Volume 17 , Issue 19

NW Okie's Journey

Are you ready for some more history of Oklahoma and Indian Territory outlaws of the 19th century? Have you ever heard any stories of the "Battle of Bitter Creek," "Rose of the Cimarron," and the "Battle of Ingalls?"



We have included some possible answers to some of those questions and some history of the Doolin/Dalton gang that "Bitter Creek" ran with. But ... was "Rose of the Cimarron" really an outlaw, or just a beautiful, friendly lady that befriend the Oklahoma outlaws?

As for the "Battle of Ingalls, Payne county, Oklahoma, that legend is reported as the shootout between the Doolin-Dalton gang and the US Deputy Marshals. We find in August, 1893, several members of the outlaw gang: Bill Doolin, Bill Dalton, George "Red Duck" Wightman, George "Bitter Creek" Newcomb, Charlie Pierce, "Arkansas Tom" Jones, "Tulsa Jack" Blake, and "Dynamite Dick" Clifton, were taking refuge in the small town of Ingalls, Oklahoma Territory. Most of them had been in town for weeks living at the city hotel and spending their time at the Ransom Saloon.

It seems the US Marshals got word of their location, and Marshal, Evett Dumas "E.D." Nix formed a posse of some 27 deputy marshals and Indian Police and headed towards Ingalls.

The posse camped out along the creek the night before, seen by a boy, who slipped away early the next morning and ran into Ingalls to tell the outlaws. The warning gave the outlaws time to saddle their horses at the livery stable, but rather than making a run for it, they chose to return to their poker game at the saloon.

The morning of 1 September 1893 the posse crept into town while the outlaws were drinking and gambling in the saloon. Newcomb stepped out of the saloon and got on his horse, he was fired upon by one of the officers. Arkansas Tom Jones was sick in bed at the O.K. Hotel, and returned the fire from his second story window, mortally wounding US Deputy Marshal Thomas Hueston, who would die the next day. Newcomb did manage to fire a couple of rounds, but was able to escape.

It was within seconds a full-out gun fight erupted with the outlaws shooting their way from the saloon to a nearby livery stable. Red Buck, Bill Dalton and Tulsa Jack Blake mounted their horses and came out of the stable with heir guns blazing. Deputy Lafayette Shadley shot at Bill Dalton, but hit the outlaws's horse, toppling Dalton to the ground. Dalton returned the fire, hitting Shadley, who died two days later. Meanwhile, Doolin shot and killed Deputy Marshal Richard Speed. Dynamite Dick clifton and Charlie Pierce were also hit and wounded, but both were still able to ride.

Those outlaws that did not escape were Arkansas Tom Jones, who was trapped in the hotel room when deputy Marshal Jim Masterson threw dynamite into his hiding place. There was talk of Arkansas Tom being lynched, but he was later sent to federal prison in Guthrie, O.T.

In the end, the outlaws won the battle but lost the war, as eventually, every member of the gang who had escaped from the Ingalls gunfight would be killed, mostly by US Deputy Marshalls.

The small community of Ingalls, Payne county, Oklahoma, was located about halfway between Stillwater and Yale, Oklahoma, but is no longer shown on state highway maps. There only remains a few deserted buildings, stone foundations, and stone memorial marking the site of the famous gunfight. Ingall was settled after the land rush of 1889 into the "Unassigned lands" between the Chickasaw Nation to the south and the Cherokee Outlet to the north. Ingall at one time was a thriving community of 150 people in the 1890's. By 1907 the post office was closed. The site is located about 9 miles east of Stillwater, Oklahoma and 1 mile south at Ingalls Road.

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