General Douglas Hancock Cooper

"Kind and sympathetic by nature, generous to a fault, he was an honest man of noble impulses, and born and bred a gentleman." These were the words of a contemporary of Brigadier General Douglas Cooper, C.S.A.

Cooper was appointed U.S. Agent to Choctaws, 1853, and to the Chickasaws, 1856. Under his supervision the two agencies were consolidated and office was located at Fort Washita.

With outbreak of war between the states, Cooper was designated by his friend Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, to be Choctaw - Chickasaw Agent, C.S.A.

In June, 1861, he was appointed Commander of Choctaw-Chickasaw Mounted Riflemen, C.S.A. and saw action in many hard battles. Recognition of his military ability led to his being promoted to Commander of Indian Territory Military District, C.S.A.

In 1865, he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs for District of Indian Territory, Trans-Mississippi, C.S.A.

General Cooper was born in Mississippi, November 1, 1815, and died at Fort Washita, Chickasaw Nation, April 29, 1879.

He lies buried on these grounds in an unmarked and unknown grave.

Oklahoma Historical Society 1966