Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
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The Cherokee Nation, while not a state, was involved in the War Between the States as a foreign ally. While some Cherokee troops were aligned with the Union, some were aligned with the Confederacy. The result was a war between the two Cherokee factions within the Cherokee Nation. Following is a chronology of Cherokee involvement.

June 23, 1857
United States abandons Fort Gibson as a military outpost; buildings were transferred to the Cherokee Nation. All federal troops were withdrawn from the territory.

April 15, 1859
Traditional fullblood and mixed-blood Cherokees organized the Keetowah Society; pro-Union members formed the Loyal League and were known as “Pin Indians.”

Februray 7, 1861
Jefferson Davis elected President of the Confederate States.

March, 1861
Elias C. Boudinot, Stand Watie’s nephew, elected Secretary of the Arkansas Secession Convention. Watie organized pro-Southern Secret Society called the “Knights of the Golden Circle” which later became “The Southern Rights Party.” Watie also raised guerilla company of Cherokees to assist the south.

May 17, 1861
Chief Ross issed neutrality proclamation reminding the tribe of obligations to the United States.

July 12, 1861
Stand Watie organized “First Cherokee Mounted Rifles” regiment for the Confederates near Fort Wayne. He was promoted to Colonel and given command of his twelve companies. Soon after, he departed for Missouri to join Confederate Army.

August 10, 1861
Union forces defeated at the Battle of Bull Run and Wilson Creek, Missouri. These early confederate victories perhaps influenced Chief Ross’ decision to join the South. Watie was made a hero for his actions at Wilson Creek.

August 21, 1861
Chief Ross and the Executive Council called a general assembly of the tribe at Tahlequah. The approximate 4000 men attending the convention voted by acclamation to join the South. Soon after, Ross called up volunteers to form a mounted regiment for the South under command of Colonel John Drew.

October 7, 1861
Treaty with the South concluded and signed at the Murrell Home at Park Hill.

October 9, 1861
Chief Ross presented treaty to National Council for ratification.

October 28, 1861
National Council issued declaration of war with the United States.

November 22, 1861 Brig. General Albert Pike made Confederate commander of all Indian Territory.

December 9, 1861
Battle of Bird Creek, Confederates routed small troop of Union Creeks. Disillusioned at killing other Indians, Cherokees desert in numbers.

March 6-8, 1862
Battle of Pea Ridge in Northwest Arkansas. 14,000 Confederate troops led by General Earl Van Doren defeated by Union divisions commanded by General Samuel Curtis. Route of the Southern troop opened way to invasion of Indian Territory by the North. Soon after, the South diverted most of its forces and equipment back to the East of the Mississippi River as war escalated leaving Indian troops to defend the Territory.

Union troops at Fort Scott, Kansas ordered to prepare to encade the Cherokee Nation.

June 26, 1862
Colonel J.J. Clarkson promoted to command all Confederate troops in the Cherokee Nation.

July 3, 1862
Union forces, in a surprise attack captured the Confederate commander Colonel J.J. Clarkson and many of his men.

July 3-7, 1862
Nearly all of Colonel John Drew’s Cherokee Mounted Rifles regiment surrendered and joined the Union side at Cabin Creek. The second and third Indian Home Guards were organized from the ranks July 5.

July 15, 1862
Chief Ross and 200 loyal “Pins” soldiers and formed Confederate officers guarding his home at Park Hill arrested by Captain Harris S. Greeno of the Sixth Kansas Calvary. Nearly 1,500 men eventually joined the Union side.

Major William T. Campbell occupied Fort Gibson and re-established a Union command post in Indian Territory.

August 3, 1862
Chief Ross escorted out of the Cherokee Naiton into Kansas along with his family, a few friends, records and the National Treasury. Ross was exiled to his wife’s family home in Delaware for the duration. Soon after, approximately 2,000 Cherokees sought refuge in their neutral lands in southeast Kansas.

August 21, 1862 Stand Watie elected Principal Chief by first Confederate Cherokee Convention held at Tahlequah. The final session was held June 1, 1863 near the mouth of Coody Creek in Canadian District.

August 31, 1862
Confederate Cherokee troops reorganized (due to desertions) forming the First Cherokee Mounted Volunteers. Watie promoted to rank of Colonel. Several months later, Second Regiment Cherokee Mounted Volunteers formed under command of Colonel William Penn Adair.

October 22, 1862
Battle of Fort Wayne. Confederate troops were defeated and their artillary captured.

December 7, 1862
Battle of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Confederates defeated by Union army in a sweeping invasion into Indian Territory.

December 27, 1862
Fort Davis, the Confederate Command Post located across the river from Fort Gibson, burned by Union Army and Indian troops. Confederates retreated south to Honey Springs.

February 20, 1863
Loyal Ross Cherokees revoked treaty with the South and pledged loyalty to the Union at emergency session of the National Council at Cow Skin Prairie; also, removed Confederates from office, emancipated slaves and reaffirmed Ross as Principal Chief.

April 8, 1863
3,150 Union troops (Kansas Calvary, Indian Home Guards and artillary) occupied Fort Gibson at the start of a campaign to clear the area of Confederate resistance.

May 20, 1863
Watie’s men, reduced to making guerilla raids without the support of Confederate army regulars, made a raid on Fort Gibson and captured mules and most of the Union’s horses.

July 17, 1863
Battle of Honey Springs in Creek Nation. Watie’s men and Confederate Indians defeated in battle that was the turning point in the territorial war.

October 28, 1863
Stand Watie and his men burned the Cherokee Capital buildings at Tahlequah.

October 29, 1863
Watie burned Chief Ross’ home at Park Hill and committed many other acts of vengeance and destruction.

May 10, 1864
Stand Watie promoted to Brigadier General.

June 15, 1864
Brig. General Watie captured the steamboat “J.J. Williams” on the Arkansas River which was headed for Fort Gibson loaded with suppplies.

September 19, 1864
At Cabin Creek, Brig. General Watie and General Richard M. Ganoe captured a huge military supply train of 300 wagons (valued at over one million dollars) headed for Fort Gibson. The extra food, clothing and supplies allowed his men to continue raids.

April 9, 1865
Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox ending fighting in the east.

May 10, 1865
Confederate President Jefferson Davis captured.

May 31, 1865
Union Cherokee troops mustered out of military service.

June 23, 1865
Brig. General Stand Watie surrendered and signed traty of peace at Doaksville. He was to last Confederate General to lay down arms.

July 13, 1865
Cherokee National Council called into session by Lewis Downing.

September 1, 1865
Chief John Ross returned to the Cherokee Nation, arriving by boat at Fort Gibson.

September 8, 1865
Cherokee delegates and representatives of eleven tribes in Indian Territory met federal agents at Fort Smith to negotiate terms of a new peace treaty. Commission refused to recognize Ross as Principl Chief.

September 16, 1865
Tentative peace treaty signed by Cherokees at Fort Gibson. Final terms were to be finalized in Washington.

November 7, 1865
Chief Ross and seven delegates empowered by the National Council to go to Washington to finalize terms of the permanent reconstruction treaty.

July 19. 1866
Terms of reconstruction treaty agreed upon and signed by Cherokee delegation. It was ratified by Congress July 27, and further proclaimed by August 11, 1866.

August 1, 1866
Chief John Ross died in Washington.

November 28, 1866
Cherokee Constitution amended by the National Council to comply with the terms of the new treaty.