The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-07
HORSESHOE BEND
 GETS ATTENTION
Commission of Seven kp-
 pointed By Governor
C0MER HEADS THE LIST
Plans Look to Celebration of Famous Battle In TalIapoosa County On March 27, 1914-Dr. Owen
 Interested In This.

Montgomery, December 6.-(Special J. Gov. B. B. Conner has appointed the com mission of seven to make a study of the battlefield of Horseshoe Bend, Tallapoosa county, authorized by the last session of the legislature. By law the governor and the director of the department of archives and history are members. The other five are Thomas F. Bulger, Dadeville; J. W. Strother, Dadeville; Judge S. L. Brewer, Tuskegee, John w. Overton, Wedowee; Felix L. Smith, Rockford.
 The act of the legislature, introduced by Representative Bulger of Tallapoosa county, provides that a commission of seven bo created for the purpose of mak- ing a study of the battle of Tohopeka or Horseshoe Bend, fought in the limits of tho present county of Tallapoosa, in the state of Alabama, between the Americans and the Creek or Muscogee Indians, on March 2, 1874, and for the purpose of preparing plans and details for the ap- propriate celebration on or about March ?, 1914, of the Tooth anniversary of that historic event.
 pr. Thomas M. Owen, director of the department of archives and history, has taken great interest in this movement. It is also fact that others have done so, among these being Congressman J. Thom- as Hefin, of the Fifth district, who has introduced a bill in Congress for the pur- chase of the site for a national park.
 The British established a fort at Ok fuskee, on the Tallapoosa river, in 1735. The purpose of the movement was to alienate the Muscogee from the French, according to Brewers history of Ala bama Near Olkfuskee, within, and at the apex of, the Horseshoe Bend, stood To- hopeka, where the Indians collected to resist Jacksa Chula Hario (Old Mad Jack son) as they called him. They constructed a breastwork of timber across the mouth of the little peninsula, and were so con- fident of victory that they permitted their wIves and children to remain in the town. The principal chief present was Manowa, who led the party that killed Gen. M. Me Intosh 12 years after, and there were not less than 1000 warriors present. General Jackson, with nearly 5000 troops, left Fort Strother March IA, 1874; reached Fort Will liaras or the 21st, and on the 27th ap- peared tefore the place. General Coffee, with the cavalry, crossed the river and encircled the town on the east bank; then sent over detachment to set fire to the village, and which made a vigorous at tack on the rear of the Indian line. At the same time two pieces of artillery opened on the breastworks in front, and at noon the Tennesseans moved to the assault Of them. The struggle at the breastworks was desperate, and lasted for some minutes; but the whites thronged over and the Indians slowly fell back to the shelter of the undergrowth. Pressed vigorously, they took refuge in the reeds and th,cktt ts on the river bank. Jackson sent a flag of truce to obtain their sur- render, but they fired on it. Torches were thrown into the thickets and the blaze Grove many into the river, where they were killed by Coffees troops Night closed the conflict; Tohopeka was in ashes and the hopes of the surviving Greeks lay in the dust saturated by the blood of three-fourths of their brave war riors. A number were Killed in the river and 557 bodies were counted on the pen insula or the Tennesseans, 32 were killed md qs V vounded; of the Cherokees, IS were killed and 36 wounded; and of the tory Creeks. were killed and Il were wound- ed. Jackson returned to Fort Williams the next day.