, ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁and ▁moved ▁south west ▁along ▁the ▁Drag oon ▁Tra il ▁toward ▁Fort ▁W ash ita . ▁This ▁trail ▁ ▁( also ▁called ▁the ▁Texas ▁C attle ▁Tra il ), ▁roughly ▁parallel led ▁the ▁more ▁heavily ▁used ▁Texas ▁Road . ▁Phill ips ▁chose ▁this ▁route ▁because ▁guer illa ▁war fare ▁had ▁dec im ated ▁the ▁area ▁along ▁the ▁Texas ▁Road , ▁and ▁Phill ips ▁believed ▁that ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁better ▁for age ▁along ▁the ▁Drag oon ▁route . ▁ ▁He ▁stopped ▁on ▁February ▁ 4 , ▁to ▁await ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁nine ▁companies ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Kansas ▁Caval ry . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 1 , ▁Phill ips ▁paused ▁near ▁Edwards ' ▁Post , ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁River , ▁and ▁await ed ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁rein for c ements ▁from ▁Fort ▁Smith . ▁When ▁the ▁rein for c ements ▁failed ▁to ▁arrive , ▁Phill ips ▁decided ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁the ▁Middle ▁Bog gy , ▁a ▁trib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁River . ▁ ▁Sk irm ish ▁at ▁the ▁out post ▁The ▁Confeder ate ▁out post ▁was ▁very ▁near ▁the ▁point ▁where ▁the ▁Drag oon ▁Road ▁crossed ▁the ▁Middle ▁Bog gy . ▁Maj . ▁Wille tt s ' ▁advance ▁group ▁camp ed ▁a ▁short ▁distance ▁away ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁February ▁ 1 2 ▁and ▁made ▁final ▁prepar ations ▁to ▁attack . ▁Wille tt ' s ▁group ▁began ▁the ▁sk irm ish ▁with ▁an ▁art illery ▁bar rage ▁at ▁ 7 ▁A