Fort Mims massacre

Fort Mims massacre
Part of Creek War
DateAugust 30, 1813
Location
35 to 40 miles north of Mobile, Alabama near Bay Minette, Alabama
Result Red Stick victory
Belligerents
Red Sticks  United States
Commanders and leaders
William Weatherford
Peter McQueen
Major Daniel Beasley
Dixon Bailey
Strength
750[1]–1,000[2]warriors

265 militia, including:[3]

Casualties and losses
50 to 100 killed[4]
unknown wounded
265 militia killed or captured
252 civilians killed or captured[5]
unknown wounded
Fort Mims severely damaged[2]

The Fort Mims massacre took place on August 30, 1813, at a fortified homestead site 35-40 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, during the Creek War. A large force of Creek Indians belonging to the Red Sticks faction, under the command of Peter McQueen and William Weatherford, stormed the fort and defeated the militia garrison.

The Red Sticks conducted the massacre, killing almost all the remaining mixed Creek, white settlers, and militia at Fort Mims. Afterward, they took nearly 100 enslaved African Americans as captives. The small fort consisted of a blockhouse and stockade surrounding the house and outbuildings of settler Samuel Mims.

  1. ^ Heidler, p. 133. Waselkov, p. 4, gives 700.
  2. ^ a b Thrapp, p. 1524
  3. ^ Halbert, Ball, p. 148.
  4. ^ Heidler, p. 355, gives 100
  5. ^ Heidler, p. 355, gives 247.