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| Inside Fort Mims, soldiers were relaxing and preparing for the noon meal, the civilians were engaged in their usual daily activities and mothers were watching their children at play inside the fort walls. The occupants had become somewhat complacent. The eastern gate of the fort was open and its movement was partially blocked by a drift of sand which had built up. There appeared to be no need for alarm. At
approximately noon, between 700 and 1,000 Red Sticks, led by Peter McQueen
and Red Eagle (William Weatherford) , emerged from a ravine approximately four
hundred yards east of the fort and charged the east gate. Major Beasley immediately
tried to close the gate, but was mortally wounded by clubs and tomahawks. The
eastern end of the fort was soon filled with warriors in warpaint, led by five
prophets. The defenders shot and killed the five prophets, sending a wave of doubt
through the attackers. A prophet, they had been taught, could not be killed by
an enemy’s bullet! So great was the psychological effect on the attackers,
that many retreated outside the walls of the fort for a few moments. At some point, a fire was started inside the fort which spread to the stockade and other buildings. Captain Middleton, in charge of the eastern section of the fort was soon killed and his command wiped out. Captain Jack commanded a detachment of riflemen on the south wall until he, too, was killed and his command wiped out. Lieutenant Randon, half
Creek and half Anglo, owner of one of the slaves mentioned earlier, held a position
in the guardhouse on the west side of the fort. He, too, would die along with
his command. Captain Dixon Bailey held off the enemy for
awhile in the northern portion of the fort grounds. It was at this point that
the greatest number of attackers was present. A large number of attackers fell
to the determination and skill of Captain Bailey’s command. He encouraged
all inside the fort to fight. Younger prophets of the Red
Stick gathered around the main house, which contained women and children. They
danced around the house, making hideous faces and screaming loudly to intimidate
the occupants. As the carnage continued, the women and
little girls in the fort were horribly butchered, far worse than the males, many
while still alive! Adults and children were killed and butchered. The Red Sticks
took over 250 scalps during the course of the attack and were later reported to
have been seen in Pensacola with the scalps mounted on sticks as trophies. At several times during the attack, Red Eagle (William Weatherford) was seen and overheard trying to stop the mayhem; the Red Sticks paid no attention! They continued to destroy and mutilate. There were 36 people who escaped the massacre, including Captain Bailey, who later died from his wounds. Many of these survivors were slaves who were then enslaved by the Red Sticks. There were over 500 dead bodies inside the fort, many of them Creeks and half-breeds. Following the massacre, all other forts in the area prepared for a similar attack, but the attacks never came. As word spread about the atrocities of the Fort Mims massacre, the residents of the U.S. began to voice outrage. The U.S. declared war on the Upper Creek Nation, where the majority of Red Stick support was. Federal troops were involved with the War of 1812 and this was considered an extension of it. After several battles, a U.S. victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend brought an end to the Creek War. For most of the remainder of the century, the U.S. conducted warfare against Native Americans. Brutality on both sides of that warfare have been noted from Fort Mims to Wounded Knee. General Andrew Jackson later met with Red Eagle, who explained that he had joined the attack only to settle an argument with an old enemy, Captain Dixon Bailey. Upon seeing the brutality during the attack, at the risk of his own life, he tried to intervene on behalf of the settlers, but was unsuccessful. Several of the survivors verified Red Eagle's account. General Jackson allowed Red Eagle to return to a peaceful life at his home in present-day Monroe County, Alabama. He died in 1824, at the age of 59 years and is buried near the site of Fort Mims. | |||||||||||||||
