[Footnote 837:  Steele had crossed the line between the Creeks and Choctaws, however, before Blunt crossed the Arkansas.  On August sixteenth, he had his camp on Longtown Creek and was sending a detachment out as far south as within about ten miles of Boggy Depot [Official Records, vol. xxii, part ii, 968].  A few days later, he made his camp on Brooken Creek, a little to the eastward [Ibid., 972].  By that time, Steele was evidently quite reconciled to the thought that Fort Smith might at any moment be attacked and, perhaps, in such force that it would be needless to attempt to defend it.  Cabell was to move to a safe distance, in the neighborhood of Scullyville, from whence, should there be reasonable prospect of success, he might send out reenforcements.  In the event of almost certain failure, he was to draw off betimes in the direction of Riddle’s station, where flour was stored [Ibid.,].]

[Footnote 838:  On the subject of roads and highways in Indian Territory, see Ibid., (cont.)]

Texas, his men did have a small skirmish with Blunt’s and at both Perryville and North Fork, Blunt destroyed some of his stores.[839] At North Fork, Steele had established a general hospital, which now passed from his control.

Following the unsuccessful skirmish at Perryville, the evening of August 25, Steele was “pushed rapidly down the country,"[840] so observed the wary Bankhead to whom fresh orders to assist Steele had been communicated.[841] Boggy Depot to the Texan commander seemed the proper place to defend[842] and near there he now waited; but Steele on East Boggy, full sixty miles from Red River and from comparative safety, begged him to come forward to Middle Boggy, a battle was surely impending.[843] No battle occurred, notwithstanding; for Blunt had given up the pursuit.  He had come to know that not all of Steele’s command was ahead of him,[844] that McIntosh with the Creeks had gone west within the Creek country, the Creeks having refused to leave it,[845] and that Cabell had gone east,

[Footnote 838:  (cont.) vol. xxxiv, part ii, 859; vol. xii, part ii, 997; Sheridan, Memoirs, vol. ii, 340.]

[Footnote 839:  Blunt to Schofield, August 27, 1863, Official Records, vol. xxii, part i. 597-598; Steele to Snead, September 8, 1863, Confederate Records, chap. 2, no. 268, p. 223.]

[Footnote 840:  Official Records, vol. xxii, part ii, 983.]

[Footnote 841:  W.T.  Carrington to Bankhead, August 22, 1863, Ibid., 975.]

[Footnote 842:  Bankhead to Turner, August 23, 1863, Ibid., 977.  Near Boggy Depot, “the Fort Gibson and Fort Smith roads” forked.  At Boggy Depot, moreover, were “all the stores of the Indian Department.”  With Boggy Depot in the hands of the enemy, Bankhead’s whole front would be uncovered [Bankhead to Turner August 20, 1863, Ibid., 972].]

[Footnote 843:  Duval to Bankhead and other commanders, August 27, 1863, Ibid., 981.]