Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Divide and Conquer 

The battle that "won the South".

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Only the Winners Write History

Superior firepower did not win the battle. Anyways, just passing references are made in school history of the fact that Jackson sent the Cherokees off on the Trail of Tears once he was done with them. Stalin, who had quite a history of internally exiling ethnic groups, could have been inspired by him. Did the Cherokees think that Jackson would "reward" them by helping fight the Creeks?

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Symbolic Tree

Was this tree present before the battle? The result of battlefield damage? Perhaps it is symbolic. The southern tribes chose either resistance or assimilation and collaboration. Many ended up in the same place. 

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: "If you can't beat them, join them?" 

Did the militant Creeks think that the colonial British would help them eventually in the future? Though the War of 1812 was still being fought, this did not happen.

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Attacking Vulnerable Populations

This is a classic tactic in war. When facing stubborn resistance on the field, the easiest way  to dislodge such a force is by figuring out how to directly threaten their vulnerable population and supplies that they are protecting. 

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Shared Fates 

I was referring to both groups of Creeks in the clip; those who chose to fight with Jackson, because they thought they would survive by picking the "winning side", and those Creeks who fought against Jackson. It did not matter, Creeks were ultimately sent off on the Trail of Tears with the Cherokees and other Southern Native American groups. Some remnants of the militant Creeks chose to continue fighting, primarily with the Seminoles.

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Escape Cut Off 

If the Red Stick Creeks did more to secure this island, could they have detected the stealth efforts to surround their camp early on? Also, could the Red Sticks  have used this as a possible escape route? Control of the island would have  possibly given the militant Creeks better control of their left flank, which would have supported escape movement in that direction. If this were the case, could the British fighting the War of 1812 been able to successfully exploit this alternative battlefield outcome, where enough of the militant Red Stick Creeks survived to pose a continued threat?

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend:  U.S. Geopolitical Situation at the Time of Events.

It is surprising that the Spanish did not consider exploiting conflict between The U.S. Government and Native Americans. Of course, Spain wasting ravaged by the Napoleonic Wars until 1814. Perhaps the Spanish felt they should return the favor of not threatening the United States while under Napoleonic occupation by leaving the United States alone. However, they Spanish were already feeling American pressure against Florida in the form of American filibusters invading the territory. There was an abortive filibuster operation in 1812 that was covertly supported by the United States, known as the Florida "Patriot War". These plans were put aside as soon as war with the British began in the that year. The British were helping liberate Spain from Napoleonic occupation at the time. They would probably have had no issues with helping liberate Spanish colonies from US occupation as well. The United States chose to keep Spain neutral in this dispute. Please see: http://www.jaxhistory.org/patriot-war-1812/

Brian Ghilliotti: Reflections on the Battle of Horseshoe Bend: Becoming "Southern" 

Adopting to Southern traditions of processing cotton, a form of assimilation, was a primary divisive issue that spilt the Creek Indians,  setting in motion the events leading to the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. These identity split issues would continue to haunt the Creeks even while exiles in Oklahoma Indian Territory. The Creeks would fight again in the US Civil War, over whether or not to form a military alliance with the Confederates. Perhaps those who resisted the pro-Confederate faction of Creeks realized they gained even less after they helped Jackson. Ironic how the non-Confederate Creeks ended up in a second Trail of Tears of sorts as they fled to Kansas, harassed by pro-Confederate Creeks, and how the Union Army later escorted them back to their "homeland". 

Please see: http://thisweekinthecivilwar.com/?p=722