Battle of Old Fort Wayne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Old Fort Wayne |
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| Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States of America (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| James G. Blunt | Douglas H. Cooper | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| 1st Division, Army of the Frontier | 1st Indian Brigade | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 division | 1 brigade | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 14 | 150 | ||||||
The Battle of Old Fort Wayne was an important fight during the American Civil War. It happened on October 22, 1862. This battle took place in what is now eastern Oklahoma. It is also known by other names like Maysville or Beattie's Prairie.
Confederate Major General Thomas C. Hindman wanted his troops to stop groups called bushwhackers. These groups were causing trouble in Missouri and Arkansas. Colonel Douglas H. Cooper and his Indian Brigade were in Missouri at the time. They were getting ready to move to Springfield, Missouri.
General Hindman told Cooper to stay in Newtonia, Missouri. He wanted Cooper to hold the area until more troops arrived. There were some small fights between Confederate and Union forces. This happened between September 30 and October 3. On October 4, Union troops led by General Blunt surrounded Newtonia. Cooper and his Indian forces had to quickly retreat back to Indian Territory.
Brigadier General James G. Blunt led Union troops. These troops were from Kansas, Indiana, and included Cherokee soldiers. They were part of the First Division of the Army of the Frontier. At 7:00 a.m. on October 22, 1862, they attacked Colonel Cooper's Confederate forces. The battle happened on Beatties Prairie near Old Fort Wayne.
The Confederates fought hard for about 30 minutes. But the Union forces had many more soldiers. This forced the Confederates to quickly leave the battlefield. They left behind their artillery and other supplies. This battle was a setback for the Confederate plan. Their plan was to attack from the East to the West in 1862.
Contents
Who Fought?
Union Forces
The Union side was the 1st Division of the Army of the Frontier. It was led by Brigadier General James G. Blunt.
1st Brigade (part of it)
- 11th Kansas Infantry
- 2nd Indian Home Guard
2nd Brigade
This brigade was led by Colonel William Weer.
- 6th Kansas Cavalry
- 3rd Indian Home Guard
- 10th Kansas Infantry
- 1st Kansas Battery
3rd Brigade
This brigade was led by Colonel William F. Cloud.
- 2nd Kansas Cavalry
- 2nd Indiana Light Artillery
- 1st Indian Home Guard
Confederate Forces
The Confederate side was the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, Army of the Trans-Mississippi. It was led by Colonel Douglas Cooper.
- 1st Choctaw/Chickasaw Regiment – Colonel S. N. Folsom
- 2nd Cherokee Mounted Rifles – Colonel Stand Watie
- 3rd Cherokee Regiment – Colonel Phillips
- Buster’s Battalion
- Creek Battalion – Lieutenant Colonel Chilly McIntosh
- Howell’s Texas Battery
The Battle Unfolds
In July 1862, the Confederate Army gathered its forces. They planned to attack Missouri. At the same time, Douglas Cooper was to attack Kansas. He led his soldiers, including Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Lower Creeks.
Cooper led his men through Indian Territory. They went to Old Fort Wayne. This was an old military base that was no longer used. It was on the edge of Beatties Prairie. Cooper placed guards about 4 miles (6.4 km) north in Maysville. Maysville was a small town right on the border of Arkansas and Indian Territory.
The closest Union troops were at Pea Ridge, Arkansas. They were part of John Schofield's Army of the Frontier. Scouts reported that Cooper and Stand Watie's Cherokee regiments were in Maysville. They thought Cooper had about 7,000 men.
General James Blunt's First Division was smaller, with about 3,500 men. But his soldiers were better trained and had better equipment. At 7 p.m. on October 20, Blunt left his camp. He took the Second and Third Brigades with him. His group included the 2nd Kansas Cavalry in front. Then came the 6th Kansas Cavalry, 10th Kansas Infantry, and 11th Kansas Infantry. Also with them were the 1st and 3rd Cherokee Regiments. They had the 1st Kansas Battery, 2nd Indiana Battery, and four mountain howitzers.
After marching all night, Blunt arrived in Bentonville after sunrise. He waited until 5 p.m. for his supply wagons to catch up. He wanted to surprise the Confederates, who did not know he was coming. After a fast march of 25 miles (40 km) on October 21, he stopped his troops at 2 a.m. Most of his men rested.
However, he sent the 2nd Kansas Cavalry ahead. They attacked the Confederates at 5 a.m. in Maysville. The rest of Blunt's division was still sleeping, almost 7 miles (11 km) behind. The Union cavalry pushed back the Confederate guards in Maysville. They followed them about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) into Indian Territory. There, they found Cooper's main Confederate battle line. It was set up along an east-west road, facing north. There was a thick forest behind them.
Early Union reports said Cooper had 7,000 men. But he actually had about 1,500 men. Howell's Texas Battery, with four artillery guns, was in the middle of his line. This line stretched for three-quarters of a mile. Blunt placed his howitzers to fight the Confederate artillery. Then he sent in the 2nd Kansas. They quickly pushed back the Confederate skirmishers from a ridge in front of their main line.
When the rest of Blunt's division arrived, he attacked. He focused his men on the middle of the Confederate line, which was spread out thinly. His howitzers silenced the enemy's artillery. The Kansas and Cherokee soldiers broke through Cooper's center. Within 30 minutes, most of Cooper's poorly trained forces were running away. They left their artillery behind. Blunt chased them for almost 7 miles (11 km) before stopping.
Blunt lost 14 men in the battle. Cooper lost about 150 men. This included about 50 dead soldiers who were buried on the battlefield.
Aftermath
The Confederates retreated almost 70 miles (110 km) to Fort Gibson. The Union Army now controlled Indian Territory north of the Arkansas River. Because of his clear victory, Blunt was promoted to major general of volunteers.
The State of Arkansas put up a marker to remember the battle. It is in Benton County in Maysville. You can find it at the northwest corner of state routes 43 and 72.
