Battle of Tallushatchee

Battle of Tallushatchee Part of the Creek War Date November 3, 1813 Location Mississippi Territory, 3.2 miles (5.2 km) north of Alexandria, Alabama Result U.S. victory Belligerents Red Stick Creek United States Commanders and leaders unknown John Coffee Strength unknown ~900 cavalry Casualties and losses 186 killed, unknown wounded 5 killed, 41 wounded

The Battle of Tallushatchee was a battle fought during the Creek War on November 3, 1813, in Alabama. Between Red Stick Creeks native Americans and United States dragoons.

Background

After the massacre at Fort Mims, General Andrew Jackson assembled an army of 2,500 Tennessee militia. Jackson began marching into Mississippi Territory to combat the Red Stick Creeks. Jackson's troops began to construct Fort Strother along the Coosa River. 15 miles (24 km) away from the fort lay the Creek village of Tallushatchee where a sizeable force of Red Stick warriors were. Jackson ordered his friend and most trusted subordinate, General John Coffee, to attack the village.

Battle

Coffee took about 1,000 dragoons and arrived at the village on November 3, where he divided his brigade into two columns which encircled the town. Two companies ventured into the center of the circle to draw out the warriors. The trap worked, and the warriors attacked and were forced to retreat back into the buildings of the village. Coffee closed the circle in on the trapped warriors. Davy Crockett, serving in the Tennessee militia, commented "we shot 'em down like dogs". Coffee's forces killed about 180 warriors losing only five dead and 41 wounded.

The battle was the first battle in General Andrew Jackson's military campaign. A week later General Jackson inflicted another serious defeat on the Red Sticks at the Battle of Talladega.

Trivia

In the movie The Alamo (2004 film) the battle is briefly mentioned by David Crockett (played by Billy Bob Thornton).

A battle similar to the Battle of Tallushatchee is shown in the Walt Disney film, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

References

• Borneman, Walter R. Borneman (2004). 1812: The War That Forged a Nation. New York: Harper Perennial. ISBN 9780060531126. 

External links

• A map of Creek War Battle Sites from the PCL Map Collection at the Universtity of Texas at Austin.
• "Tallasseehatchee Historical Marker"