The Official Records suggest another, radically different possibility, for how the Confederate Indian and Texas forces arrived at the Battle of Middle Boggy, 2-13-64.

I. G. Vore at Ft. Washita on January 29 asks for permission (from MG S. B. Maxey at Ft. Towson) for the Chickasaw and Seminole Battalions (John Jumper) be permitted to attend the Grand Council at Armstrong Academy (starting on February 1, 1864) along with any other (Indian) forces as may chose to join them at the Council. (See OR for 1-29-64, Vol. 34, P. II, p. 928) Vore also ask if Maxey would address the Grand Council. Col. Stand Watie's forces were already in the area, and the Creek's of Monty Kanard, Late chief of the Creek Nation, were there as well.) While the Confederate idea for the Council was for the Indians to make peace with the Plains Indians, some leading Confederate Indian headmen had concocted a radically different plan (following the peace treaty) to head out to Northwest Kansas (Humbolt) along the Arkansas River and attack the wagon trains loaded with Federal Gold coming in from California headed to Fort Leavenworth ("to make a big diversion"). It seems most the big Confederate warriors were in on the secret plan, probably along with BG D. H. Cooper, then also at Ft. Washita. It seems that Maxey was out of the office (probably he went down to visit his wife Matilda nearby at Paris, Texas, and check on some transportation issues). Anyway, Vore's request was immediately and unofficially approved by Maxey's staff officer of the day. For sure, BG Maxey came to the Grand Council and gave a well-received presentation on February 5. While there, Maxey seems to have gotten several more requests (the Indian headmen knew they had Maxey and Cooper over the barrel). By February 7, Maxey gets all the requests he can stand (including one for a written copy of his Feb. 5 speech on February 7) and returns to Ft. Towson. By February 9, he is sick in bed.

Thus, what is known is that even on February 9, Maxey's writings in Ft. Towson, a day's ride away from Armstrong Academy, shows that he does not know of Phillips Expedition coming out west (Maxey mentions a Federal raid on the east side of his command which seems to be headed south toward BG Gano down the Line Road south of Waldron, Arkansas), and neither does General Cooper or the Confederate Indians (say on February 8 at Armstrong Academy on the Blue River) who will fight at Middle Boggy River on February 13, 1864.

Let's assume that word of Phillips Invasion reaches Boggy Depot and Armstrong Academy on February 8 (as it nearly must). The Indians are still camped nearby feasting on the several beeves that Maxey brought which was also part of Vore's request on Maxey (to feed the troops) for being invited to the Indian Grand Council. BG Cooper probably ordered the Seminole Battalion (its in their country, too) and detachments of the 1st Chickasaw Battalion (and others of Jonathan Nail's nearby Company A (at Nails Crossing of the Blue, Ft. McCulloch) northward with BG Cooper to see what was going on. It is likely that some elements of Col. Watie's Brigade also went north up the Texas Road to Boggy Depot, as Watie was charged with scouting the Texas Road north of Boggy Depot toward Ft. Gibson. By the time this Confederate Indian force reached Boggy Depot, say on the evening of February 9, it is reported that the Chickasaw Nation is also a likely target (the Feds have left Hillibee and headed west toward old Ft. Holmes nearer the Chickasaw Nation).

From Boggy Depot, a poor wagon road went northwest out of Boggy Depot to Cochran's Store on Clear Boggy, where it hit the Dragoon Trail along and slightly ahead of the likely approach of Phillip's Expedition if he continues into the Chickasaw Nation. Boggy Depot is the opportunity for the 20th Texas to join Cooper's reconnaissance-in-force toward upper Middle Boggy, especially if Col. Watie believes that he should push his troops on up the Texas Road toward Perryville, as I believe he would. It is known that Watie is later there (see Maxey's report of 2-26-64). The only Confederate troops at Boggy Depot were the 20th Texas Cavalry (dismounted). I simply find it hard to believe that some of them did not go north (on February 10, the day their regimental commander Thomas C. Bass resigned at Boggy Depot) with their Confederate comrades.

In addition to tradition, there is another bit of Official Records that supports the idea that a small force from the 20th Texas Cavalry Regiment (dismounted) may have joined Lt. Col John Jumper's Seminole Battalion and Capt. Jonathan Nails Company A for the long march to Middle Boggy.

MG S. B. Maxey writes on 1-15-64 that: "I have a very few dismounted cavalry (no infantry), Bass' Regiment, about 200 effectives, all of whom I have ordered to Boggy Depot" (Vol. 34, Part II, p. 876). After visiting Boggy Depot and Ft. Washita immediately following Phillips Expedition, Maxey writes from Ft. Towson on 2-26-64 that: "I have the only infantry I have, about 150 in all, at Boggy Depot" (Vol. 34, Part II, p. 995). Thus, the 20th Texas may have had as many as 50 troops gone somewhere during the past month, and these are "Official Records" so they must be right!

One thing is for sure, nothing that I can find proves that the 20th Texas was not at the fight at Middle Boggy.