Physical Appearance of Cherokee Soldiers at Fort Gibson, C.N.
December 1861
Fort Gibson is about the line connecting the Creek and Cherokee nations. Quite a number of Cherokees lived in or about the Fort, most of them were mixed blooded people and were well educated, and many of them seemed to be wealthy, and their generosity was never surpassed by any people, especially in the care of our sick.

Gen. Cooper's command was encamped a few miles up the river on the Verdigris river in the Cherokee Nation and about this time the enemy was again on the hostile move, and it was about this time I first saw the regiment of Col. Stanwats [Stand Watie], a fine looking body of men. I was told they were Indian blood, but if they differed from any other regiment in soldier appearance I could not detect it. So different were they from other Indian soldiers that I had met. Col. Drue [John Drew] also had a regiment of Cherokee Indians which were unlike Stanwats' regiment, as they all appeared to be full bloods, or as the Indians would say, tubbus.


Pvt. A.W. Sparks
9th Texas Cavalry, Co. I

Copyright ©2001 Ken Martin