REFERENCES

Summary of what MG S. B. Maxey (CSA), Danny Odom and ARushing have noted regarding men from Price's Army retreating south after crossing the Arkansas River near Tamaha, IT on November 7, 1864:

Maxey: Vol. 41, Part IV, Page 1059, on 11-17-64,

"Prices men have been arriving here (at Doaksville and Ft. Towson in southern Indian Territory (IT) near Red River) for four or five days, singly, in squads, and every way. Their horses are miserably poor, and as they say, and many are being abandoned on the prairies."

By:Danny Odom
Date: 5/22/2016, 5:12 pm

To continue with those notes, from Wright's Memoirs, let me add:

... "I (John C. Wright) held my Regt together for several days for mutual safety as the enemy was still near at Ft Smith and Gray back guerrillas infested the area …and there we turned south east towards Ark. On reaching the line at Polk County, I turned the boys loose to make their ways home. We reached El Dorado on 11/20 men and horses totally worn out."

By:ARushing
Date: 5/16/2016, 1:15 pm

In one of Crawford's extant letters written on Jan 1, 1865 he states: "I cannot attempt to give you an account of all our trials, hardships, and battles on that trip (Missouri) ... I have heard nothing from home since my return from Texas."

So he did go on down to Texas with his men and did not return to Arkansas until around late 1864 (Dec).

By:ARushing
Date: 5/16/2016, 1:32 pm

So with that said, I feel it pretty good indicator that Crawford and his regiment did indeed travel through IT and on down to Texas with Fagan.

FINDINGS FROM REFERENCES

1. Many men from Price's retreating army, passed by Doaksville/Ft. Towson from November 12 thru November 17, 1864. Many were walking, other men were riding horses in very poor shape.

2. Wright's regiment from Slemon's brigade marched southeast and made it into Polk County, say modern-day Mena, Arkansas.

3. Crawford's regiment (and possibly many others from Price's army) marched south to Texas.

OTHER KNOWN FACTS

1. Slemons brigade was commanded by Col. Crawford. Cabell's brigade was commanded by LC Reiff. Crawford's and Wright's regiments were in Slemon's brigade. Both brigades were in MG Fagan's Arkansas cavalry division.

2. Deserters began leaving Price's army (while camped near Stigler, OK) for Arkansas on the night of 11-8. Fagan told his mounted men they could go on furloughed leave for Arkansas on the 9th, and Price gave Fagan's authorization his "official blessing" on the 10th. These were the only men from Price's army headed south at this time!

COMMENTARY

It seems Col. Wright's men left first during the day on the 9th, following the deserters, who were seen flying by Marston's flag of truce men (for BG D.H. Cooper, com. Indian Division in IT) around mid-day the 9th, headed directly for Arkansas. Col. Crawford, now being in command of Slemons' brigade must have continued on southwest with Price for a few hours, as his other regiments left Price's army, until finally his regiment left for Arkansas, or Texas. This delay and continued movement southwest could have made the difference in where Crawford went, either planned (by Crawford or Fagan) or by consequence of available route options/ and federal cavalry.