Battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek
Part of Creek War
American officer rallying troops during the Battle of Enotachopo.
Date January 22-24, 1814 Location 20–50 mi (32–80 km) northwest of Horseshoe Bend Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Red Stick Creek	United States Lower Creek Cherokee
Commanders and leaders
Red Eagle	Andrew Jackson
Strength
400-500 warriors	American: 175 militia 30 artillery Native American: ~200 warriors
Casualties and losses
54 killed, unknown wounded	24 killed 71 wounded

The battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek were important fights during the Creek War. They happened in January 1814. These battles were part of Andrew Jackson's plan to defeat the Red Sticks. They took place about 20 to 50 miles (32 to 80 km) northeast of Horseshoe Bend.

Why These Battles Happened

After an earlier battle at Talladega, General Jackson faced many problems. His army had trouble getting enough supplies. Also, many soldiers only signed up for short times. This meant their contracts ended quickly, and they would leave.

By late 1813, Jackson had very few soldiers left. A new group of 900 new recruits arrived in January 1814. But Jackson still had only about 103 experienced soldiers. Before these battles, Jackson's American forces had 175 militia and 30 artillery soldiers. They were joined by about 200 Native American warriors from the Lower Creek and Cherokee tribes. The Red Stick Creek warriors had between 400 and 500 fighters.

The Fights Begin

Jackson decided to use his new, inexperienced soldiers right away. He left Fort Strother on January 17 and marched towards a village called Emuckfaw. His goal was to work with the Georgia Militia. This was a risky move because the march was long and hard. His soldiers were new and not always easy to control.

First Attack at Emuckfaw

On January 22, 1814, Jackson's army was camped about 12 miles (19 km) from Emuckfaw. At dawn, a large group of Red Sticks attacked Jackson's camp. The Red Sticks had been camped about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. After about 30 minutes of fighting, Jackson's men pushed them back.

Jackson then sent General John Coffee with 400 soldiers to burn the Red Stick camp. But Coffee saw how strong the Red Stick position was. He decided not to attack and returned to Jackson's location. The Red Sticks attacked again. General Coffee was badly hurt while leading a small group to attack their side (or "flank"). The Creek warriors were eventually driven off. They lost 54 fighters in this attack. After this, Jackson had to decide to retreat back to Fort Strother.

Crossing Enotachopo Creek

Because the first crossing of Emuckfaw Creek was so difficult, Jackson chose a longer way back to Fort Strother. Even so, crossing the Enotachopo Creek was still hard. On the morning of January 24, 1814, Jackson's army began to cross the creek again.

As Jackson's artillery was about to enter the shallow part of the creek (the "ford"), alarm shots were heard from the woods. Jackson had expected an attack. He had told his advance guard to fight back and try to surround the enemy. However, the soldiers at the back of his army panicked and ran away. For unknown reasons, the Red Sticks could not take advantage of this confusion. A few brave defenders managed to drive them off.

Jackson's army lost 24 soldiers killed and 71 wounded in these two battles. The Creek warriors lost 54 killed, and many more were wounded.

Map of events during the Creek War. Emuckfaw and Enotachopo battle sites located in the left center.

What Happened Next

Even though Jackson had to pull his troops back, the Red Sticks missed their best chance to win a big victory against the American forces. Jackson returned to Fort Strother. He did not start another attack until mid-March.