In the recent posts about the capture of De Witt Clinton Lipe (known as "Major" or "DWC") and others, we find at least De Witt Lipe and Proctor Landrum in Company L of the 14th KS Cav. This would be the last company of a cavalry regiment (right?). They were captured in July 1863 but the regiment wasn't formed until Nov 1863 -- being only the four company battalion for Blunt's bodyguard prior to that. Company L was with Willetts on Phillips' Feb 1864 expedition into the Creek, Seminole, and Chickasaw Nations.

I've been trying to track the movements of the 14th in Feb 1864 for some time. I don't what to pick and choose what fits "my theory" and ignore what I "ass/u/me" are errors, but often we have to make judgement calls. I ask you to use your judgement and see if you see it differently. With that said...

Per the ORs, Maj Willetts was with Phillips at Ft Blunt in Dec 1863. This battalion left Ft Blunt with Phillips in Feb 1864 acting as advance guard. They cross the Canadian at the mouth of Little River (Little River Town, Old Ft Holmes, Edward's Trading Post) and fight the battle of Middle Boggy. Phillips reports the event that night from Camp Kansas "on the battlefield" in the Choctaw Nation. He states that Jumper retreated to Ft Arbuckle. Phillips reports that the next day they moved twenty miles south and camped on Blue at Camp Kagi in the Chickasaw Nation. Phillips writes to Gov Winchester Colbert of the Chickasaw and says he visited his house but Colbert wasn't there. Phillips fears the Confederates are massing against him and he falls back by the route he came, re-crossing the Canadian and returning to Ft Blunt. Phillips complains that had the rest of the 14th joined him, he would have entered Texas, but he says he never heard from them even though he left supplies for them at North Fork Town.

The below says the entire 14th marched from Ft Smith to North Fork Town, left four companies with Phillips, and the rest returned to Ft Smith. It further states the battalion got to 20 miles from Boggy Depot.

So what am I "picking and choosing"? That they didn't get closer than 20 miles from Boggy Depot. This would fit with Phillips moving down the Choctaw-Chicksaw border from Old Ft Holmes, fighting Jumper's Seminoles on the headwaters of Middle Boggy in the Choctaw Nation (near the Chickasaw border) just south of the Canadian and moving 20 miles south to Blue River in the Chickasaw Nation via Robt Cochran's and Gov Colbert's. They did not fight near Atoka, which is only 11 miles from Boggy Depot and they certainly did not move twenty miles south from that location.

The below is online at http://www.kansasguardmuseum.org/dispunit.php?id=24

The 14th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment

In the spring of 1863, Maj. Gen. Blunt received authority from the War Department to recruit a battalion of cavalry as his personal escort.

This was intended to be composed of four companies of picked men. They were speedily obtained; so speedily, indeed, that inasmuch as the necessity was at that time urgent for more troops, Gen. Blunt had the order so extended and altered as to authorize the enlistment of a full regiment of cavalry for the current wants of the service.

Under this authority Gen. Blunt, through his recruiting commissioner, Maj. Anderson, (afterwards Adjutant General of the State), aided by the efforts of Gov. Carney, soon had the requisite number of men recruited, and in November, 1863, the 14th Kansas Cavalry was in effect organized and placed in the field.

On the 20th of this month, (November), by order of General Blunt, the regiment moved from Fort Scott (which was its place of rendezvous) en route for Fort Smith, Ark., under command of Lieut. Col. Thomas Moonlight, 11th Kansas Volunteers. It arrived at Fort Smith December 3d, 1863, and was at once placed under active duty by Gen. John McNeil, who then commanded at that place. The regiment (being well mounted, and cavalry being much need at the post) at once entered upon an active career of scouting, foraging, picket and other duties. This was kept up during the winter, or until the 23d of February.

Just before this time, Col. Moonlight was relieved from the command of the regiment, Maj. J. G. Brown succeeding him. Under this officer the 14th Kansas marched during the month of February on an expedition into the beautiful but almost deserted Choctaw country. The line of its march was that of Lieutenant Whipple's survey for hte Southern Pacific Railway via Sherman, Texas. Many of the iron bridges built by that pioneer of the Pacific Railroad, the Overland Mail Company, yet remained. The expedition was intended to penetrate to Boggy Depot, C. N., and was to co-operate with a force from Fort Gibson, C. N., under command of Col. Wm. A. Phillips. ON account of orders received from Headquarters District of the Frontier, the entire regiment did not proceed further than North Fork Town, on the Canadian river, eight companies of the regiment returned to Fort Smith under Maj. Brown, and cos. B, K, L and M accompanied Col. Phillips. As the only cavalry with the force it acted as the advance of the command while penetrating the enemy's country, and when within twenty miles of Boggy Depot, it was found necessary to retreat to avoid a larely superior force, this battalion of cavalry acted as the rear guard of Col. Phillips' little army, doing signal service throughout...

(Source: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, 1861-’65. Reprint Edition. Topeka, Kansas: Kansas State Printing Plant (1896). Transcription courtesy of Bryce Benedict, Civil War Round Table of Eastern Kansas.)