When Cherokee fought Cherokee: the bitter civil war at Fort Gibson

Cherokee Brothers’ War at Fort Gibson Refuge

Fort Gibson hides a story most Americans never learned in school. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the Cherokee Nation split in two.

Chief John Ross pushed for peace while Stand Watie formed Confederate Cherokee troops. Soon, brother fought brother as old tribal wounds reopened.

After Union forces took Fort Gibson in 1863, over 6,000 Cherokee fled there for safety from Watie’s raids. The fort turned from military post to refugee camp overnight.

This bitter civil war left the Cherokee Nation in ruins, yet the full story waits for you at Fort Gibson’s historic hospital building in Oklahoma.

Fort Gibson Became Cherokee Property in 1857

The Cherokee Nation got Fort Gibson on May 7, 1857, after the U. S. Army pulled out under orders from Lt. General Winfield Scott.

They got the deed to the fort and everything on its grounds. Traditional Cherokee folks set up a village called Kee-too-wah at the fort.

This spot became a center for Cherokee who wanted to keep their old ways alive.

The Kee-too-wah Society grew into its own tribal group focused on saving Cherokee customs and language.

Civil War Tore the Cherokee Nation Apart in 1861

John Ross, the Principal Chief, first tried to keep the Cherokee Nation out of the Civil War. But Stand Watie started signing up Confederate Cherokee fighters on June 1, 1861, forming the Cherokee Mounted Rifles.

The split in the tribe followed old lines from removal days: full-blood Cherokee and traditionalists backed Ross and the Union, while mixed-blood Cherokee who owned plantations supported Watie and the Confederacy.

When Federal troops left Indian Territory that summer, the Cherokee lost their protection.

Ross Reluctantly Signed with the Confederacy in October 1861

After nearby tribes joined the Confederacy and the Confederates won battles at Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek, Ross gave in.

The Cherokee Nation signed a friendship treaty with the Confederate States on October 7, 1861, in Tahlequah.

The deal promised the Cherokee protection, food, livestock, tools, and a seat in the Confederate Congress in Richmond. Stand Watie got the rank of colonel and took command of the Cherokee Mounted Rifles battalion.

Union Troops Took Back Fort Gibson in April 1863

Colonel William A. Phillips and his Indian Home Guard moved back into Fort Gibson in April 1863.

His troops included former slaves and Union Indians wearing federal uniforms, which scared pro-Confederate Cherokee.

Fort Gibson became a permanent Union stronghold and headquarters for pro-Union Cherokee regiments for the rest of the war.

When Union forces came back, Ross broke the Confederate alliance and moved tribal records to Union-controlled Kansas for safety.

The Chief Escaped to Washington While Leadership Splintered

John Ross fled to Union territory and traveled to Washington to meet with President Lincoln. After he left, pro-Confederate Cherokee picked Stand Watie as their Principal Chief in 1863.

Tom Pegg stepped in as acting Principal Chief for pro-Union Cherokee and said Watie’s election wasn’t valid.

The Cherokee National Council passed a rule on February 18, 1863, to free all slaves within Cherokee Nation boundaries.

Thousands of Cherokee Sought Safety Near the Fort

More than 6,000 Cherokee refugees camped within a mile and a half of Fort Gibson looking for protection from Confederate raids.

Union refugees suffered more than Confederate refugees because Watie kept raiding around Fort Gibson. Cherokee families ran north to Kansas or south to Texas to stay safe, leaving much of the Cherokee Nation empty.

Fort Gibson became a key safe haven while Confederate Cherokee found shelter in east Texas.

Watie Burned Down Ross’s Mansion in a Vengeful Raid

Stand Watie led an attack on Tahlequah and Park Hill in November 1863, capturing several pro-Union Cherokee including William Potter Ross.

His men burned the old Cherokee council house and John Ross’s fancy home, Rose Cottage, at Park Hill. Andrew Ross Nave, a Cherokee merchant and John Ross’s son-in-law, got shot and killed during the raid.

Watie wrote to his wife Sarah that he “killed a few Pins in Tahlequah” and set fire to Ross’s house.

Hundreds of Cherokee Soldiers Switched Sides to Join the Union

More than 600 Cherokee soldiers ran away from Confederate Colonel John Drew’s regiment to join Union forces in 1863. Drew’s regiment mostly had Cherokee who had been forced into Confederate service against their will.

These deserters crossed over to Union lines at Fort Gibson, making the pro-Union Cherokee military stronger.

The mass desertion weakened Confederate Cherokee fighting ability and helped Union forces in Indian Territory grow stronger.

Cherokee Fought Cherokee at Barren Fork Creek Battle

Stand Watie led 500 Cherokee and 150 Creek troops from North Fork toward Fort Gibson on December 17, 1863. His men killed a Union guard on the Fort Smith road about three miles from Fort Gibson.

Colonel William Phillips ran Fort Gibson with only Native American infantry since all white and black troops had been sent to Fort Smith.

The fight at Barren Fork Creek put Cherokee against Cherokee and ended as a Confederate loss.

The Only Native American Confederate General Rose in 1864

Stand Watie got promoted to brigadier general on May 10, 1864, becoming the only Native American to reach full general rank in the Civil War.

In February 1865, he took command of the Indian Division of Indian Territory. Watie’s biggest military wins came in summer 1864 when he captured the Union steamboat J.R. Williams and won the Second Battle of Cabin Creek.

Despite these victories, Watie’s raids couldn’t loosen the Union’s grip on Fort Gibson.

The Last Confederate Surrender Came from a Cherokee Leader

Stand Watie became the last Confederate general to give up, signing a cease-fire agreement on June 23, 1865, at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation.

The Cherokee Nation lay in ruins after the civil war, with communities and families torn apart by bitter divisions.

The Federal government only talked peace with pro-Union Cherokee leaders after the war, refusing to recognize Watie’s group. John Ross died in Washington, D.C. , on August 1, 1866, while still working on the final peace treaty with the federal government.

Visiting Fort Gibson, Oklahoma

Fort Gibson Historic Site at 803 North Garrison Avenue shows you the Cherokee Civil War story where families were caught between Union and Confederate Cherokee armies. You can visit Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for $7.

The exhibits are in the old hospital and commissary building. Walk through the reconstructed 1830s log stockade and seven original Civil War stone buildings.

They host living history events and Bake Days using the historic bakehouse.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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