Saturday, November 5, 1864 was the first day MG Price’s Army marched downhill all day long in the Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory (IT). Price had broken camp early near Davis Mountain and the headwaters of Sallisaw Creek, just east of (now) Stilwell, OK. Federal reports later said that Price’s campsites were scattered for miles along his retreat route. Price’s remnant Confederate army (now about 6,000 men) marched southwest down Sallisaw Creek all day, covering 18 miles before camping along the Sallisaw (near Flute Springs below Bunch). Price’s buggy broke down about this time and was abandoned alongside of the road. Federal commander MG Curtis recognized it while passing by two days later.

By the afternoon of November 4, 1864, MG Curtis had determined (from local scouts returning to Fayetteville, AR) that Price was moving west from Cane Hill toward Indian Territory, and not south toward Ft. Smith. MG S. R. Curtis then ordered Col. M. La Rue Harrison (commanding the First Arkansas Cavalry and Post of Fayetteville) to lead his Federal army west of Fayetteville to pursue Price even into Indian Territory. Harrison had just successfully defended a ten-day siege of Fayetteville, so his 300-man Arkansas vanguard was given the position of honor in leading the now 3,500-man Federal Army of the Border into Indian Territory in pursuit of Price. Harrison was a fine cavalry commander and had played a major role in the early phases of the Battle of Prairie Grove in December 1862, and knew well the road to Cane Hill where Price had recently camped.

The next morning, Saturday, November 5, 1864, broke cold and clear. Federal pursuit of Price was slow getting started from Fayetteville. All of Curtis' Federal troopers had arrived in Fayetteville the day before wet, dog-tired and with horses unfed. Col. Harrison noted that he personally led the Army of the Border’s march headed west out of Fayetteville at 11:00 a.m. (41-1-p.400) The Federals marched only 11 miles west that day along the road to Cane Hill, crossing the Illinois River and making camp on the 1862 battlefield at Prairie Grove. However, the Federals had found considerable forage and beef. That night (5th) Curtis camped 57 miles behind Price. Unless other Federal troops blocked Price along the Sallisaw, there was no way Curtis was going to trap Price, but neither Curtis nor Price knew this. Both commands were at best half-strength, but each commander hoped the other didn’t know this fact.

Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant, commander of all Federal Armies, smoked another cigar at City Point, VA and waited for news regarding his old nemesis (Price) of Iuka, MS, now still on the loose; and Sherman waited at Atlanta for Grant to let him go to the sea. Believe it or not, a little told chase along Sallisaw Creek IT (along with Lincoln’s re-election) was holding up the Civil War!