At the time of the battle was the water level high at Elk Creek? If I recall correctly (and I might not be) it seemed as if the Arkansas was high and that Blunt had to wait a bit before sending a battalion from the 6th KS Cav to effect a crossing at the Creek Agency. They then came around to the fords at Fort Gibson and secured the southern bank of the Arkansas while the rest of the force crossed over in flat boats.
My questions are these;
1) Was the Creek flooded or high at the time of the battle?
2) How wide and deep was the creek bed normally in 1863? I visited the area around the remains of the stone bridge and the creek bed looked about 20 something feet deep and about 20 yards across. Does that sound right?
3) Were the smaller fords usable at the time of the battle or was the water too high?
Thanks,
Manny