Fort Mims massacre
Part of Creek War
The Battle
Date August 30, 1813 Location 35 to 40 miles north of Mobile, Alabama Result Red Stick victory
Combatants
Creek Indians (Red Sticks)	American Settlers
Commanders
Peter McQueen William Weatherford	Daniel Beasley Captain Bailey The Creek War of 1813-1814 began as a civil war within the Creek Nation. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... Nickname: The Azalea City Coordinates: Country US State Alabama County Mobile Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Government  - Mayor Sam Jones Area  - City 412. ... Red Sticks is the English term for a faction of Creek Indians (known as mvskoke in the language). ... 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. ... Peter McQueen ca. ... William Red Eagle Weatherford, (1780 – March 24, 1824), was a Creek (Muscogee) Indian who led the Creek War offensive against the United States. ...
Strength
800 Red Stick Creek	175 militia 375 non combatants
Casualties
200 killed	400 to 500 killed

The Fort Mims massacre occurred on 30 August 1813, when a force of Creeks, belonging to the "Red Sticks" faction under the command of Peter McQueen and William Weatherford "Red Eagle", his cousin by marriage, killed hundreds of settlers, mixed-blood Creeks, and militia in Fort Mims. The Creek War of 1813-1814 began as a civil war within the Creek Nation. ... The Battle of Burnt Corn was an encounter between United States forces and Creek Indians that took place July 27, 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. ... Combatants Creek Indians Red Sticks United States Cherokee Creek allies Commanders Menawa Andrew Jackson Strength 1,000 Red Stick Creek about 2,000 infantry 700 mounted infantry 600 Cherokee and Lower Creeks Casualties 800 49 killed 154 wounded The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Creek 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). ... Peter McQueen ca. ... William Red Eagle Weatherford, (1780 – March 24, 1824), was a Creek (Muscogee) Indian who led the Creek War offensive against the United States. ... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker Militia is the activity of one or more citizens organized to provide defense or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ...

Background

At the start of the Creek Civil War, settlers north of Mobile, Alabama, particularly mixed-blood Creeks from the lower towns, began to take refuge with the American settlers in the stockades of Fort Mims. About 550 settlers, including 175 armed militia, were gathered at Fort Mims, which was located about 35 to 45 miles (50-70 km) north of Mobile on the eastern side of the Alabama River. The Creek War of 1813-1814 began as a civil war within the Creek Nation. ... Nickname: The Azalea City Coordinates: Country US State Alabama County Mobile Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Government  - Mayor Sam Jones Area  - City 412. ... Lexington Minuteman representing militia minuteman John Parker Militia is the activity of one or more citizens organized to provide defense or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... The Alabama River at Montgomery in 2004 The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about six miles above Montgomery. ...

Upon learning that Peter McQueen's party of Red Sticks were in Pensacola, Florida, obtaining arms from the Spanish, Major Daniel Beasley, Captain Dixon Bailey, and Colonel Caller, led a disorganized force to intercept the Red Sticks. The resulting ambush is known as the Battle of Burnt Corn. Nickname: The City of Five Flags Location of Pensacola (top left) in Florida Country United States State Florida County Escambia  - Mayor John Fogg Area    - City 39. ... The Battle of Burnt Corn was an encounter between United States forces and Creek Indians that took place July 27, 1813. ...

Immediately following "The Battle of Burnt Corn", Peter McQueen gathered a party of about 800 to 1,000 warriors to strike at the settlers, mixed-blood Creeks, and militia at Fort Mims. One of McQueen's strongest allies, William Weatherford, attempted to talk the Red Sticks out of attacking because he feared for the lives of some of the occupants who where related to him whom had taken refuge in the fort.

Weatherford eventually agreed to take part in the attack, with the hopes of preventing a slaughter of the women and children in the Fort, and to seek vengeance upon his personal enemy, Captain Dixon Bailey. Captain Bailey, a native of the town of Auttose, was a half-breed Creek, who had been educated at Philadelphia under the provisions of the treaty of New York of 1790.

Alabama Historical Association Fort Mims marker.

Impending Doom

On August 29, 1813, two African American slaves who were tending cattle outside the stockade reported that "painted warriors" were in the vicinity. However, mounted scouts from the fort found no signs of the war party, and Beasley had the second slave flogged for raising a "false alarm". August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

The Attack

Although Major Beasley, the commander, stated that he could "maintain the post against any number of Indians", the stockade was poorly-defended, and at the time of the attack, the East gate was partially blocked open by drifting sand. According to anecdotal evidence found in my family history the gate was open "...when the officers all got drunk and were playing cards and left the gate open, and it rained and washed the sand in the gate so it could not be shut and Father left with Mother and the children, and the Indians killed all that stayed." (mustafar@sbcglobal.net)

The attack occurred the next day during the mid-day meal, when no American scouts were out. The "Red Sticks" rushed the fort and tomahawked Beasley, who was desperately trying to close the blocked gate.

Inside Fort Mims looking at the West wall and gate.

They then seized the loopholes and the outer enclosure. The settlers, under Captain Bailey, held the inner enclosure, and fought on for a time. However, the Red Sticks set fire to a house in the center, which spread to the rest of the stockade.

The warriors then forced their way into the inner enclosure and, despite the attempts of William Weatherford, massacred most of the mixed-blood Creeks and white settlers. 500 people were dead, and 250 scalps had been taken. Most of the African Americans were spared, to become slaves of the Red Sticks. About 15 people escaped, including Bailey, who was mortally wounded.

Aftermath

The Red Sticks' victory at Fort Mims spread panic throughout the Southeastern United States frontier. The massacre marked the transition from a civil war within the Creek tribe (Moscoge) to a war between the United States and the Red Stick warriors of the Upper Creek Nation. Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight against each other for the control of political power. ...

Since Federal troops were occupied with the northern front of the War of 1812, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Mississippi Territory mobilized their militias to move against the Upper Creek towns that had supported the Red Sticks' cause. After several battles, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend ended the Creek War. Combatants United States Native Americans United Kingdom, Canadian provincial forces First Nations Peoples 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... 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. ... all about mississippi! Mississippi state bird is a mocking bird mississippi state tree is mangoila tree ... Combatants Creek Indians Red Sticks United States Cherokee Creek allies Commanders Menawa Andrew Jackson Strength 1,000 Red Stick Creek about 2,000 infantry 700 mounted infantry 600 Cherokee and Lower Creeks Casualties 800 49 killed 154 wounded The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought during the War of 1812...

References

• Henry Adams "History of the United States of America During the Administrations of James Madison" (Library Classics of the United State, Inc. 1986), pp. 780-781 ISBN 0-940450-35-6
• John K. Mahon "The War of 1812" (University of Florida Press 1972) pp. 234-235 ISBN 0-8130-0318-0
• Robert Leckie "The Wars of America" (Harper and Rowe 1968), p. 275 ISBN 0-06-012571-3
• John Ehle, Trail of Tears The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation (Anchor Books Editions 1989), p. 105 ISBN 0-385-23954-8
• Andrew Burstein The Passions of Andrew Jackson (Alfred A. Kopf 2003), p. 99 ISBN 0-375-41428-2

Henry Adams Henry Brooks Adams (February 16, 1838 – March 27, 1918) was an American historian, journalist and novelist. ... John K. Mahon February 8, 1912 - October 11, 2003. ... There is more than one person with this name: see Robert Leckie (disambiguation). ... 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

• A map of Creek War Battle Sites from the PCL Map Collection at the Universtity of Texas at Austin.
• A Drawing of Fort Mims
• For an expanded narrative, select The Story at A Short History of the Ft. Mims Massacre of 1813 during the Creek Indian War
• Site about the Creek War including accounts, letters, etc.