I knew that Capt. William Penn Adair, Quartermaster of the 1st Cherokee Mtd Vols, (later colonel of the 2nd Cherokee Mtd Vols) was captured during the Indian Expedition of June-Aug 1862. He was captured prior to the Battle of Locust Grove as the main Union force came down the Texas Road of the west side of the Grand River. Lt Col Robt C Parks wrote that Adair was at home and drunk when captured -- his home was southeast of the town Adair (named after him) at a place called Greenbriar. One of his slaves was interviewed for the Slave Naratives and said that he was captured but talked his way out of it and was released.
Today I was looking at his service record on Footnote.com and it contains records showing he was taken to Ft Scott KS. On July 11, he appears on a "List of Prisoners taken in an affair at Locust Grove, Cherokee Nation, July 3, 1862" and is sent under charge of Col Ritchie to Ft Leavenworth. [The full list must include Clarkson and the men of his battalion captured at Locust Grove. Does he mean Col Ritchie in person? Wasn't Ritchie with the expedition still in the Cherokee Nation?]
His name then appears on a "List of Confederate States prisoners of war captured by U.S. Forces under Col. Ritchie near Ft. Gibson, Cherokee Nation; at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., Aug. 21, 1862" with the side note "Cherokee".
On Aug. 24th he arrives at Camp Douglas IL (Chicago). On Sept. 3rd, he's on a roll of 1,024 prisoners of war at Camp Douglas IL who are being exchanged but next to his name it says "name cancelled" with the remarks "Remains at Camp Douglas". He is on another list of 683 POWs at Camp Douglas on September 9th who are to be exchanged at Vicksburg MS. On this list, his unit shows "7th Texas Cavalry" and the notation he was captured at Grand Saline on July 3rd. The list bears the note that these prisoner's were on board the steamer "Jno. H. Done" at Vicksburg on Sept. 23rd but were not "declared exchanged" until Nov. 10th.
Adair pays $192 for the transportation of 32 soldiers from Vicksburg MS to Tahlulah LA and is reimbursed at Monore LA on Oct. 3rd.
On Feb. 3, 1863, he is commissioned colonel of the 2nd Cherokee Mtd Vols. According to Parks, he is appointed by Watie, not elected, and Parks is clearly angry at being passed over and makes very derogatory remarks about Adair, Bell, and others appointed by Watie.
Trivia for the Day: humorist Will Rogers' full name was William Penn Adair Rogers.