up , ▁Louisiana , ▁and ▁accompanied ▁that ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁old ▁regiment ▁under ▁Colonel ▁Ar bu ck le ▁that ▁went ▁to ▁Fort ▁Smith ▁by ▁water ▁and ▁reached ▁there ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 8 2 2 . ▁After ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁N icks ▁took ▁up ▁his ▁residence ▁at ▁Fort ▁Smith ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Third ▁Territ orial ▁Legisl ature ▁of ▁Ark ansas ▁and ▁represented ▁C raw ford ▁County ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁October ▁ 1 8 2 3 , ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁the ▁Four th ▁Legisl ature ▁serving ▁from ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁to ▁November ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 2 5 . ▁ ▁Upon ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁Fort ▁Gib son ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁Colonel ▁N icks ▁moved ▁with ▁the ▁Se vent h ▁Infantry ▁as ▁s ut ler ▁at ▁the ▁new ▁post . ▁Colonel ▁N icks ▁led ▁a ▁busy ▁life ▁at ▁Fort ▁Gib son ▁in ▁dis charg ing ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁s ut ler ▁and ▁representing ▁eastern ▁Oklahoma ▁in ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁Legisl ature . ▁After ▁the ▁death ▁at ▁Fort ▁Tow son ▁October ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁of ▁Major ▁William ▁Brad ford ▁who ▁was ▁serving ▁there ▁as ▁s ut ler ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁brig ad ier - general ▁of ▁the ▁milit ia ▁of ▁Ark ansas , ▁President ▁John ▁Qu in cy ▁Adams ▁appointed ▁N icks ▁( M arch ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 2 7 ) ▁as ▁brig ad ier - general