Ferdinand Claiborne Ferdinand Leigh Claiborne ( 1773 - 1815 ) was an American military officer most notable for his command of the militia of the Mississippi Territory during the Creek War and the War of 1812 . Claiborne was the brother of William C . C . Claiborne and father of John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne . Early life . Born in Sussex County , Virginia , Claiborne began his military service when appointed an ensign in 1793 in the 1st Sub - Legion . Promoted to lieutenant in 1794 , Claiborne fought at the Battle of Fallen Timbers , under the command of General Anthony Wayne . With the end of the Northwest Indian War , Claiborne served as a recruiter in Richmond and Norfolk , before returning to the Northwest Territory to serve as acting adjutant - general . Promoted to Captain in 1799 , Claiborne resigned his commission on 1 January 1802 and moved to Natchez , Mississippi . Mississippi Territory . At the time of his move to Natchez , Claiborne ' s brother William C . C . Claiborne was serving as governor and superintendent of Indian affairs for the Mississippi Territory . Elected in 1804 to serve in the 3rd General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory , Claiborne experienced a rapid rise in prominence . Appointed colonel of the Militia of Adams County , in 1806 Claiborne was ordered to march a unit in support of General James Wilkinson during the Sabine expedition . A political dispute between Claiborne and Governor Williams , led to the revocations of his commissions as militia colonel and magistrate . War of 1812 and Creek War . A change of territorial administrations led to Governor Holmes asking the President of the United States to commission Claiborne as a Brigadier General of the militia of the territory . Supported by the legislature in 1809 , this appointment was made in 1811 . When war was declared in 1812 Claiborne was made a colonel of Mississippi Volunteers , United States Volunteers . Promoted to brigadier general of volunteers in March 1813 , he became the force ' s commander . Creek War . United States military involvement in the Creek War began on 27 July 1813 . A unit of Mississippi Territory militia intercepted and engaged a group of Red Stick Creeks . This engagement , known as the Battle of Burnt Corn raised tensions considerably within the territory . In July 1213 , Claiborne was ordered to Fort Stoddert to defend the eastern part of Mississippi Territory from the Creeks . Claiborne expected the creek to seek revenge for the previous battle . Knowing that he did not have the resources for a full scale offensive against the creek , he instead dispatched troops to reinforce various frontier forts . Claiborne assigned Major Daniel Beasley to take less than 200 militiamen to reinforce forts along the Tensaw River . Beasley distributed about 50 of his troops to various forts along the river and stationed the remaining 120 at Fort Mims . This decision turned out to be a fateful one as Beasley , his troops , and many of the settlers and mixed race Creek sheltering in the fort were killed during the Massacre of Fort Mims on 30 August 1813 . Claiborne was initially blamed for the massacre . However , Beasley took few precautions despite the likelihood of an attack . The day before the attack Beasley disregarded the sighting of Creek warriors by two slaves , after cursory scouting did not find any Creeks . When news of the massacre reached Claiborne , his command was still in no position to further reinforce the frontier . Major General Thomas Flournoy , commander of the Seventh Military District , based in New Orleans , authorized Claiborne to call up more militia to augment his force . He was ordered to march his newly augmented force to the confluence of the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers engaging any Creek forces encountered . Claiborne established Fort Claiborne as his base of operations against the Creeks . With the completion of the fort , Claiborne was to be reinforced by army regulars from the 3rd Infantry Regiment and 7th Infantry Regiment . Claiborne ' s expected reinforcements were delayed when an administrative change of responsibilities for the Creek campaign occurred . The conflict was taking place in both the Sixth Military District and the Seventh Military District . The decision was made to place the conflict under the command of the Sixth Military District . Taking offense , Flournoy , the Seventh District commander called his regulars back to New Orleans and dismissed from federal service the Mississippi Dragoon Regiment . Claiborne ' s initial protest was met by a reprimand from Flournoy , but Claiborne ' s persistence led to the Third Infantry joining the campaign . With the addition of the regulars , Claiborne began his campaign in November 1813 with a combined force of 1200 troops . The campaign ' s objective was the Creek settlement at Econochaca . Also known as the Holy Ground , this settlement served as a safe haven and base of operations for William Weatherford . Creek prophets claimed to have placed a protective barrier around the town to kill any white man who crossed the barrier . As Claiborne marched on Econochaca , he established forts to protect the rear of his force . On 23 December 1813 , Claiborne attacked Econachca . The ensuing Battle of Holy Ground marked a defeat for the Creeks . After Claiborne ' s force foraged for food , they burned the rest of the town . The following day Claiborne ' s force fought another brief engagement and burned another Creek town . Aftermath and effect on the wider war . With the Red Sticks on the run and pushed out of his area of operations Claiborne retired to Fort Claiborne . His militia troops ' enlistments were due to expire on 1 January 1814 . Claiborne resigned his volunteer commission on 17 January 1814 . Claiborne ' s campaign had a significant impact on the Creek War . By clearing the Alabama River of Red Sticks , and building fortification to keep them out , he forced them to move eastward . This eastward movement nearly coincided with the beginning of the campaign of General Andrew Jackson . This set the stage for the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , which occurred on 27 March 1814 , a decisive victory for Jackson , effectively ending the Red Stick resistance . Last years and death . Claiborne returned to Natchez with his troops in 1814 . In March of that year , he resumed his duties as brigadier general of militia . Claiborne made extensive expenditures , of his own money , for the care and transportation of his men . In doing so , he expended nearly all of his fortune . Claiborne died near the end of 1815 at the age of 45 .