Middle Boggy Battlefield Site and Confederate Cemetery
1 mi. N of Atoka, Atoka, OKThe Middle Boggy Battle was fought near the stream of that name-- in present Atoka County--on February 18, 1864. The fierce skirmish, to quote Oklahoma's official Historic Sites Survey and Preservation Plan, "is noteworthy for marking the farthest drive towards Texas of the Union forces in the Civil War. Although the engagement was indecisive, Union troops did not attempt to move farther south; thus the site is the high-water mark of northern penetration of Indian Territory."
Confederate forces included Lt. Col. John Jumper's Seminole Battalion, Capt. Adam Nail's Co. A of the First Choctaw-and-Chicka saw Cavalry, and a detachment of the 20th Texas Regiment, Union forces, under the command of Col. William A. Phillips, commanding officer at Fort Gibson, included three companies-of-the-Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry under Maj. Charles Willette and a section of howitzers under Capt. Solomon Kaufman. Surprised and poorly armed, the Southerners made a firm stand while losing 47 men killed. (No injuries were reported among the Union cavalrymen:) They were saved from a more serious defeat when the report of reinforcements moving up_from_Boggy_Depot_to_the_southwest caused Col. Phillips to break contact and return to Fort Gibson.
This was the last invasion of Confederate-held Indian Territory, as well as the 'Union's deepest penetration of the area. Confederate forces would probe north of the Arkansas River later in 1864, after which both sides resorted only to guerrilla tactics for the duration of the war.
Though the site's chief claim to historic note came on a single bloody day, its position of the road to Boggy Depot made it well known before and after the war, Crossing this area were the famed Texas Road (primary transportation and communications link between Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas) and the route of the Butterfield stages between St. Louis and San Francisco. Early in the winter of 1862, during the movement of Confederate Indian troops north for service in Missouri and Arkansas, Choctaw and Chickasaw regiments camped here along the Middle Boggy. From this time on the area was known as a Confederate encampment, occupied periodically. by various, units of Indian forces and Texas_cavalry. Late in the war it served as an outpost guarding Boggy Depot, by then the main Confederate commissary in Indian Territory.
Local significance of the site:
Confederate forces included Lt. Col. John Jumper's Seminole Battalion, Capt. Adam Nail's Co. A of the First Choctaw-and-Chicka saw Cavalry, and a detachment of the 20th Texas Regiment, Union forces, under the command of Col. William A. Phillips, commanding officer at Fort Gibson, included three companies-of-the-Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry under Maj. Charles Willette and a section of howitzers under Capt. Solomon Kaufman. Surprised and poorly armed, the Southerners made a firm stand while losing 47 men killed. (No injuries were reported among the Union cavalrymen:) They were saved from a more serious defeat when the report of reinforcements moving up_from_Boggy_Depot_to_the_southwest caused Col. Phillips to break contact and return to Fort Gibson.
This was the last invasion of Confederate-held Indian Territory, as well as the 'Union's deepest penetration of the area. Confederate forces would probe north of the Arkansas River later in 1864, after which both sides resorted only to guerrilla tactics for the duration of the war.
Though the site's chief claim to historic note came on a single bloody day, its position of the road to Boggy Depot made it well known before and after the war, Crossing this area were the famed Texas Road (primary transportation and communications link between Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas) and the route of the Butterfield stages between St. Louis and San Francisco. Early in the winter of 1862, during the movement of Confederate Indian troops north for service in Missouri and Arkansas, Choctaw and Chickasaw regiments camped here along the Middle Boggy. From this time on the area was known as a Confederate encampment, occupied periodically. by various, units of Indian forces and Texas_cavalry. Late in the war it served as an outpost guarding Boggy Depot, by then the main Confederate commissary in Indian Territory.
Military
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
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About Atoka County
Atoka County Timeline
Atoka County, Oklahoma has a rich and diverse history that spans thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, particularly the Caddo and Choctaw nations. These tribes enjoyed a prosperous and harmonious existence in the region, focusing on agriculture, trade, and communal living. However, their way of life was disrupted in the early 19th century with the arrival of European settlers and the subsequent Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forcibly relocated many tribes to present-day Oklahoma.
In 1854, the Choctaw Nation signed a treaty with the United States government, establishing their own government and jurisdictional boundaries. Atoka, originally known as Atoka Station, became an important stop along the Butterfield Overland Mail route, a stagecoach line that connected St. Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. This led to the development of Atoka as a trading post and transportation hub, boosting its economy and attracting settlers.
The county was officially established on October 13, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Atoka served as the county seat, and the surrounding area flourished with agriculture, particularly cotton farming, and the lumber industry. The discovery of oil in the 1910s also brought economic growth, attracting oil companies and leading to the establishment of oil wells and refineries in the county.
Throughout the 20th century, Atoka County experienced ups and downs in its economy, with periods of prosperity and hardship. The Great Depression and the decline of the cotton industry hit the county hard, but it managed to recover with the construction of infrastructure projects like roads and bridges through government programs such as the Works Progress Administration. Today, Atoka County stands as a reflection of its resilient past, with a mix of agricultural, industrial, and recreational activities shaping its economy and culture.
In 1854, the Choctaw Nation signed a treaty with the United States government, establishing their own government and jurisdictional boundaries. Atoka, originally known as Atoka Station, became an important stop along the Butterfield Overland Mail route, a stagecoach line that connected St. Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. This led to the development of Atoka as a trading post and transportation hub, boosting its economy and attracting settlers.
The county was officially established on October 13, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Atoka served as the county seat, and the surrounding area flourished with agriculture, particularly cotton farming, and the lumber industry. The discovery of oil in the 1910s also brought economic growth, attracting oil companies and leading to the establishment of oil wells and refineries in the county.
Throughout the 20th century, Atoka County experienced ups and downs in its economy, with periods of prosperity and hardship. The Great Depression and the decline of the cotton industry hit the county hard, but it managed to recover with the construction of infrastructure projects like roads and bridges through government programs such as the Works Progress Administration. Today, Atoka County stands as a reflection of its resilient past, with a mix of agricultural, industrial, and recreational activities shaping its economy and culture.
Atoka County Timeline
This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Atoka County, Oklahoma.
- Atoka County was established on October 25, 1907.
- In 1911, the first courthouse in Atoka County was built.
- During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Atoka County was heavily affected by economic hardship.
- In 1948, Atoka Dam and Reservoir were completed, providing water and recreational opportunities to the area.
- In the 1950s, coal mining became a major industry in Atoka County, leading to economic growth.
- In the 1980s, the completion of the Indian Nation Turnpike improved transportation in the county.
- In 2009, Atoka County celebrated its centennial anniversary.
- In recent years, Atoka County has seen growth in tourism and outdoor recreational activities.