Post on 02-Jan-2016
The Creek War
Creek War
• Also known as the – Red Stick War– Creek Civil War
• 1813-1814• Creek Muscogee Nation
Background
• Shawnee Chief Tecumseh– Tried to unite Indian
tribes against European-American encroachment
– Feb 1813
Background
• Great Comet of 1811– March 25, 1811– 260 days
• New Madrid Earthquake– Dec 11, 1811
• Red Sticks– Return to traditional ways
• William Weatherford (Red Eagle)
• Peter McQueen• Menawa
Background
• US Indian Agent Benjamin Hawkins• Civilization programs• Lower Creek began to farm as hunting grounds
disappeared
Background
• Feb 1813• War party of Red Sticks• Led by Little Warrior• Returning from Detroit• Killed 2 families along the Ohio River• Hawkins demands the war party be turned over• Old Chiefs decided to execute the war party
themselves• Red Sticks resisted
Burnt Corn Creek
• July 21, 1813• Red Sticks and US forces clash• Red sticks returning from Pensacola• Spanish Gov. had given them weapons• Battle of Burnt Corn• US ambush and loot Red Sticks – then the Red
Sticks return and defeat the US
Fort Mims• Aug 30, 1813• North of Mobile• 1,000 Creeks led by
– Peter McQueen & William Weatherford
• 400 – 500 killed• Major Beasley
– 265 militia
• Mid-day attack on main gate, left open by drifting sand– 100 captives– 36 escape
• This was the transition from a Creek Civil War to a war with the US
US Mobilizes
• Sec of War John Armstrong– Creek Nation & Spain possibly
• Georgia & Tennessee & Mississippi Territory form militias
• Lower Creeks join US – Led by William McIntosh
• 200 Cherokee Join TN militia
Red Sticks
• ~ 4,000 warriors• ~ 1,000 guns• Holy Ground– Junction of Alabama & Coosa Rivers
Canoe Fight• Nov 12, 1813• Alabama River & Randons
Creek• Clarke and Monroe Counties• Skirmish• 2 American Militia war canoes
battled with a Creek war canoe• Captain Samuel Dale, Jeremiah
Austill, James Smith, and Caesar (slave)
• 8 Creeks killed in hand-to-hand combat
Jackson
• No roads• Short enlistments• Cavalry deserts• TN River to low to move supplies• At a low point 103 men• Feb 1814 39th US Infantry arrives– ~ 5,000 men
• TN militia grows to ~ 2,000
Horseshoe Bend
• March 27, 1814• Tallapoosa on the Coosa
River• 2,600 US troops• 500 Cherokee • 100 Lower Creek
Horseshoe Bend• Jackson sends 1,300 to cross the
river and surround the Indians• 2 hr canon barrage on Indian 400
yd log and dirt fortification• Bayonet charge• Sam Houston• Gen Coffee crosses the river and
attacks from the rear• 5 hr battle
– 800 of the 1,000 Creeks killed– US lost less than 50– Chief Menawa wounded escapes
• Effectively ended Red Stick resistence
Menewa
Treaty of Fort Jackson
• Aug 9, 1814• Jackson forces both
Lower and Upper Creeks to sign
• 23 million acres