Combatants United States Lower Creeks Cherokees Red Sticks (Creek Indians) Commanders Andrew Jackson John Coffee William McIntosh William Weatherford Menawa Peter McQueen Strength 7,000 4,000 Casualties 500 Settlers 125 Soldiers 1,900 The Creek War (1813–1814), also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil... Diorama of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (from the Horseshow Bend National Park Museum). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (87th in leap years). ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Wetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. ... The Creeks are an American Indian people originally from the southeastern United States, also known by their original name Muscogee (or Muskogee), the name they use to identify themselves today. ... Red Sticks is the English term for a faction of Creek Indians (known as mvskoke in the language). ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... The Creeks are an American Indian people originally from the southeastern United States, also known by their original name Muscogee (or Muskogee), the name they use to identify themselves today. ... Menawas portrait was painted by Charles Bird King when Menawa visited Washington, D.C. in 1826 to protest the Treaty of Indian Springs. ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States Lower Creeks Cherokees Red Sticks (Creek Indians) Commanders Andrew Jackson John Coffee William McIntosh William Weatherford Menawa Peter McQueen Strength 7,000 4,000 Casualties 500 Settlers 125 Soldiers 1,900 The Creek War (1813–1814), also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil... The Battle of Burnt Corn was an encounter between United States forces and Creek Indians that took place July 27, 1813. ... Fort Mims Massacre External Links A Drawing of Fort Mims Description of Massacre at Rootsweb Categories: Battles of the Creek War | 1813 ... The Battle of Tallushatchee was a battle fought during the Creek War on November 3, 1814 in Alabama. ... The Battle of Talladega was a battle fought between Tennessee militia and the Red Stick Creek Indians during the Creek War. ... The battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek are part of Andrew Jacksons campaign in the Creek War. ...

Background

Although having nothing to do with the British or Canadians, the battle is considered part of the War of 1812. More specifically, it was the major battle of the Creek War, in which Andrew Jackson sought to "clear" Alabama for American settlement. General Jackson was in command of an army of West Tennessee militia, which he had turned into a well-trained fighting force. To add to these militia units was the 39th United States Infantry and about 600 Cherokee and Lower Creek Indians fighting against the Red Stick Creek Indians. After leaving Fort Williams in the spring of 1814, Jackson's army cut its way through the forest to within 6 miles (10 km) of Chief Menawa's Red Stick camp near a bend in the Tallapoosa River, called "Horseshoe Bend," in central Alabama. 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 2,000 infantry north of the camp. Combatants United States Great Britain Canada Bermuda Eastern Woodland Indians Commanders James Madison Henry Dearborn Jacob Brown Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson George Prevost Isaac Brock† Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:6 •Other... West Tennessee is one of the three traditional regions in the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker. ... The 39th United States Infantry was a regiment of the regular Army. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... Red Sticks is the English term for a faction of Creek Indians who led a resistance movement which culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813. ... Menawas portrait was painted by Charles Bird King when Menawa visited Washington, D.C. in 1826 to protest the Treaty of Indian Springs. ... The Tallapoosa River is a river that runs from the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains in Georgia in the United States south and west into Alabama. ... John Coffee (June 2, 1772–July 7, 1833) was an American planter, US Congressman and military leader. ...

Battle

Battle positions

On March 27 at 10:30 a.m., Jackson began an artillery barrage which consisted of two cannons firing for about two hours. Little damage was caused to the Red Sticks or their fortifications. Coffee's Cherokees and cavalry began crossing the river and fought the Red Sticks on their rear. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1244x1112, 230 KB) This image is held in the PCL Map Collection at the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1244x1112, 230 KB) This image is held in the PCL Map Collection at the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (87th in leap years). ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ...

Jackson then ordered a bayonet charge. The infantry charged the breastworks surrounding the camp and caught the Red Sticks in a cross fire. Sam Houston (the future governor of Tennessee and 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 troubled him the rest of his life. The US Marine Corps OKC-3S Bayonet A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a knife- or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon. ... Samuel Houston (March 2, 1793–July 26, 1863) was a 19th century American statesman, politician and soldier. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Japanese arrow (ya) and head // Weapon An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. ...

The battle raged for about five hours. Roughly 550 Red Sticks were killed on the field, while many of the rest were killed trying to cross the river. Future United States Senator John Eaton wrote "This battle gave a death blow to [the enemy's] hopes, nor did they venture, afterwards, to make a stand... In this action, the best and bravest of their warriors were destroyed". John Henry Eaton (June 18, 1790–November 17, 1856) was an American politician from Tennessee. ...

Chief Menawa was severely wounded but survived and led only about 200 of the original 1,000 warriors across the river and into safety among the Seminole tribe in Spanish Florida. To obtain an accurate body count, Tennesseans cut the tip of dead Creeks' noses off. A few soldiers cut long strips of skin from the Indians' bodies to make bridle reins for their horses. The Flag of the Seminoles of Florida, adopted in 1979 The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, and now residing in that state and in Oklahoma. ... Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish colony of Florida. ... A bridle is a piece of equipment used to control a horse. ...

Results

On August 9, 1814, Andrew Jackson forced the Creeks to sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson. Despite protest of the Creek chiefs who had fought alongside Jackson, the Creek Nation ceded 23 million acres (93,000 km²)—half of Alabama and part of southern Georgia—to the United States government. Even though the Creek War was largely a civil war between the Creeks, Andrew Jackson saw no difference between the Creeks that had fought with him and the Red Sticks that fought against him. 1.9 million acres (7,700 km²) of the 23 million acres (93,000 km²) Jackson forced the Creeks to cede was claimed by the Cherokee Nation who had allied with the United States. August 9 is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Treaty of Fort Jackson, also known as the Treaty with the Creeks, 1814 was signed on August 9, 1814 at Fort Jackson near Wetumpka, Alabama following the defeat of the Red Stick ( Upper Creek) resistance by United States forces at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on the banks of... ...

This victory, along with the Battle of New Orleans, gave Andrew Jackson the popularity to win election as President of the United States in 1828. Combatants United Kingdom United States Commanders Sir Edward Pakenham† John Lambert Alexander Cochrane Andrew Jackson Strength 8,000 men 3,500-4,000 men Casualties 385 killed 1,186 wounded 484 captured 13 killed 58 wounded 30 captured The Battle of New Orleans, also known as the Battle of Chalmette... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ... The presidential seal was first used in 1880 by President Rutherford B. Hayes and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

The battlefield is preserved in the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is a U.S. National Military Park managed by the National Park Service that is the site of the last battle of the Creek War on March 27, 1814. ...

Further reading

• Steve Rajtar, "Indian War Sites" (McFarland and Company, Inc., 1999)
• John Ehle, Trail of Tears The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation (Anchor Books Editions 1989), pg 117-121 ISBN 0-385-23954-8
• Andrew Burstein The Passions of Andrew Jackson (Alfred A. Knopf 2003), p. 105-106 ISBN 0-375-71404-9

John Ehle (born December 13, 1925 in Asheville, North Carolina) is an American writer known best for fictional novels set in the Appalachian mountains. ...

External links

• See The Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Collision of Cultures for a lesson about the Battle of Horseshoe Bend from the National Park Service's Teaching with Historic Places.
• A map of Creek War Battle Sites from the PCL Map Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.