Battle of Dove Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Dove Creek |
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| Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kickapoo Indians |  CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| No-ko-aht | Henry Fossett, S.S. Totten | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 400—600 | Frontier Battalion (161), Texas Militia (325) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| ~100 (Confederate estimate) 14 Killed (12 KIA+ 2 DOW) (15—23 K, unknown wounded) |
41+ (22+ K, 19+ W) | ||||||
The Battle of Dove Creek was a small fight during the American Civil War. It happened on January 8, 1865, near Dove Creek in what is now Tom Green County, Texas. Texan soldiers, led by Confederate captains Henry Fossett and S.S. Totten, made a mistake. They thought a camp belonged to a hostile tribe. Instead, they attacked peaceful Kickapoo Indians. The Kickapoo fought back well and defeated the Texans.
Why the Battle Happened
In December 1864, Captain N.M. Gillentine and his Texas militia found an empty Native American camp. It had 92 shelters along the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. They thought it belonged to hostile Comanche or Kiowa tribes. So, they called for more militia to find and deal with this group.
On January 1, 1865, Captain Henry Fossett arrived at Fort Chadbourne. He led troops from the Texas Frontier Battalion. After two days, Fossett found the trail of the Native Americans. They were camped in a wooded area along Dove Creek.
The Fight at Dove Creek
Captain Fossett was getting ready to attack the camp in the morning. That's when the tired militia troops arrived after a long march. The two captains decided to attack together. Captain Totten agreed that his militia would form a line. They would attack the camp from the north, across the creek.
Captain Fossett's Confederates were better equipped. They would go around to the southwest. Their plan was to capture the Native Americans' horses. Then, they would attack from the side.
Kickapoo Defense
The Kickapoo in the camp had been peaceful for many years. But they were ready to defend themselves. Their camp was in a good spot. It was on a high bank covered with light trees. Natural thorny bushes, common in the Cross Timbers area, protected it.
The first militia attacks struggled because of these thorny bushes. They were also under heavy rifle fire from the Kickapoo. A witness said that three Texan officers and sixteen soldiers died quickly.
Confederate Attack Fails
Fossett's side attack first succeeded in taking the horses. But a group of Confederates, led by Lieutenant J.A. Brooks, ran into trouble. Native American gunfire killed a dozen of their horses. Slowly, the Confederate groups found themselves surrounded. The Kickapoo were closing in on them.
After a short retreat, the militia regrouped to the north. Kickapoo warriors chased the escaping Confederates. They caused more injuries to the Texans. The Kickapoo won the battle.
