The Indian Territory in the Civil War Message Board

Where did Fagan's men go?
In Response To: Re: What did Shelby do? ()

In this post, the route that MG Jeff Fagan’s two brigades of Cabell and Slemmons took to Arkansas will be examined. A second post will further examine the route of BG John Clark’s brigade of Marmaduke’s division after Clark crossed Red River at Kemp’s Ferry on his way to Clarksville, Texas.

41-1-705 from Maclean’s Itinerary of Price’s Army of Missouri:

On the 8th (other reports say the 10th) MG Fagan, with his division, moved southeast by Ultima Thule to Washington. (Actually, only Cabell’s and Slemmons’ brigades of Fagan‘s division did, as Gen. Fagan with his escort remained with Price to Atoka.)

Danny Odem’s reference to Col. Wright (Slemmons’ brigade) states that his (Wright’s) regiment marched into Polk County, Arkansas (around the 15th probably now near Mena AR) before disbanding for home. Col. Wright’s regiment probably crossed the Ft. Smith-Ft. Towson military road near modern Wister, OK where it may have soon struck the subsequent route of the Kansas City Southern Railroad (near Heavener OK).

However, note the following observations from the Official Records (ORs):

41-4-1078 On 11-17-64 (perhaps a week after Fagan’s men left Price) MG S. B. Maxey writes from Ft. Towson, IT:
“Price’s men are arriving here (Doaksville/Ft. Towson) daily by squads.”

41-4-1063, AAG for Dist. of Indian Territory, T.M. Scott on 11-18-64 (10 p.m.) at Ft. Towson, writes:
“ … for General Price’s command (in retreat), many have already been fed who have passed Doaksville.”

41-4-1067, on 11-20-64, MG S. B. Maxey at Ft. Towson writes: “Woods battalion has just arrived.” (Col. Tyler’s brigade of recruits, larger and a bit behind Woods, probably arrived at Doaksville the next day, the 22nd . Thus, the only large troop movements from Price’s Army that could have been passing thru Doaksville/Ft. Towson before 11-17 were from Cabell and Slemmons’ brigades. This route is not the one that Col. Wright apparently used.

How did these "squads of troops" of Fagan’s division get to Doaksville/Ft. Towson on their way to Ultima Thule and Washington, Arkansas? Via the old Ft. Smith/Ft. Towson military road to Doaksville. There they could turn east and take the Ft. Towson-Washington military road directly to Ultima Thule and Washington, AR via Eagletown. (I have driven this road, where drivable, from Wheelock Academy, just east of Ft. Towson, all the way to Arkadelphia AR.) While it appears that some (Wright's regiment) of Fagan’s troops may have taken the Kansas City Southern railroad route (again, it passes just north of Queen Wilhelmina Resort on Rich Mountain) to Mena and Cove, Arkansas on their (Col. Wright’s apparent route) way south to Ultima Thule (a few miles west of DeQueen AR), MG Maxey and his AAG Scott clearly say many squads of Fagan’s men were coming down the Towson Road (the only road through the Kiamichi Mountains) to Doaksville (where food, forage and medical supplies awaited) before turning east to Arkansas. LC Jack McCurtain’s Choctaw battalion routinely picketed the Towson Road from Wister all the way south to Tuskahoma OK, so it was safe from Federal patrols.

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Re: What did Shelby do?
Where did Fagan's men go?
Re: Where did Fagan's men go?
Fagan's men at Doaksville.
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Re: Where did Fagan's men go?
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Re: Clark's March Down Red River
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