Fort Row, Kansas: A Frontier Outpost and a Haven of Despair
Okay, so picture this: It’s the early 1860s, and the United States is tearing itself apart in the Civil War. Even out on the Kansas prairie, far from the big battles, things are tense. Folks are worried about raids and general mayhem. That’s where Fort Row comes in – a little-known but important piece of the story.
A Makeshift Fortress
Fort Row wasn’t some grand, official military installation. It was more like a souped-up neighborhood watch headquarters. Back in the summer of 1861, a local militia of about 70-80 men formed up under Captain John Row in Wilson County. Their mission? To keep an eye out for Confederate troublemakers sneaking over from Missouri.
They picked a spot on the south bank of the Verdigris River, east of what’s now Coyville, and got to work. John Shaffer, the landowner, must have been a good guy to let them build there. By the fall, they had a fort of sorts: three blockhouses made of hefty logs, each about 16 by 24 feet. They built a six-foot-tall log stockade around three sides. The steep riverbank on the other side acted as a natural barrier. They even piled up an earthwork embankment around the stockade and poked rifle holes in the walls.
From its position on the open prairie, Fort Row had a pretty good view of the surrounding land. That winter, about 80 militia troops and their horses holed up in the fort.
A Divided Nation, a Divided People
Now, here’s where the story gets more complicated. At the same time all this was going on, there was a major political and social upheaval happening in Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). Creek Indian leader Opothle Yoholo, a respected figure, was trying to keep his people neutral in the Civil War. He had around 12,000 to 13,000 followers. Confederate leaders were trying hard to get him on their side.
Opothle Yoholo had good reason to be wary of getting involved. His people had already been through hell. Just a few decades earlier, they’d been forced out of their ancestral lands in Alabama and Georgia after the Lower Creek sold their lands to the government. In 1837, Opothle Yoholo led 8,000 people from Alabama to lands north of the Canadian River in the Indian Territory. They had settled in and prospered before the Civil War began.
When the war began, many tribes joined ranks with the Confederates. However, Opothle Yoholo and his people refused and remained loyal to the federal government.
On August 15, 1861, Opothle Yoholo and Chief Micco Hutko contacted President Abraham Lincoln to request help for the loyalists. On September 10, the Union assured them they would receive help and freedom in Kansas. The letter directed Opothle Yoholo to move his people to Fort Row in Wilson County, where they would receive asylum and aid.
Flight to Freedom (and Misery)
Unfortunately, neutrality wasn’t an option. Confederate Colonel Douglas H. Cooper, a former U.S. Indian Agent, led 1,400 men, including pro-Confederate Indians, northward, intending to convince Opothle Yoholo and his followers to support the Confederacy or to “drive him and his party from the country.”
So, in late 1861, Opothle Yoholo made a difficult decision. Believing Federal promises of assistance, Opothle Yoholo led about some 9,000 Creek, Seminole, and mixed Blacks and Indians, seeking refuge in Kansas from Confederate soldiers.
Of course, the Confederate forces weren’t about to let them go easily. They were pursued, leading to several battles along the way: the Battle of Round Mountain on November 19, Chusto-Talasah on December 9, and, finally, Chustenahlah on December 26.
After a devastating defeat at Chustenahlah, Oklahoma, the out-matched Indians abandoned their livestock and wagons and fled with nearly nothing. Many were shoeless, with little clothing. The journey to Kansas was brutal. Without food, they marched 100 to 150 miles through snow and bitter cold before reaching Fort Row. The Creek lost 2,000 to 3,000 people on the way, and more would have died had they not eaten some of their dogs and ponies.
Overwhelmed
Imagine the scene in January 1862 when the first groups of refugees, over 2,000 people, started arriving at Fort Row. The little militia fort was never meant to handle anything like this. People kept coming – 20 to 60 every day – until there were around 10,000 desperate souls seeking shelter.
The authorities in Kansas were caught off guard. William G. Coffin, the regional superintendent for Indian affairs, showed up to help. He spent $10,000 on supplies, but that was a drop in the bucket. He had to use his personal credit and even his own money to buy more goods. Physicians had to amputate many frostbitten limbs. The Indians attempted to hunt game, which was quickly depleted.
Conditions were terrible. There wasn’t enough food, shelter, or medicine. Disease spread quickly.
A Harsh Reality
To make matters worse, Fort Row couldn’t accommodate everyone. Many were forced to move to Fort Belmont in Woodson County, but conditions were still deplorable. At least 1,000 Indians died, including Opothle Yoholo’s daughter, who died at Fort Belmont, Kansas.
Eventually, many of the survivors continued on their trek to LeRoy in Coffey County. From LeRoy, 1,000 Indian braves were marched to Camp Hunter in Humboldt, Kansas, where, along with Seminole, African-Creek, and African-Seminole, they were inducted into the Union Army as the First Indian Regiment. They would first see action at the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on December 7, 1862. This battle re-established Union control of northwest Arkansas. They also saw action on the battlefields of Missouri and the Indian Territory.
Forgotten History
As for Fort Row, its moment in the spotlight was brief. The militia company disbanded in the spring of 1862, and most joined the Ninth Kansas volunteers. By that time, all the Indians had been moved elsewhere. Fort Row was never again used, and eventually, the buildings were destroyed by floods. For many years, human and animal bones littered the surrounding countryside.
The story of Fort Row is a reminder that the Civil War wasn’t just about battles between armies. It was about real people, caught in the middle of a conflict they didn’t ask for. It’s a story of courage, resilience, and the often-harsh realities of life on the frontier.
The Bitter End
Conditions for the Creek in Kansas continued to be very harsh. Opothle Yoholo died in the Creek refugee camp near the Sac and Fox Agency at Quenemo in Osage County, Kansas, on March 22, 1863. He was buried beside his daughter near Fort Belmont in Woodson County, Kansas.
After the Civil War, the reconstruction treaty of 1866 required the cession of 3.2 million acres – approximately half of the Muscogee Creek domain.