Civil War in the Indian Territory [Paperback]

Steve Cottrell (Author), Andy Thomas (Illustrator), Whit Edwards (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1995

From the bloody Battle of Wilsonís Creek in August 1861 until surrender in June 1865, the Civil War in the Indian Territory proved to be a test of valor and endurance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From its beginning with the bloody Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861, to its end in surrender on June 23, 1865, the Civil War in the Indian Territory proved to be a test of valor and endurance for both sides. Author Steve Cottrell outlines the events that led up to the involvement of the Indian Territory in the war, the role of the Native Americans who took part in the war, and the effect this participation had on the war and this region in particular. As in the rest of the country, neighbor was pitted against neighbor, with members of the same tribes often fighting against each other. Cottrell describes in detail the guerilla warfare, the surprise attacks, the all-out battles that spilled blood on the now peaceful state of Oklahoma. In addition, he introduces the reader to the interesting and often colorful leaders of the military North and South, including the only Native American to attain a general's rank in the war, Gen. Stand Watie.

With outstanding illustrations by Andy Thomas, this story is a tribute to those who fought and a revealing portrait of the important role they played in this era of our country's history.

A resident of Carthage, Missouri, Steve Cottrell is a descendent of a Sixth Kansas Cavalry member who served in the Indian Territory during the Civil War. A graduate of Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, Cottrell has participated in several battle reenactments including the Academy Award winning motion picture, "Glory". Active in Civil War battlefield preservation and historical monument projects and contributor of a number of Civil War relics to regional museums, Cottrell recently co-authored Civil War in the Ozarks, also by Pelican. It is now in its second printing. -- From the Publisher

From the Back Cover

From its beginning with the bloody Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861, to its end on June 23, 1865, the Civil War in the Indian Teritory proved to be a test of valor and endurance for both the Blue and the Gray. The author outlines the events that led to the involvement of the Indian Territory in the war, the role of the Native Americans in the conflict, and the effect this participation had on the war.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (June 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565541103
• ISBN-13: 978-1565541108
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,187,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And you didn't even know.........., June 27, 2007

By 

Robert C. Hufford (Hopewell, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Civil War in the Indian Territory (Paperback)

......that the Civil War reached Oklahoma, which was then called Indian Territory. Well, it did, and it's quite a story. A backwater of General Edmund Kirby Smith's Transmississippi Department, Oklahoma was a boarder area where brother really did fight against brother. Real battles were fought, and real soldiers died. But, they didn't die in the massive numbers seen at Chickamauga or Antietam; thus history has forgotten them. This fine little book makes a good start at correcting the oversight.

When the war broke out, both sides wanted the Indians, the Five Civilized Tribes, led by the Cherokees, and each got around half. The Confederacy sent Brigadier General Albert Pike to recruit them, and he did a pretty good job. A strange, brilliant, man, Pike's career as a General is a minor footnote in his long life as an attorney, author, and Masonic scholar. Pike resigned in 1862, and was followed by Douglas Cooper, a more conventional, if less colorful, officer. Here we meet the very first American Indian ever to wear general's stars: Brigadier General Stand Watie, one of the two rival Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation. This was NOT a poor Indian in a wigwam, but a wealthy, slave owning, rancher who lived in a mansion. He was also a very effective leader, and fighting cavalry officer, who conducted multiple successful operations.

For all the Confederacy's problems, this was an arena where the South remained viable. General Watie did not surrender until June 23, 1865, the last Confederate general to strike his colors. This book does not pretend to be a deep, scholarly, tome. It is, however, a very well researched, and well written, overview. This IS a book that I would recommend to the general reader; all too many think the Civil War was just about Lee and Grant, and that's far from the whole story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick review, August 11, 2009

By 

StephenX "Calicoboy" (Terra, third planet of Sol) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Civil War in the Indian Territory (Paperback)

The writing is a bit corny; and nothing is covered in depth (it is a small book). But as a quick review on the battles involving Native Americans in the Civil War, it's pretty handy

5.0 out of 5 stars A good summary, October 31, 2011

By 

JDW - See all my reviews

This review is from: Civil War in the Indian Territory (Paperback)

This provides a good summary of a part of the Civil War that I did not know existed before reading the book. It is an interesting and entertaining description of the battles, leaders, and campaigns that took place in Indian territory from 1861 to 1865. It describes the devestation that took place to the general population and the conflicts that still existed from the Trail of Tears that split apart the tribes. It is suitable for the general reader.