The Indian Territory in the Civil War Message Board

"Civil War Arkansas, 1863"

After much procrastination, I have finished reading Mark Christ's "Civil War Arkansas, 1863: The Battle for a State". I was very pleased with the frequency of quotes from eye-witness accounts of soldiers, officers, and civilians. For those interested in the predicament and complaints of Albert Pike, the book sheds light I why his supplies for the Indian Territory were being intercepted by Hindman and Holmes.

Chapter six is specific to the Indian Territory and, in general, is a good assessment and chronology of the region, not just during 1863. Much space is given to the crucial events in 1862 which set the stage for the Union occupation of Ft Gibson, the Battle of Honey Springs, the Perryville/Ft Smith campaign. A minor weakness is the reliance on secondary sources regarding the Indian Territory. As I have mentioned ad nauseam, he perpetuates the often repeated error that Cherokee Chief John Ross was escorted north by Capt Greeno in mid-July instead of my Col Cloud in early August.