Portrait of Opothleyahola during the 1830s

Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, and Hopoeitheyohola, (about 1798 – March 27, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator and spokesperson of the Upper Creek Council. He fought against the United States government during the first two Seminole Wars, and then for the Union during the American Civil War. He was also known by his nickname, "Old Gouge." 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Creeks are an American Indian people originally from the southeastern United States, also known by their original name Muscogee (or Muskogee), the name they use to identify themselves today. ... Osceola, Seminole leader, detail from an 1838 lithograph The Seminole Wars were three wars or conflicts in Florida between the Seminole Native American tribe and the United States. ... The Union was a name used by many to refer to the Northern states during the American Civil War. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ...

Early life

Opothleyahola was born at Tuckabatchee town in present day Elmore County, Alabama. He is believed to have fought against the whites possibly as early as the War of 1812 and again in the Creek War of 1813-1814, including against General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Opothleyoholo swore his allegiance to never again bear arms against the Federal government. Elmore County is a county of the State of Alabama. ... The War of 1812 was a conflict fought in North America between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. ... The Creek War of 1813-1814 began as a civil war within the Creek Nation. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Order: 7th President Vice President: John C. Calhoun (1829-1832) Martin Van Buren (1833-1837) Term of office: March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837 Preceded by: John Quincy Adams Succeeded by: Martin Van Buren Date of birth: March 15, 1767 Place of birth: Waxhaws area of South Carolina Date of... The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812 in central Alabama. ...

After the Creek War, some of the Lower Creek leaders signed a number of treaties that ceded considerable land to Georgia. Eventually, the Creek Confederacy enacted a law that made further land cessions a capital offense. In 1825, these chiefs signed the Treaty of Indian Springs, which gave up most of the remaining Creek lands in Georgia. The Creek National Council, led by Opothleyahola, protested to the United States government that the treaty was fraudulent. President John Quincy Adams was sympathetic, and eventually the treaty was nullified in a new agreement, the Treaty of Washington (1826). However, Georgia officials began forcibly removing the Indians. 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Treaty of Indian Springs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Order: 6th President Vice President: John Caldwell Calhoun Term of office: March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829 Preceded by: James Monroe Succeeded by: Andrew Jackson Date of birth: July 11, 1767 Place of birth: Braintree, Massachusetts Date of death: February 23, 1848 Place of death: Washington, D.C. First Lady... Indian Removal refers to the nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate American Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river. ...

When the Alabama legislature also moved to abolish tribal governments and extend state laws over the Creeks, Opothleyahola appealed to the administration of President Andrew Jackson for appeasement. When none was forthcoming, the Treaty of Cusseta was signed on March 24, 1832, which divided up Creek lands into individual allotments. Creeks could either sell their allotments and received funds to remove to the West, or stay in Alabama and submit to the state laws. State nickname: Camellia State, The Heart of Dixie¹, Yellowhammer State Other U.S. States Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Governor Bob Riley (R) Official languages English Area 84,360 mi²/135,765 km² (30th)  - Land 81,664 mi²/131,426 km²  - Water 2,696 mi²/4,338 km² (3. ... Seal of the President of the United States The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... Order: 7th President Vice President: John C. Calhoun (1829-1832) Martin Van Buren (1833-1837) Term of office: March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837 Preceded by: John Quincy Adams Succeeded by: Martin Van Buren Date of birth: March 15, 1767 Place of birth: Waxhaws area of South Carolina Date of... March 24 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ...

In 1834, Opothleyahola traveled to Nacogdoches, Texas, in an attempt to purchase land to accomodate his people. After an initial payment of $20,000, pressure from both the Mexican and American governments forced Opothleyahola to abandon the idea. In 1836, Opothleyahola, commissioned as a colonel by the U.S. government, led 1,500 of his warriors against rebellious Lower Creeks that had allied with Seminoles in fighting the white occupation. Soon after, Federal authorities forced the emigration of many of the tribes to the West, an exile known as the "Trail of Tears." In 1837, Opothleyahola led 8,000 of his people from Alabama to lands north of the Canadian River in the Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Nacogdoches (pronounced nack-a-doe-chis) is a city located in Nacogdoches County, Texas. ... 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Colonel Colonel is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. ... The Seminole are a Native American Indian people, originally of Florida. ... The Western United States, also referred to as the American West or simply The West, traditionally refers to the region constituting the westernmost states of the United States (see geographical terminology section for further discussion of these terms). ... The Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal of the Cherokee American Indian tribe by the U.S. federal government, which resulted in the deaths of about 4,000 Cherokee Indians. ... 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Canadian River is the largest tributary of the Arkansas River. ... Unassigned Lands - 1885 Unassigned Lands, or Oklahoma, were in the center of the lands ceded to the United States by the Creek (Muskogee), and Seminole Indians following the Civil War and on which no other tribes had been settled. ... Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong midwestern and western influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ...

Opothleyahola joined the Freemasons and became a Baptist. He became a wealthy trader and owned a 2,000-acre plantation near North Fork Town, with labor from a number of slaves. He quarreled with "half-breed" Lower Creek leaders, who advocated closer relationships with encroaching whites and had supported the removal to Indian Territory. He encouraged the Creek Council to pass and carry out a death sentence on one of these men, Chief William McIntosh, who had been accused of illegally selling Creek lands to the whites. American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. ... Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Look up Slavery in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Enslaved redirects here. ... William McIntosh, also known as White Warrior, was the leader of the friendly Creek, organized by Benjamin Hawkins, to support the Georgia and Tennessee militia during the Creek War. ...

Civil War

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Opothleyahola refused form an alliance with the Confederacy, unlike many other tribes, including many of the Lower Creeks. Runaway slaves, free blacks, Chickasaw and Seminole Indians began gathering at Opothleyahola's plantation, hoping to remain neutral in the conflict between the North and South. On August 15, 1861, Opothleyahola and tribal chief Micco Hutko contacted President Abraham Lincoln to request help for the loyalists. On September 10, they received a positive response stating the United States government would indeed assist them. The letter directed Opothleyahola to move his people to Fort Row in Wilson County, Kansas, where they would receive asylum and aid. The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... Young Chickasaw warrior The Chickasaws are a Native American people of the United States, originally from present-day Mississippi, now mostly living in Oklahoma. ... The Seminole are a Native American Indian people, originally of Florida. ... Red states show the core of the Northern region, states shown as pink may or may not be included in the Northern region, and thus their inclusion or exclusion varies from source to source. ... Southern United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Abraham Lincoln - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... Wilson County (standard abbreviation: WL) is a county located in the state of Kansas. ...

On November 15, former Federal Indian Agent and now Confederate Col. Douglas H. Cooper led 1,400 men, including blacks and pro-Confederate Indians, northward to convince Opothleyahola and his followers to support the Confederacy or to "drive him and his party from the country." Believing the promises that the Federal government would provide assistance, Opothleyahola led his band (including Seminoles under Halleck Tustenuggee) toward Kansas, fighting three battles against their pursuers. At Round Mountain, he was able drive back the Confederates to Fort Gibson. However, in December, he suffered a tactical loss at Chusto-Talasah and then a crushing defeat at Chustenahlah. Only 7,000 of his estimated 9,000 followers survived the battles, disease, and bitter winter blizzards during their ill-fated walk to Fort Row. However, they soon learned that there were not adequate medical attention and supplies there, and the refugees were moved to Fort Belmont, where conditions were still intolerable. The majority of the Creeks had only the clothes on their backs and lacked proper footwear and shelter. Many more perished, among them Opothleyahola's daughter. November 15 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was formed in February, 1861, to defend the Confederate States of America, which had itself been formed that same year when seven southern states seceded from the United States (with four more to follow). ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Colonel Colonel is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. ... Gen. ... A confederacy can refer to: A form of government formed as a union of political organizations, though it differs from a republic in that the separate political units retain a greater degree of sovereignty over themselves. ... The Seminole are a Native American Indian people of Florida. ... State nickname: The Sunflower State Other U.S. States Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) Official languages None Area 82,277 mi²; 213,096 km² (15th)  - Land 81,815 mi²; 211,900 km²  - Water 462 mi²; 1,196 km² (0. ... Fort Gibson is a town located in Oklahoma. ... December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...

Opothleyahola died in the Creek refugee camp near the Sac and Fox Agency at Quenemo in Osage County, Kansas. He was buried beside his daughter near Fort Belmont. Quenemo is a city located in Osage County, Kansas. ... Osage County (standard abbreviation: OS) is a county located in the state of Kansas. ...

References

• White, Christine Schultz and White, Benton R., Now The Wolf Has Come: The Creek Nation in the Civil War, Texas A & M University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-890-96689-3.
• U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 70 volumes in 4 series. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901. Series 1, Volume 8, Part 1, pages 5-12.
• Woodson County history