Honoring Choctaw Freedmen Civil War Freedom Fighters

Accessed from Fold3.com:
Civil War Service Records (CMSR) Union-Colored Troops 56th-138th Infantry
83rd US Colored Infantry (New)
Dickson Williams

People enslaved in the Choctaw Nation found themselves close to incredible activity that would change the trajectory of their lives. The time was 1863 and the conflicts of the Civil War was close by. Many lived in proximity to the Arkansas state line, and nearby Fort Smith provided an opportunity to seize their own freedom and to enlist in the Union Army. Several regiments recruited soldiers from both Cherokee and Choctaw Nations when they were encamped there.  For the enslaved men, with their slave holders and overseers from the two tribe having joined the confederate army, there was no one to prevent them from seizing their freedom and enlisting. They walked off the plantations and farms were they were held in bondage, and walked into freedom, and committed themselves to fight for the freedom of those left behind.

When Union forces came into Fort Smith one of the regiments that was organized in that city was the 11th US Colored Infantry. Some from the Skullyville district of the Choctaw Nation heard the call for able bodied men, and they enlisted. Others living in close proximity to Cherokee and Creek areas enlisted in the 79th and 83rd, which had been formed from the Kansas Colored regiments. And later when those units came back through Fort Smith more opportunity came for Choctaw held slaves to enlist.

As the war continued and they entered the conflict, some would not survive the war and live to see freedom. But others would survive, and lived several decades afterward, but died before statehood and the land allotment era, in their native Choctaw Nation. But these men served and are honored here. And it should be noted that for many their service is the only footprint on paper that is left that bears their name.

This is written to honor those men of courage whose names are seldom mentioned, but whose names belong on the Wall of honor of freedom fighters of Indian Territory. They are among the forgotten sons of Oklahoma, whose names I call, as Freedman History Month continues.

Partial List of Choctaw Freedmen in the Union Army

11th US Colored Infantry 

Theodrick Birgit

Thomas Blackwater

79th US Colored Infantry

Samuel Burris

Jefferson Rogers

83rd US Colored Infantry

Mobile Boyd

George Boyd

Ephraim Clark

Simon Clark

Joseph Dunforth

Phillip Fulsom

Austin Geary

Robert Hawkins

Hommedy James

Richard La Fleur

Jackson Monroe

Aaron Newberry

Cannon Ormsby

Thomas Phillips

Phillip Rushington

Duncan Walker

Dickson Williams

Chief Ward Coachman and the McGilbray Freedmen

Source of image: Oklahoma Historical Society

Studying the history of Indian Territory Freedmen is an endeavor that requires that one explore the presence of the Freedmen in their respective nations after slavery was abolished in the tribes. Citizenship was established by Treaty and each tribe signed the Treaty of 1866, and the former slaves were given the privileges of citizenship. Whether this citizenship was recognized varied from place to place, and from person to person. One can glean from the remarks of Chief Ward Coachman, in 1877, that the presence of Freedmen was not one entirely embraced by everyone in the community. However it does appear that this leader recognized the rights of citizenship to be held among Freedmen who had continued to live among Creek people.

Who was Ward Coachman? He was elected second chief of the Creeks in 1875 and not long afterwards, he became Principal Chief when Lochar Harjo had been impeached and removed from office. His tenure was short and he served only three years.

In 1877, on October 1st, he made an address to the House of Warriors and the House of Kings, addressing affairs of the tribe. 

Source: Oklahoma Historical Society

He addressed the status of education for the children in the tribe, the state of the economy which was an agricultural one, and he also addressed the rights of all of the people of the tribe, including the Freedmen, and a group to which he referred to as "The McGilbray Freedmen."

Source: Oklahoma Historical Society

The statements made by this Principal Chief are clear and are one of the few times that one will find words from a tribal chief of the former slave-holding tribes, that address the rights of their former slaves to remain and live fully as citizens. He particularly recognized, that if necessary, "some action be had recognizing the rights of all who under the treaty are entitled to citizenship and equal rights and privileges with us."

Although times have changed in a dramatic way over the past century, the wisdom and sense of equity expressed by this leader of the Muscogee people should be read again, and there might be lessons from which many can learn and grow during these times of contention.

Enrollment Card of one of the McGilbray Freedmen

Remembering the 1st Kansas Colored - Black Freedom Fighters from Indian Territory

Flag of the 1st Kansas Colored

Source: Kansas State Historical Society

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As the nation begins to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, we as descendants of Indian Territory Freedmen need to pay attention to the efforts that will unfold for the next five years.  In the nearby United States,  as well as in Indian Territory, from 1861-1865, there was active  participation in the fight for freedom among those who were slaves of the Five Tribes---Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole Nations. Several hundred Africans fled into Kansas, and emerged as soldiers, armed and ready to fight for their freedom!

Upon arrival in Kansas after a treacherous winter trip into this non-slave state, an incredible opportunity arose for the slaves who escaped with Opothle Yahola and others. This opportunity was to seize freedom, enlist in the Union Army and to fight for freedom! Many men responded, some joining the 1st Kansas Colored, others the 2nd Kansas Colored and a small number of these black men also joined the 1st and 2nd Indian Home Guards.

Today is the anniversary of the date that the 1st Kansas Colored, was mustered into the Federal Army which redesignated this unit as the 79th US Colored Infantry (New).   The 1st Kansas Colored Infantry is historically one of the most significant regiments for it was a regiment of "firsts".

This was the first African American unit recruited in the Union Army for service in the Civil War.
As a unit they were organized as early as August 1862, and the 1st Kansas colored was later officially mustered into the Federal Army on January 13th.


This was the first black regiment to engage in battle in the Civil War
Prior to merger with the Federal Army, the 1st Kansas Colored engaged in battle at Island Mound, Missouri in October 1862.

From this unit came the first black soldiers to die in action in the Civil War.
10 soldiers died at Island Mound, but the battle was a victory, as confederate soldiers were driven off.

Photo: Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society

And of course, the distinction of this unit was that this unit would be the one that "saved the day" at the Battle of Honey Springs. This battle was one in which was also described by a former Creek Nation slave, Lucinda Davis, who was a young girl, who lived close to the battlefield. She was interviewed during the WPA Slave Narrative project period.

Photo: Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society

Lucinda Davis was an eyewitness to the beginning of 

the Battle of Honey Springs

Among the stories that we collect---there should be those stories of the first days of freedom, the Civil War efforts made by our ancestors, and their involvement in the war that eventually led to freedom. 

Of course it must be mentioned that the end of the Civil War did not bring immediate freedom for those in Indian Territory.  When slaves were freed in the United States, the tribes were resistant in freeing their slaves in many places throughout the Territory. As a result, the Treaty of 1866 was signed that officially abolished slavery in the Five slave holding tribes.

This is all the more reason for the need to tell the story of the bravery of those men from the nations that did enlist---that did defy their masters many of whom had joined Indian confederate regiments----and their goal had nothing to do with rights of southern states----the Indian confederate units engaged in the war of the rebellion to preserve chattel slavery on their soil.  

The courage of those enslaved men, who dared to escape therefore should not only be honored, but their stories should be studied and learned and told, so the future generations will know these stories.  

We honor our ancestors by telling their stories!

Headstone of Robert Bowleggs, 79th US Colored Infantry

Buried at Ft. Smith National Cemetery

Photo taken by Tonia Holleman of Van Buren Arkansas

The 79th was first organized as the 1st Kansas Colored