Presidents at War: Andrew Jackson and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Today is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, fought on March 27, 1814. The battle was fought near Alexander City, Alabama. At the battle, United States forces and Indian allies under Major General (and future President) Andrew Jackson defeated the Red Sticks, a part of the Creek Indian tribe who were opposed to American expansion. The battle effectively ended the Creek War.
During the War of 1812, the Creek Indians of Georgia and Alabama had become divided into two factions: the Upper Creeks (or Red Sticks), who opposed American expansion and who sided with the British and Spanish during the War of 1812, and the Lower Creek, who were on good terms with the Americans.
The Shawnee leader Tecumseh went to the Creeks in 1812 to recruit warriors to join his war against American encroachment. The Red Sticks wanted to revive traditional religious and cultural practices, and were already resisting assimilation. They began to raid American frontier settlements. When the Lower Creek helped American forces capture and punish leading raiders, they became the enemy of the Red Sticks.
In 1813, militia troops intercepted a Red Stick party returning from obtaining arms in Pensacola. The rest of the Red Sticks returned and defeated the militia at what became known as the Battle of Burnt Corn. Red Sticks raiding of enemy settlements continued, and in August 1813 they attacked Fort Mims. After that attack, frontier settlers appealed to the government for help.
Federal forces were busy fighting the War of 1812, so Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama organized militias that were commanded by Colonel Andrew Jackson. These militia joined together with Lower Creek and Cherokee allies to confront the Red Sticks. Horseshoe Bend was the major battle of the Creek War. Andrew Jackson commanded an army of Tennessee militia, which was joined by the 39th United States Infantry and about 600 Cherokee, Choctaw and Lower Creek.
After leaving Fort Williams in the spring of 1814, Jackson's army cut its way through the forest to within 6 miles of Chief Menawa's Red Stick camp near a bend in the Tallapoosa River, called "Horseshoe Bend," in central Alabama, 12 miles east of what is now Alexander City. Jackson sent General John Coffee with the mounted infantry and the Indian allies south across the river to surround the Red Sticks' camp, while Jackson stayed with the rest of the infantry north of the camp.
On March 27, 1814, Jackson led his troops consisting of 2,600 American soldiers, 500 Cherokee, and 100 Lower Creek allies up a steep hill near Tohopeka, Alabama. At 6:30am, he split his troops and sent about 1300 men to cross the Tallapoosa River and surround the Creek village. Then, at 10:30 a.m., Jackson's remaining troops began an artillery barrage which consisted of two cannons firing for about two hours. Little damage was caused to the Red Sticks or their log-and-dirt fortifications.
Jackson ordered a bayonet charge. The 39th U.S. Infantry, led by Colonel John Williams, charged the breastworks defending the camp and fought the Red Sticks in hand-to-hand combat. Sam Houston (the future first Governor of Texas) served as a third lieutenant in Jackson's army. Houston was one of the first to make it over the log barricade alive and received a wound from a Creek arrow that bothered him the rest of his life.
The rest of Jackson's troops, under the command of General John Coffee, had successfully crossed the river and surrounded the encampment. They joined the fight. The battle lasted for more than five hours. At the end, roughly 800 of the 1000 Red Stick warriors present at the battle were killed. In contrast, Jackson lost fewer than 50 men during the fight and reported 154 wounded. Chief Menawa was badly wounded but survived. He led about 200 of the original 1,000 warriors across the river and into safety among the Seminole tribe in Spanish Florida.
On August 9, 1814, the Treaty of Fort Jackson was signed. The Creek Nation was forced to surrender half of central Alabama and part of southern Georgia to the United States government. This included territory of the Lower Creek, who had been allies of the United States. Jackson had selected territory that he felt to be advantageous to the United States. From this area, which totaled over 23 million acres, Jackson forced the Creek to give about 1.9 million acres to the Cherokee Nation, which had also allied with the United States. Jackson was promoted to Major General after getting agreement to the treaty.
The battlefield is preserved in the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. The bicentennial is being commemorated in a three day ceremony which begins today. More information can be found here. Visitors can see demonstrations of traditional skills of the early 1800s and experience living history exhibits featuring the everyday lives of Creek and Cherokee tribes. The event is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and is free to the public.
During the War of 1812, the Creek Indians of Georgia and Alabama had become divided into two factions: the Upper Creeks (or Red Sticks), who opposed American expansion and who sided with the British and Spanish during the War of 1812, and the Lower Creek, who were on good terms with the Americans.
The Shawnee leader Tecumseh went to the Creeks in 1812 to recruit warriors to join his war against American encroachment. The Red Sticks wanted to revive traditional religious and cultural practices, and were already resisting assimilation. They began to raid American frontier settlements. When the Lower Creek helped American forces capture and punish leading raiders, they became the enemy of the Red Sticks.
In 1813, militia troops intercepted a Red Stick party returning from obtaining arms in Pensacola. The rest of the Red Sticks returned and defeated the militia at what became known as the Battle of Burnt Corn. Red Sticks raiding of enemy settlements continued, and in August 1813 they attacked Fort Mims. After that attack, frontier settlers appealed to the government for help.
Federal forces were busy fighting the War of 1812, so Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama organized militias that were commanded by Colonel Andrew Jackson. These militia joined together with Lower Creek and Cherokee allies to confront the Red Sticks. Horseshoe Bend was the major battle of the Creek War. Andrew Jackson commanded an army of Tennessee militia, which was joined by the 39th United States Infantry and about 600 Cherokee, Choctaw and Lower Creek.
After leaving Fort Williams in the spring of 1814, Jackson's army cut its way through the forest to within 6 miles of Chief Menawa's Red Stick camp near a bend in the Tallapoosa River, called "Horseshoe Bend," in central Alabama, 12 miles east of what is now Alexander City. Jackson sent General John Coffee with the mounted infantry and the Indian allies south across the river to surround the Red Sticks' camp, while Jackson stayed with the rest of the infantry north of the camp.
On March 27, 1814, Jackson led his troops consisting of 2,600 American soldiers, 500 Cherokee, and 100 Lower Creek allies up a steep hill near Tohopeka, Alabama. At 6:30am, he split his troops and sent about 1300 men to cross the Tallapoosa River and surround the Creek village. Then, at 10:30 a.m., Jackson's remaining troops began an artillery barrage which consisted of two cannons firing for about two hours. Little damage was caused to the Red Sticks or their log-and-dirt fortifications.
Jackson ordered a bayonet charge. The 39th U.S. Infantry, led by Colonel John Williams, charged the breastworks defending the camp and fought the Red Sticks in hand-to-hand combat. Sam Houston (the future first Governor of Texas) served as a third lieutenant in Jackson's army. Houston was one of the first to make it over the log barricade alive and received a wound from a Creek arrow that bothered him the rest of his life.
The rest of Jackson's troops, under the command of General John Coffee, had successfully crossed the river and surrounded the encampment. They joined the fight. The battle lasted for more than five hours. At the end, roughly 800 of the 1000 Red Stick warriors present at the battle were killed. In contrast, Jackson lost fewer than 50 men during the fight and reported 154 wounded. Chief Menawa was badly wounded but survived. He led about 200 of the original 1,000 warriors across the river and into safety among the Seminole tribe in Spanish Florida.
On August 9, 1814, the Treaty of Fort Jackson was signed. The Creek Nation was forced to surrender half of central Alabama and part of southern Georgia to the United States government. This included territory of the Lower Creek, who had been allies of the United States. Jackson had selected territory that he felt to be advantageous to the United States. From this area, which totaled over 23 million acres, Jackson forced the Creek to give about 1.9 million acres to the Cherokee Nation, which had also allied with the United States. Jackson was promoted to Major General after getting agreement to the treaty.
The battlefield is preserved in the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. The bicentennial is being commemorated in a three day ceremony which begins today. More information can be found here. Visitors can see demonstrations of traditional skills of the early 1800s and experience living history exhibits featuring the everyday lives of Creek and Cherokee tribes. The event is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and is free to the public.