Matthew Arbuckle

Matthew Arbuckle (1778–1851) was a career soldier in the U.S. Army closely identified with the Indian Territory for the last thirty years of his life.

Early life

He was born 28 December 1778 in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia), the second of four sons of Capt. Matthew Arbuckle and Frances (Hunter) Arbuckle. The father was a veteran of the Battle of Point Pleasant during Lord Dunmore's War and later distinguished himself in the American Revolution,

Military career

Little is known of his early life, but on 3 March 1799 he was commissioned ensign in the 3rd Infantry Regiment, and advanced to first lieutenant within eight months. In 1802, the Army disbanded the 3rd Infantry and transferred him to the 2nd Infantry Regiment, where he was promoted to captain in 1806. He returned to the 3rd Infantry as a major in 1812. His regiment was assigned to various posts in the American South during the War of 1812. In 1814, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became the regiment's second-ranking officer. The 3rd Infantry was under General Andrew Jackson during and after the war. A family story exists that Arbuckle served on Jackson's staff during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, but no evidence has been found for this claim. Arbuckle led a successful expedition against the "Fowltown Indians" of Southern Georgia in 1817, during the opening phase of the First Seminole War.