Battle of Chusto-Talasah

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Chusto-Talasah
partof=American Civil War


caption=
date=December 9, 1861
place=Tulsa County, Oklahoma
casus=
territory=
result=Confederate victory
combatant1= flagicon|USA|1861 United States (Union)
combatant2= flagicon|CSA|1861 CSA (Confederacy)
commander1=Opothleyahola
commander2=Douglas H. Cooper
strength1=
strength2=1,300 men
casualties1=500 total
casualties2=15 killed
37 wounded
casualties3=
notes=

The Battle of Chusto-Talasah (also known as Bird Creek, Caving Banks, and High Shoal) was fought December 9, 1861, in what is now Tulsa County, Oklahoma (then Indian Territory) during the American Civil War.

A series of battles were fought in December in bad weather between the Confederate Cherokee and Choctaw Indians and the Union Creek and Seminole Indians (led by the Muscogee Creek chief Opothleyahola) who supported the Federal government. Following Opothleyahola and his Union force’s defeat at Round Mountain, he retreated northeastward in search of safety. On December 9, 1861, the force was at "Chusto-Talasah" (Caving Banks) on the Horseshoe Bend of Bird Creek when Col. Douglas H. Cooper’s 1,300 Confederates attacked about 2:00 p.m. Chief Opothleyahola knew Cooper was coming and had placed his troops in a strong position in heavy timber at Horseshoe Bend.

For almost four hours, Cooper attacked and attempted to outflank the Federals, finally driving them east across Bird Creek just before dark. Cooper camped there overnight but did not pursue the Federals because he was short of ammunition. The Confederates claimed victory. Chief Opothleyahola and his band moved off in search of security elsewhere. Their loss was estimated by Cooper as 500 (some accounts suggest 412). Confederate casualties were 15 killed and 37 wounded.

Although the Confederates had gained a minor tactical victory, they would win a resounding one later in the month at Chustenahlah.

The Chusto-Talasah battle site is on privately owned land near 86th Street North and Delaware Avenue, 5 miles northwest of modern Tulsa.

Order of Battle

"Cooper's Brigade" - Col. Douglas Hancock Cooper
**6 companies, 1st Choctaw-Chickasaw Mounted Rifles - Maj. Mitchell Laflore
**Detachment, Choctaw Battalion - Capt. Alfred Wade
**Detachment, 1st Creek Regiment - Col. Daniel N. McIntosh
**Detachment, Creek Indians - Capt. James M. C. Smith
**1st Cherokee Mounted Rifle Regiment - Col. John Drew
**4th Texas Cavalry Regiment - Col. William B. Sims
**Detachment, 9th Texas Cavalry - Lt. Col. William Quayle
**Whitfield’s Battalion - Capt. John W. Whitfield

"Creek and Seminole Indians" - Chief Opothleyahola
**Lockapoka Creeks
**Muscogee Creeks
**Seminoles - Halleck Tustenuggee, Billy Bowlegs

References

* [http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ok002.htm National Park Service Battle Summary]
* U.S. War Department, "The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies", 70 volumes in 4 series. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901. Series 1, Volume 8, Part 1, pages 8-10.
* White, Christine Schultz and White, Benton R., "Now The Wolf Has Come: The Creek Nation in the Civil War", Texas A & M University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-89096-689-3.