. Whether or not that was true, the US Government didn't want to hear it. In spite of the number of Cherokee in the IHG and their clear opposition to the "Southern Indians", viewing the Cherokee as "disloyal" would make it easier to dispossess the Cherokee of their lands and open the territory to the railroads and white settlement after the war. The US Government already disliked Ross, viewed the Pins as savages, and much preferred diplomatic relations with the "progressive" Watie faction.]
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Floreain H. Nash Sr. (b.1837) married Fannie Vann, granddaughter of Lewis Ross (brother of Chief John Ross).