The Battle of Round Mountain was the first engagement of the Trail of Blood on Ice campaign, marking the opening conflict over control of Indian Territory in the Civil War.
Key Facts
- Date
- November 19, 1861
- Campaign
- Trail of Blood on Ice
- Theater
- Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma)
- Also known as
- Battle of Red Fork
- Location disputed
- Near Keystone or Yale, Oklahoma
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the outbreak of the Civil War, the Creek Nation became divided between Union and Confederate sympathizers. Union-loyal Creeks under Chief Opothleyahola refused to honor Confederate treaties and sought to relocate to Kansas, where Union forces could offer them protection, prompting Confederate authorities to move against them.
On November 19, 1861, Confederate forces intercepted and attacked the column of Union-loyal Creek refugees led by Opothleyahola at Round Mountain, the first battle of the Trail of Blood on Ice campaign. The exact site remains disputed, with historians placing it near either Keystone or Yale, Oklahoma.
The battle launched a series of engagements collectively known as the Trail of Blood on Ice, as Opothleyahola's followers continued their difficult winter flight toward Kansas. The conflict demonstrated that the Indian Territory would be a significant arena of Civil War operations, with Native nations drawn directly into the struggle.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Opothleyahola.
Side B
1 belligerent