 Nyorera kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Mukupera kwaJuly, chikwata cheAmerica pasi paGeneral James G. Blunt chakapinda muIndian Territory, nechinangwa chokudzvinyirira simba reConfederate mukati meTerritory uye kutorazve nzvimbo yakasimba yeConfederate paFort Smith muArkansas iri pedyo. Musi waJuly 17, 1863, mauto eConfederate akamirira chikwata chacho pamusasa wavo muHoney Springs. Kunyange zvazvo chikwata cheAmerica chaingova nevarume 3 000 chete uye vokuSouth vaiva 6 000, mauto eUnion akakunda. ONeill akarondedzera kurwisa kwechikwata che6th Kansas Cavalry munguva yekupedzisira yehondo. Pashure pokurwisana kwacho, ONeill akatumira chinyorwa chake chepeni neingi kuhofisi yaLeslie muNew York City, uko chinyorwa chacho chakatemwazve sechinyorwa chehuni kuti chibudiswe. Iyi yakanga iri nzira inotora nguva; chinyorwa chaONeill chakabudiswa mumagazini yevhiki nevhiki yaAugust 29, 1863, inopfuura mwedzi mushure mehondo. ONeill akashandawo somutambi wenhau, achitumira nhau dzemishandirapamwe yeArkansaskuLeslies nokuda kwokutsikisa. 