By Troy Turner
It was 212 years ago when Gen. Andrew Jackson led his American infantry troops and Tennessee volunteers into Alabama and what is now Tallapoosa County. Here, he engaged in combat with the Creek Nation warriors who were hostile to white settlers taking their land and had become allies with the British during the War of 1812.
Davy Crockett served as Jackson’s scout prior to the fight; and Jim Bowie of Bowie knife and Texas Alamo fame fought alongside Jackson.
The March 27, 1814, battle’s results cleared the way for Alabama to move from territory to statehood a few years later in 1819, but signaled an end to a way of life for American Indians living here.
Firearms had been provided to the Creeks by British forces who saw them as allies against the Americans during the war. But Jackson, who after rising to fame from his victory at Horseshoe Bend, went on to lead troops to victory again a few months later against the British in the Battle of New Orleans.
Jackson was elected as the seventh U.S. president in 1828 after he defeated incumbent John Quincy Adams.
Saturday’s event
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park will host its 212th anniversary event commemorating the “Battle of the Horseshoe” on Saturday (March 28).
The park is located on Highway 49 north of Dadeville and on the banks of the Tallapoosa River where the battle was fought and more than 800 warriors killed.
The free family friendly event emphasizes the importance of The Battle of Horseshoe Bend in U.S. and Alabama history through interactive living history demonstrations, the park announced. “This unique event also brings leaders from The Muscogee (Creek) Nation back to their ancestral lands to spotlight cultural effects of the battle.”
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Visitor Center, living history demonstrations will show traditional Muscogee Creek life and American life from 1814. Throughout the day, visitors can observe a variety of historic and cultural demonstrations.
Children will have the opportunity to participate in a stickball game, create their own pottery, and complete the Junior Ranger booklet.
Then at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, at Tour Stop #2 at the battlefield, luminaries will be placed to commemorate all who lost their lives in the battle.
Guests are invited to join representatives of The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Park staff to hear speakers and view the luminaries at sunset.
All of the daytime demonstrations will be presented multiple times throughout the day. Refreshments will be available courtesy of the New Site Volunteer Fire Department.
Several trails also are open for hiking in the park, which continues to recover from significant damage after an EF-3 tornado ripped through it a year ago.
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is administered through the National Park Service.
For more information visit www.nps.gov/hobe and facebook.com/HorseshoeBendNMP, or call the park at (256)-234-7111.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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