By the spring of 1861, Stand Watie (1806-1871), the leader of the southern faction of the Cherokee Nation, was a prosperous attorney and speaker of the nation's National Council (the lower house of the Cherokee legislature). He owned a plantation and mill at Honey Creek in the Illinois District of the Cherokee Nation.
1st (Watie's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers
(2nd Cherokee Mounted Volunteers
[designation changed to 1st Regiment about
Dec 62, after Drew's regiment had disbanded],
Watie's Regiment Cherokee Mounted Rifles)
COLONELS. Stand Watie, promoted Brig Gen 6 May 64; James Madison Bell, promoted and transferred from Lt Col of the 2nd Regt. after Watie became general
LIEUTENANT COLONELS. Thomas Fox Taylor, KIA 27 Jul 62, Bayou Menard (n. Fort Gibson); Robert Calvin Parks, replaced Taylor ( from Capt, 1st Co B) killed by a fellow officer in a personal difficulty at Fort Washita in April 1864; Clement Neeley Vann, succeeded Parks (prev pvt Co K, Drew's Regt.?)
MAJORS. Elias Cornelius Boudinot, after reorganization elected Cherokee delegate to Congress, Col and Vol ADC on Maj Gen T C Hindman's staff in Dec 62; Joseph Franklin Thompson, (from Capt, 1st Co I); Erasmus J Howland, succeeded Thompson in 1864 (from Capt, 2nd Co D).
REGIMENTAL STAFF
Adjutant: 1st Lt Charles E Watie, to 1st Lt, 2nd Co B after reorganization; 1st Lt Thomas F Anderson (from pvt, 1st Co H) to Brigade AAG 1864
Assistant Quarter Master: 1st Lt George W Adair, died April 62; 1st Lt William Penn Adair, to Col of 2nd Regt. 3 Feb 63; 1st Lt Johnson Thompson
Asst. Commissary of Subsistence: 1st Lt Joseph M Starr, Sr, until 62; 1st Lts Oliver W Lipe (from pvt, 2nd Co G) resigned 3 Jun 63; Peter G Lynch (from pvt, 2nd Co B), Samuel M Ware (from pvt, 2nd Co A)
Surgeon: Maj Walter Thompson Adair, to Brigade Surgeon 1864
Assistant Surgeon: Capt William D Polson, resigned 1 Jul 62; Capt Francis H Fisk (from drill instr, 1st Co I)
Surgeon's Interpreter: Capt Richard Fields (prev Capt, Co F, Drew's Regt) Chaplain: Rev J N Slover
Sergeant Major: George W West, KIA 20 May 63; R M Morgan (from sgt, 1st Co C), H Lincoln Foreman (from pvt, 2nd Co D), Patrick Patton (from 1st Sgt, 2nd Co A)
Quartermaster Sergeant: Benjamin W Carter (from pvt, 2nd Co G), John G Schrimsher (from pvt, 2nd Co G)
Ordnance Sergeant: George W Harlin
Hospital Steward: Jasper Polson, Ben Trott
Companies and their Commanders: First Organization
Company A. Buzzard, KIA 20 May 63 n. Fort Gibson.
Company B. Robert Calvin Parks, to Lt Col after reorganization.
Company C. Daniel H Coody
Company D. James Madison Bell, to Lt Col of the 2nd Regiment 3 Feb 63.
Company E. Joseph Franklin Thompson (prev in the Arkansas State service) to Major after reorganization.
Company F. Joseph F Smallwood
Company G. George H Starr
Company H. John Thompson Mayes
Company I. George W Johnson
Company K. James H Thompson. This company became Co H, Clarkson's Battalion, Independent Rangers 14 July 62. This Bn was broken up in Nov 62, 5 cos merged into Clark's Missouri Infantry Regiment.
Company L (aka J). Bluford West Alberty.
In addition, Thomas J Parks was designated to lead Company M, but this does not appear to have materialized.
ORGANIZATION. On July 12, 1861, Stand Watie received a commission from Brig Gen Benjamin McCulloch to raise a regiment. At a mass meeting of the southern sympathizers among the Five Civilized tribes held at Old Fort Wayne, Delaware District, in the Cherokee Nation, on July 27, 1861, organization of the First Cherokee Regiment began. After the twelve-month enlistment time expired, the regiment was reorganized around 12 July 1862 at Spavinaw Creek, Tahlequah District, for 2 years, with mostly new officers and many new men. Note that the companies were not reorganized separately, rather a set of new companies were formed and new officers elected, although the majority of the men continued in service from the first organization.
Companies and their Commanders: SECOND Organization
Company A. Hugh Tinnin
Company B. Benjamin B Wisner (prev sgt, 1st Co D)
Company C. Charles Lowery (prev sgt, 1st Co E)
Company D. Erasmus J Howland (prev pvt, 1st Co G), to Major 1864; J S Knight (from 1st Lt)
Company E. Alexander Foreman (prev pvt, 1st Co C ), removed 25 June 63; John W Brown (from 1st Lt)
Company F. Dumplin O Fields (prev pvt, 1st Co D)
Company G. James L Butler
Company H. John Spears, to Frye's - Scales' Battalion, John Foster ? (from 1st Lt)
Company I. Moses C Frye (prev Sgt, 1st Co I) to Major of Frye's Bn about June 63; William W Alexander (from 1st Lt)
Company K. James Stuart (prev 1st Sgt, 1st Co H)
Acridge's Company. William H Acridge Became Co G, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Alberty's Company. Bluford West Alberty. Became Co B, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Brewer's Company. O H Perry Brewer (prev 1st Lt, 1st Co C) Became Co F, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
Patton's Company. D C Patton Became Co E, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63
Vann's Company. John Vann (prev pvt, 1st Co C) Became Co I, 2nd Regt on 3 Feb 63.
ORGANIZATION. Company A was mustered in 12 May 62 in Maysville, Ark. Companies B to K, plus Acridge's, Alberty's, Brewer's, and Patton's are all on record as having enlisted 12 July 1862 at Spavinaw Creek, Tahlequah District, Cherokee Nation. On September 1, 1862, another company - John Vann's - was added, made up mostly of loyal men from Drew's late regiment. The five unnumbered companies were on February 3, 1863, merged with Bryan's 1st Battalion, Cherokee Partisan Rangers to form the 2nd (Adair's) Cherokee Mounted Volunteers.
Sources:
http://www.thepeoplespaths.net/history/CherConfed.htm
http://www.bjmjr.net/indian_territory/index.htm