The Fort Mims Massacre is in the Encyclopedia of Alabama.
The Fort Mims massacre took place on August 30, 1813, during the Creek War, when a force of Creek Indians belonging to the Red Sticks group, under the command of head warriors Peter and William, attacked the fort.Most of the Creek métis, white settlers, and militia at Fort Mims were killed in a massacre.The fort was a stockade with a blockhouse surrounding the house and was located about 35 miles north of Mobile, Alabama.
The War of 1812 led to the split of the Creek Nation.One group of Creek nativists, the Red Sticks, argued against any more accommodation of the white settlers, while the other Creeks preferred to follow a white lifestyle.The Lower Towns' integration into European-American culture was opposed by the Red Stick.The Natives were called "Red Sticks" because they had raised the "red stick of war," a favored weapon and symbolic Creek war declaration.In the summer of 1813, the Red Sticks attacked accommodationist headmen and began a slaughter of domestic animals, most of which belonged to men who had gained power by adopting aspects of European culture.While reinforcements were sent to the frontier, frontier whites began fortifying and moving into various posts, such as Fort Mims.[8]
The Red Sticks were in Florida to get food assistance, supplies, and arms from the Spanish.The newly arrived Spanish governor gave the Creek 45 barrels of corn and flour, blankets, ribbons, scissors, razors, a few steers and 1000 pounds of gunpowder.Colonel Caller and Major Daniel Beasley of the Mississippi Volunteers led a mounted force of 6 companies, 150 white militia riflemen, and 30 Tensaw métis, people of mixed American Indian and Euro-American ancestry.The Creek were having their mid-day meal when James Caller attacked the Red Sticks in the Battle of Burnt Corn.The warriors returned and drove the Americans off the pack trains.The United States and the Creek Nation were at war.
The Red Stick chiefs who led the attack on Fort Mims were Peter McQueen and Red Eagle.More than 1,000 warriors from thirteen Creek towns of the Alabamas, the Tallapoosas and lower Abekas gathered at the mouth of Flat Creek on the lower Alabama River.It was [13].
The mixed blood whites who were called Creeks of Tensaw, who had relocated from Upper Creek Towns with the approval of the Creek National Council, joined European-American settlers in taking refuge within the stockade of Fort Mims.Some 265 armed militiamen were in the fort.Fort Mims was located north of Mobile on the eastern side of the Alabama River.[15]
On August 21, 1813, a Choctaw warrior arrived at Fort Easley with news that over four hundred Red Stick warriors planned to attack it.General Ferdinand Claiborne sent reinforcements to Fort Easley after learning of this news.The commander of Fort Mims was thought to be capable of handling an attack by Claiborne.[16]
On August 29, 1813, two black slaves tending cattle outside the stockade reported that "painted warriors" were in the vicinity, but mounted scouts from the fort found no signs of the war party.The second slave was flogged for raising a false alarm.He was reportedly drunk when he dismissed the second warning from the mounted scout the morning of the assault.[18]
Historians believe that the stockade was poorly defended, despite Beasley's claim that he could maintain the post against any number of Indians.The east gate was partially blocked by sand at the time of the attack.The reports of the Creeks being near were dismissed by Beasley.
The Red Sticks tried to take the fort in a coup de main by charging the open gate.The gun loopholes and outer enclosure were taken over by them.After about two hours, the militia and settlers stopped fighting and took a break.The Indians held an impromptu council to debate whether or not to continue the fight.It was decided by 3 o'clock that the Tensaw Native Americans would have to be killed to avenge their actions at Burnt Corn.
The Creeks launched a second attack.The defenders fell into a building.The 'bastion' in the center was set ablaze by the Red Sticks.Most of the militia defenders, the mixed-blood Creek, and white settlers were killed when the warriors forced their way into the inner enclosure.500 militiamen, settlers, slaves, and Creeks loyal to the Americans died or were captured by the Red Sticks after the defense collapsed.The buildings and stockade were destroyed by fire by 5 pm.They took over 100 of the slaves and spared their lives.There are at least three women and ten children that have been made captive.Bailey, who was mortally wounded, and two women and one girl were among 36 people who escaped.The defenders and the Creek attackers were found dead when a relief column arrived from Fort Stoddard.[26]
The Red Sticks destroyed the surrounding plantations after their victory.They killed over 5,000 head of cattle, destroyed crops and houses, and stole slaves."[26]:265.