On 27 March 1814, Major General Andrew Jackson's army of 3,300 men
attacked Chief Menawa's 1,000 Red Stick Creek warriors, fortified inside a
horseshoe-shaped bend of the Tallapoosa River. **Over 800 Red Sticks died that
day.**
Three things followed from those hours, and they are why this ground is a
national military park rather than a footnote:
| The Creek War ended | |
| 23,000,000 acres were ceded to the United States | An area larger than most states, transferred by a single treaty following a single battle |
| Andrew Jackson became a national hero | The reputation that carried him to the presidency fourteen years later |
The bend itself is why the casualty figure is what it is. A fortified position
inside a river loop is defensible from one direction and inescapable from
every other; the geography that made it a stronghold made it a trap.
What there is to do
Scenic driving, road biking, boating and freshwater fishing along the
Tallapoosa; astronomy and stargazing; and arts and culture with craft and
cultural demonstrations, which is where the Creek side of the story is
presented rather than only the army's.
Practical notes
Summers are extremely hot and humid; winters are damp, wet and cold with
occasional hard freezes.
- Summer: light comfortable clothing, comfortable shoes, sunscreen and
insect repellent. Stay hydrated — heat cramps, heat exhaustion and
heatstroke are the real risks, and there is a bottle refill station in the
visitor centre. - Spring and autumn: carry a light jacket, because the temperature can
drop suddenly.
*Location: National Military Park, Alabama. Source: U.S. National Park
Service.*
Лицензия: CC0 1.0 (общественное достояние) · По материалам www.nps.gov
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