Douglas Hancock Cooper  "Commanded Confederate Indians"  November 1, 1815 - April 29, 1879

Born in Mississippi in 1815, Douglas Hancock Cooper had fought in the Mexican War and was the U.S. agent to the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indian tribes from 1853 until the start of the Civil War. Since he wielded a great deal of influence with the "Five Civilized Tribes", Cooper was authorized by the Confederate War Department in 1861 to seek military alliances with the tribes. Cooper raised the 1st Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted Rifles and served as their colonel.

In the fall of 1861 Colonel Cooper tried to sway the chief of the Creek tribe to become an ally of the Confederacy. When the chief refused, Cooper collected forces to attack. In November and December of 1861 Cooper and his mostly white troops fought the Creeks, who sided with the Union in the battles of Chusto-Talasah and Chustenahlah, and forced the Creeks into Kansas for the winter. But 5,000 Union troops massed in July 1862 and drove the Rebels out of the Indian territory north of the Arkansas River.

In September 1862 Cooper commanded 2,000 Choctaw, Chickasaw, Texans and mixed-blood Cherokee, plus 2,300 Missourians, in Newtonia, MO, where they drove out two brigades of Union soldiers. Once again the Union sent reinforcements and the outnumbered Confederates were beaten back to the Arkansas River. Promoted to brigadier general May 2, 1863, Cooper fought in July at Honey Springs, where his forces lost the largest cavalry battle fought in Indian territory. In July 1864 Cooper received district command of Indian territory and eventually commanded all Confederate Native Americans in the Trans-Mississippi Department.

After the war Cooper continued working with the Indians. On their behalf he pressed and won claims against the U.S. government for Indian losses during the Civil War. He died a poor man at Old Fort Washita in the Indian territory at the age of 63.

Fascinating Fact:  Cooper took advantage of the Indians' skills both in scouting and in tracking the occasional escaped prisoner.


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