Southeastern Outings Dayhike at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park

On March 27, 1814, Major General Andrew Jackson‘s army of 3,300 men attacked Chief Menawa’s 1,000 Red Stick Creek warriors fortified in a horseshoe- shaped bend of the Tallapoosa River.  Over 800 Red Sticks died that day.  The battle ended the Creek War, resulted in a land cession of 23,000,000 acres to the United States and created a national hero of Andrew Jackson.

In March 1814, General Jackson’s army left Fort Williams on the Coosa River, cut a 52-mile trail through the forest in three days, and on the 26th made camp six miles north of Horseshoe Bend. The next morning, Jackson sent General John Coffee and 700 mounted infantry and 600 Cherokee and Creek allies three miles down-stream to cross the Tallapoosa and surround the bend. He took the rest of the army – about 2000 men, consisting of East and West Tennessee militia and the Thirty-ninth U.S. Infantry – into the peninsula and at 10:30 a.m. began an ineffectual two-hour artillery bombardment of the Red Sticks’ log barricade. At noon, Coffee’s Cherokee allies crossed the river and assaulted the Red Sticks from the rear. Jackson quickly ordered a frontal bayonet charge, which poured over the barricade. Fighting ranged over the south end of the peninsula throughout the afternoon. By dark at least 800 of Chief Menawa’s 1,000 Red Sticks were dead (557 slain on the field and 200-300 in the river). Menawa himself, although severely wounded, managed to escape. Jackson’s losses in the battle were 49 killed and 154 wounded, many mortally.

Though the Red Sticks had been crushed at Tohopeka, remnants of the war party held out for several months. In August 1814, a treaty between the United States and the Creek Nation was signed at Fort Jackson near the present-day city of Wetumpka, Alabama. The Treaty of Fort Jackson ended the conflict and required the Creeks to cede 23 million acres of land to the United States. The state of Alabama was carved out of this domain and admitted to the Union in 1819.

In 1828, partly as a result of his fame from the battles of Horseshoe Bend and New Orleans, Andrew Jackson was elected the seventh President of the United States.

We will have the opportunity to watch a short film and view the exhibits before we begin our hike which is rated easy.

We are grateful and very pleased that Matthew Robinson, Official Guide on the staff at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, has very kindly agreed to hike with us on March 4 and provide us with interesting historical information concerning the Battle of Horseshoe Bend during our walk.

Note-To view photos of what we will see on this trip, please click on this link:

https://goo.gl/photos/iFRUaQwqf5UFbEef7

Please be sure to click on the link and view the photographs.

Hike distance is 5.8 miles.

Admission to the park is free.

Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age eight and over welcome.

Optional restaurant dinner after the hike.

Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the Publix in The Village at Lee Branch in Greystone.  We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.

Info: Randall Adkins, 205/317-6969

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE

Publix in The Village at Lee Branch in Greystone– 410 Doug Baker Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35242-2682.  Take U.S. Highway 280 East going away from Birmingham to intersection with AL Route 119, Cahaba Valley Road.  Continue on U.S. 280 through that intersection 9/10 more miles and turn right on Doug Baker Boulevard.  This turn should be right after the very large Driver’s Way used car dealer.  Drive 3/10 miles on Doug Baker Boulevard and then see the Publix Super Market on your right.  Please park in front of the Publix, but fairly far out towards 280, not right by the front door.

DESCRIPTION OF SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS

Do you wish you had friends who share your active lifestyle and enjoyment of outdoor activities?  Then become active with Southeastern Outings (SEO), a nonprofit organization committed and created to serve people who enjoy being active in the outdoors.  The organization plans, organizes and leads outings such as dayhikes, easy kayak and canoe trips, stream and waterfall walks, bicycle rides, lake events and other fun activities to beautiful sites in our natural environment.  From time to time we also sponsor potluck suppers and other socials.  All events and activities of the group are open to the public.  Participating in SEO activities is a splendid, simple way to make congenial new friends who enjoy the outdoors.

NO DOGS OR SMOKING ALLOWED, PLEASE, ON ANY SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS EVENTS.

The organization currently has over 250 members.  We scheduled eighty-seven events during calendar year 2022 for an average of 7 fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.

SEO does not charge for participation in any of its outings.  You do not have to be a member to participate in one or two SEO activities.  Dues are only $10.  Please contact Dan Frederick, President, 205-631-4680, or southeasternoutings@gmail.com for more information and to obtain three free monthly newsletters with membership application and a complete description of all our outdoor events.

Southeastern Outings now has a website.  Just go to seoutings.org to find announcements of our upcoming outings scheduled plus some brief, general information about Southeastern Outings, a membership application and 1500 lovely photographs from most of our outings.

Thank you.