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The Creek Battle of Hobdy Bridge and Pea River

May 7, 2024 | SupaduDev | Alabama Heritage Blog

The Creek War began as an internal conflict between the Upper and Lower Creeks. The Lower Creeks had accepted white colonists’ influence and had taken up agriculture, becoming dependent on US markets instead of trade. The Upper Creeks felt otherwise, and through the persuasion of those like Tecumseh, and his brother, The Prophet, a rebellious spirit against white encroachment began to emerge. These Upper Creeks, known as the Red Sticks, led a brutal attack on Fort Mims in 1813. This furthered the conflict between the Creeks and now included the United States government. In 1814, the Red Stick Creeks were defeated at Horseshoe Bend and the entire Creek nation was forced to cede half of their lands to Georgia and the Mississippi Territory. 

The Second Creek War began with the 1832 Treaty of Cusseta. This treaty ceded the remaining Creek lands of Alabama to the United States. In return, each chief would receive a square mile of land and each Creek family would receive a half square mile of land of their choosing. While the treaty encouraged Creeks to relocate, it also pledged to remove any intruders until the ceded land was surveyed. However, the treaty did not stop numerous white settlers from creating homesteads or defrauding Creeks from their land. The Creeks turned to the federal government for aid, but by this time Pres. Andrew Jackson had initiated the forced removal of all Creeks from Alabama to Indian territory in Oklahoma. From 1836 to 1837, Lower Creek chiefs such as Jim Henry and Neamathla worked to resist relocation. Unfortunately, the army defeated them. While some left for Oklahoma, the remaining Creeks were ushered into prison camps. 

Once in these prison camps, the Creeks were faced with a brutal attack from a band of white outlaws. These outlaws attacked several of the camps with one attack involving the shooting a young woman resisting sexual assault and another the death of an elderly blind man. During these attacks, some Creeks were able to escape the camps and successfully make it to the Pea River, making camp a mile north of Hobdy’s Bridge. These Creeks hoped to make it to Florida, but they needed supplies and food, leading them to attack farms and homes on the outskirts of the river. It was not long before US military forces arrived under the direction of Gen. William Wellborn. The Creek stand at Hobdy’s Bridge and the Pea River proved to be one the last major battles between the Creeks and Alabama settlers in March of 1837.

Wellborn’s troops were formed from local volunteers and militia from Eufaula, Alabama. These men gathered for the sole purpose of finding, capturing, and killing any remaining Creek refugees they could find. Wellborn divided his forces into two groups. One group traveled east of Pea River or Barbour County under Captain Harrell. The other, under Wellborn’s command, went toward the west of Pea River or Pike County. As soon as the soldiers entered the river’s edge, gunfire erupted.  Wellborn knew his men were facing resistance on the east bank. He promptly dispatched his men on an immediate full run through the mud and water toward the Creek refugees.

The battle was both brutal and fierce, as Creek warriors valiantly defended against the encroaching soldiers. Many Creek women and children took up bows and knives to protect against their attackers. According to the Alabama Journal Indian women were “melting pewter plates for bullets” and though soldiers were told to not harm any of the women or children most did not observe it. Understanding that guns alone would not bring them victory, General Wellborn continued to order a direct charge and attack. The Creeks were eventually forced to scatter with numerous families able to swim safely away. 

According to Wellborn’s men, two American soldiers were killed and seven were wounded. Meanwhile twenty-three Creek bodies were found dead. Though General Wellborn defeated the Creeks, he failed to return them to the camps, allowing many to escape down to the Pea River to its junction with the Choctawhatchee River. The escaped Creeks would continue to fight across Florida with many eventually joining in the Second Seminole War. Other Creeks, who were forced to leave Alabama, made their way to Oklahoma. Yet a remnant of Creeks did remain in Alabama, where their descendants live today.

Photo caption: The Creek stand at Hobdy’s Bridge and the Pea River proved to be one the last major battles between the Creeks and Alabama settlers in March of 1837.

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Photo of Wesley Powell

Wesley Powell is an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham majoring in History with a minor in Media Studies. He likes the history of popular culture and art and drawing.

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