HISTORY

March 27, 1814
Battle of Horseshoe Bend

By the end of March, Jackson had been reinforced and he had received his first regiment of Regulars, the 39th. He then began to look for a target for these troops when he was informed of a gathering of the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend. He sent out his troops in two directions, first supplies, protected by Col. Williams and the of regulars travelled down river, and leaving a garrison of 450 in Ft. Strother, under Col. Steele, he marched the militia towards Horseshoe Bend on the 16th. Without any real roads, the journey was slow, with much of the way roads having to be cut through the woods. On the 17th they rejoined forces and constructed Ft. Williams to keep open the communication with Ft. Strother. Jackson pushed on and early on the morning of the 27th halted within striking distance of Horseshoe Bend. The Red Sticks had built a breastwork from bank to bank on the river, effectively creating their own fort. Jackson surrounded this "fort" with about 2,000 men.

Using the same tactics that had worked so far, Jackson surrounded the camp. When, by signal, advanced with the main body of his army toward the peninsula, and planted two field-pieces upon a little hill within 80 yards of the nearest point of the fortifications on the neck. At 10AM Jackson opened fire on the works, but lacking siege artillery, the 6-pounders had no effect on the fortification.

Simultaneously with the attack on the breastworks, some of Jackson's men swam across the river, seized the Red Sticks' canoes, Pulled them across the river, and then 200 men used then to launch an attack on the rear of the fort. They set the little town on fire, and moved against the enemy in the rear of their works. Jackson realized that when the surprise wore off, 2,000 Red Sticks would be able to overwhelm 200 attackers in their rear, so he ordered a general attack to storm the breastworks which he had been battering for full two hours with cannonballs without effect. The 39th United States Infantry lead the attack. They were supported by Gen. Doherty's East Tennessee brigade who engaged the Native Americans in hand to hand fighting. This desperate conflict lasted several minutes, until American troops started jumping over the breastworks . . . one of these men was a young Sam Houston. The Reds Sticks began to break and flee into the undergrowth.

Some attempted to escape by swimming across the river, but were shot by the Militia. A number took refuge under the river bluffs. Cannon was then brought to bear upon that stronghold, but it was as ineffective here as on the breastworks. Jackson called for volunteers to storm it, and a wounded Sam Houston volunteered to lead the attack, but the attack was unsuccessful and the further wounded Houston had to be removed from the field. Jackson order the Reds Sticks burned out. Reds Stick losses were about 1,800 to Jackson's 182. The Red Creek movement had suffered a blow it would never recover from.