Georgia Battles 1812  Autosee-Tallasee and Camp Defiance

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Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm

BATTLE  of Autossee and Tallasee (Creek towns), on the Tallapoosa

Before the war of 1812, Gen. Floyd’s public services
were confined to the ordinary military and civil
duties of peace.  Gen. Jas. Jackson, one of the
distinguished Governors of Georgia, induced him to
enter public life in 1803, or ‘4, as a member of the
State Legislature.  In 1806, he was appointed
Brigadier General of the 1st Brigade Georgia Militia;
and from the high opinion entertained of his military
character and patriotism, the Governor of the State,
in the autumn of 1813, selected him to command the
Georgia troops against the Creek Indians; although
greatly embarrassed from the want of proper supplies,
he marched promptly into the nation, built Fort
Mitchell (on the west side of the Chattahoochee,) in
November, 1813, and leaving there the main body of
the army, with the baggage, under a Colonel,
advanced, himself, at the head of a detachment of 950
troops, (with a few friendly Indians under the chief
McIntosh) to surprise the enemy, 1500 strong, at
Autossee and Tallasee towns, on the Tallapoosa, 60
miles distant, through a wilderness.  The towns were
attacked just before day-break, on the 29th November,
1813, and burned, and 250 Indians slain on the field.

In this action we lost only 11 men, and 54 were
wounded; among the latter the General, who received a
rifle ball in the left knee (where it still remains).

Although wounded early in the battle, and suffering
severe pain, he remained in the field on horseback,
performing th duties of an active commander, until
the fight was over; nor would he permit the wound to
be dressed until all the wounded men were attend to.

After the battle, the detachment returned to Fort
Mitchell, having in seven days marched 120 miles, in
severely cold weather; destroyed Autossee and
Tallasee towns and 250 of the enemy, with but five
days' provision of bread only, each man carrying his
own rations.

CAMP DEFIANCE  - Jan 27, 1814 The General did not
quite the army in consequence of his wound, but
having partially recovered after much suffering
advanced again from Fort Mitchell, in January, 1814,
and was attacked before day light on the 27th of that
month at Camp Defiance, by the enemy in great force,
headed by the famous warrior Weatherford, and aided
by Colonel Woodbine, an English officer who boasted
afterwards of having planned the attack.

[This attack was to prevent a junction of the Georgia
troops, under Gen Floyd, and the Tennesseans, under
Gen Jackson, which was desired by both Generals. who
passed letters to each other by Indian runners and
spics. The junction was never formed. The success of
each General rendered it unnecessary.]

The Georgia troops were encamped in the form of a
parallelogram, cavalry and baggage in the centre,
with two pieces of artillery [four pounders, taken in
the Revolution at Saratoga] on the right and left
faces of the camp.

the fight was furious for several hours, and nothing
but the firmness of troops saved them from
destruction.

The formation was bravely maintained under an
incessant fire, (which was returned with great
vivacity) until sunrise.  The enemy were then charged
and routed at the point of the bayonet, leaving a
great many of their dead on the field.

On their retreat, 15 were sabred by the cavalry.  Our
loss was considerable, and we had a great many
wounded.  The campaign terminated soon after the
battle of Camp Defiance, and General Floyd was
appointed to command the troops at Savannah, for the
protection of the city. He remained in command at
Savannah, until the termination of the war. 


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