11-15-64

Gen. Price marches south along the Texas Road (along US 69) for 17 miles and makes Camp 71 just north of Limestone Gap, OK. MG Fagan ordered to take his cavalry escort and depart for Washington, AR, via Doaksville.

11-16-64

Price moves thru Limestone Gap and heads south down the Little Boggy River making only 7 miles before making Camp 72 near the intersection of US 69 with OK 43 just below Chockie, OK (the hometown of country singer Reba McEntire).

Magruder at Camden, Arkansas orders Price to Arkansas. (Price gets this dispatch at Bonham, TX on 11-24. Magruder moves to Washington, AR on 11-26.

Maxey repeats dispatch sent to Price (first to Boggy Depot) to “enroute” saying supplies being stocked for you at Doaksville and Camp Gano at Laynesport AR (41-4-1055).

11-17-64

Price marches 17 miles down Texas Road, passing Watie’s Indians along Little Boggy (in Lake Atoka) near Stringtown, and camps (No. 73) on Middle Boggy River (at Atoka). MG Fagan leaves Price’s army that evening headed southeast down Middle Boggy River along Indian road for Doaksville. Fagan goes to Mrs. Caffrey’s then follows Wood’s battalion to Doaksville by one day.

Maxey writes that “Price’s men are arriving here (Ft. Towson/Doaksville) daily by squads. I suppose the main body will reach here in a few days” (41-4-1076). Maxey has gotten first info from DHQ at Shreveport of 11-15 that Gen. Wharton was ordered to move up via Caddo Gap, AR on Ft. Smith (halted later by Magruder).

11-18-64

Price arrives at Boggy Depot and writes first summary of Expedition for Gen. E.K. Smith (41-1-624). Price has ordered to Doaksville: MG Fagan and his escort, Col. Charles H. Tyler and his mostly unarmed brigade of (4,000) recruits, and Col. Robert C. Wood and 3 companies (a battalion) of 14th Missouri Cavalry. (Price’s Army shown in 41-1-700). Col. John T. Coffee took his regular troops from Cane Hill/Fayetteville directly to Southern Arkansas.

Maxey at Ft. Towson gets Price’s first dispatch of 11-10-64 in morning mail saying “He is retreating into Indian Territory.” (41-4-1067) From the late evening mail (10 p.m.) Maxey writes to Boggs that “many of Price’s army already have been fed who have passed Doaksville” (41-4-1067). {These furloughed troops probably came from (See Camp 67 on 11-10-64.) Cabell’s and Slemons’ brigades of MG Fagan’s Arkansas Division, as both Cabell and Slemons had been captured at Mine Creek, Kansas.}

11-19-64

Finding some food but little forage or supplies at Boggy Depot, Price leaves Boggy Depot headed south toward Nail’s Crossing of Blue River. He has left most ordinance stores at Boggy Depot.

MG Fagan camps the evening of the 19th near Mrs. Caffrey’s 30 miles northwest of Ft. Towson (near Darwin, OK). Col. Tyler camps 30 miles west of Ft. Towson on Boggy Depot-Doaksville Road (near Mayhew, OK). Col. Wood’s Missouri battalion camped at Spencer Academy, a Choctaw men’s boarding school, closed at start of war but now serving as a Confederate hospital. Spencer Academy also served as winter barracks for elements of Col. Tandy Walker’s 2nd Indian Brigade who guard the northern approaches (from Ft. Smith) to Doaksville and Ft. Towson.

Maxey sends some supplies toward Col. Tyler’s brigade today (41-4-1063), and he will send supply wagons up main road toward Caffrey’s via Spencer Academy where Fagan with escort and Wood’s battalion of 14th Missouri are riding. Maxey writes Boggs (41-4-1067) that MG Price will go thru Boggy Depot.

As noted above, MG Price left Boggy Depot today and will cross Red River at Kemp’s Ferry (below Colbert’s Ferry) and arrive at Bonham, Texas on 11-24-64. MG Price and three brigades from Shelby’s and Marmaduke’s Missouri Divisions have marched south from McAlester (just north of Perryville) thru Atoka to Durant along US 69.

11-20-64

Maxey at Ft. Towson writes Boggs at Shreveport that Wood’s battalion of 14th Missouri cavalry has just arrived in Ft. Towson (about noon) (41-4-1067). Recall it is 8 miles from Spencer Academy southeast down the Ft. Smith military road to Doaksville and then 1 mile east over to Ft. Towson. Col. Wood’s battalion will cross Red River this evening and head for Clarksville, TX. The battalion will meet up with Price’s main body when it arrives on 11-29-64 from Bonham after arriving Christmas Day at Paris, Texas.

Price will later claim at his Court of Inquiry in late April 1865 that he lost no one on the march thru Indian Territory that did not desert or was not furloughed.

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