Battle of Middle Boggy Depot

Battle of Middle Boggy Depot
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
Date February 13, 1864 (1864-02-13) Location Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, near present-day Allen, Oklahoma in Pontotoc County, Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States of America (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Col. William A. Phillips Maj. Charles Willetts Cpt. Solomon Kaufman	Brig. Gen. Douglas H. Cooper Lt. Col. John Jumper Cpt. Jonathan Nail
Strength
350 men 2 howitzers	90 men
Casualties and losses
0	47 killed

The Battle of Middle Boggy Depot, also known as the Battle of Middle Boggy River or simply Battle of Middle Boggy, took place on February 13, 1864 in Choctaw Indian Territory, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of what is now Allen in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Advancing down the Dragoon Trail toward Fort Washita, Union Colonel William A. Phillips sent out an advance of approximately 350 men from the 14th Kansas Cavalry (led by Maj. Charles Willetts) and two howitzers (led by Captain Solomon Kaufman) to attack a Confederate outpost guarding the Trail's crossing of Middle Boggy River.^[A] The Confederate force was led by Captain Jonathan Nail and composed of one company of the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Cavalry, a detachment of the 20th Texas Cavalry and part of the Seminole Battalion of Mounted Rifles.^[1] The outpost was about 12 miles (19 km) from Muddy Boggy Depot, which was held by the Confederates. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture says that the battlefield was 15 miles northeast of the depot, whereas the battlefield marker says the distance was 12 miles.^[2] The Confederate force at the outpost, consisting of 90 poorly armed men, were caught off guard when Willetts attacked them.^[3] Outnumbered and outgunned, the Confederates held off the Union cavalry attack for approximately 30 minutes before retreating to the rest of Lt. Col. John Jumper's Seminole Battalion, who were not at the main skirmish. The Confederates retreated 45 miles (72 km) southwest down the Dragoon Trail.^[4] The Union advance continued south toward Ft. Washita the next day, but when the expected reinforcements did not arrive Philips' Expedition into Indian Territory stalled on February 15, near old Stonewall.

Cite error: There are <ref group=upper-alpha> tags or {{efn-ua}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=upper-alpha}} template or {{notelist-ua}} template (see the help page).