Horseshoe Bend Ends the Forest Wars

In the Tennessee skirmishes with the Creek Red Sticks, the settlers gathered at Fort Mims on the Alabama River where 500 settlers were killed.  Nine days later after being shot 3 times, with his arm in a sling, in pain and fever, Andrew Jackson accepted command of the 1500 settlers.  Among his new recruits - Joseph "Captain Joe" Walker.

Jackson's men were met by the Creek at Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River. Assured by their medicine man of victory, the Creeks were ambushed and defeated by troops lead by Sam Houston on March 27, 1814.  Fifty settlers died, 150 were wounded, one of them being Joel Walker, Joe's older brother.

Following victory, Jackson poured 2 cups of brandy, drank and ordered that the Creeks be allowed to leave camp freely and safely.  Thus ended for all practical purposes the Appalachian Forest Wars of generations...

Next time...Creeks and Jackson's problems continue

The Jacksonian Man

Within the Creek Indians there was a inter-tribal rivalry and war party called the "Red Sticks".  These Red Sticks fought against Andrew Jackson and his men.  (Remember Jackson was a cousin of the Walkers)

Jackson had a reputation as a extraordinary man, new to the frontier without much flair for the cabin building woodsman so common on the frontier.  He came as a lawyer, land speculator, gambler, horse breeder and somewhat of a dandy.

To be a Jacksonian man was to get what you wanted by whatever means you could without regard to law or tradition. With Jackson's courageous, independent nature and loyalty to friends - he was soon admired by frontiersmen as the "panache of the frontier".

Next time...Horseshoe Bend