Letter, 1813 September 5

File — Box: 1756

Letter from Jesse Griffin to his parents, September 5, 1813

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The collection contains a letter dated 5 September 1813, from St. Stephens, Alabama, to his parents in which Griffin states that he has traveled fifty miles in flight from Indians, who killed more than 400 people in five days. On 30 August 1813, Creek Indians under the leadership of William Weatherford, also known as Red Eagle, attacked white settlers at Fort Mims near the convergence of the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers, killing approximately 500 people. Although Griffin and his family survived, they lost their crops, livestock, and most of their household goods. This attack was part of the Creek Indian War that lasted from 1813-1814 when Creek Indians attacked white settlers who were moving into Creek lands. The Creek War ended on 27 March 1814, when General Andrew Jackson defeated Red Eagle and his warriors at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Alabama.