William Weatherford
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William "Red Eagle" Weatherford, (1780 – March 24, 1824), was a Creek (Muscogee) Indian who led the Creek War offensive against the United States. William Weatherford like many of the high-ranking members of the Creek nation, was half Scotish and half Creek Indian. His father was Charles Weatherford, a Scottish trader and his mother was Sehoy III, Princesse of the Wind Clan.
William Weatherford was Nephew of Alexander McGillivray, and by marriage, the nephew of Le Clerc Milfort; according to tribal custom the uncle was considered far more important than that of the father, he received their wisdom accordingly. William Weatherford was also a cousin of William McIntosh.
William Weatherford is usually considered to be the architect of the Fort Mims Massacre. However, there is some disagreement on this point. One account indicates that he tried to stop the massacre after the fort was captured, but was unable to do so. His grandson maintains that Weatherford was opposed to the attack because some of his own relatives had taken refuge in the stockade.
Besides the "massacre at Fort Mims", Red Eagle (is thought to have) participated in the Canoe fight with Sam Dale of the Alabama Militia, the Battle at the Holy Ground (where he escaped capture on Arrow), Talladega, and (some believe) the climactic Battle of Horseshoe Bend.
William Weatherford (some believe) was among the 200 or so Red Sticks who escaped after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. However, he did not flee to Florida, but voluntarily turned himself in at Fort Jackson (formerly Fort Toulouse), where he impressed Andrew Jackson with his surrender speech. Jackson wisely spared Weatherford and used him to bring the other Upper Creek to the Peace conference.
It is generally agreed that William Weatherford visited with Andrew Jackson at The Hermitage, but accounts differ as to the exact circumstances. One version states that Jackson took him there after the war to protect him from his enemies among the Creek people as well as the settlers in the area. Another version says that William Weatherford visited The Hermitage in later years.
After the war, William Weatherford became a permanent citizen of the lower part of the county of Monroe County, Alabama, where, upon a good farm, well supplied with negroes, he lived, maintained an excellent character, and was much respected by the American citizens for his bravery, honor and strong native sense. [1]
On February 29, 1824, Weatherford made a strange prophcey: He was one of a party hunting deer and bear on Lovett's Creek when an albino deer was killed. Weatherford told the others that someone of the party would soon be called to the hunting ground of the spirit land and that the white deer was a "token." Weatherford left the hunt and immediately returned home.
The next day William "Red Eagle" Weatherford became severely ill and died three days later.
[edit] External links
[edit] Reference
- Benjamin W. Griffith, McIntosh and Weatherford, Creek Indian Leaders (University of Alabama Press, 1998) ISBN 0817303405 (Page 252, 253)
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