Auttose, battle of.
Late in November, 1813, the
Creek country was invaded by troops from
Georgia.
A cry for help from the settlers along the
Creeks had come to the ears of the Georgians, when
Gen. John Floyd, at the head of 950 militia of that State and 450 friendly
Indians, guided by
Mordecai, a Jew trader, entered the region of the hostiles from the east.
Crossing the
Chattahoochee, he pushed on towards the
Tallapoosa, where he was informed that a large number of hostile Indians had gatliered at the village of Auttose.
on the “Holy ground,” on which the prophets had made the barbarians believe no white man could set foot and live.
It was on the left bank of the
Tallapoosa, about 20 miles above its confluence with the
Coosa.
Floyd encamped unobserved near the town on the evening of Nov. 28, and at dawn he appeared before the village with his troops arrayed for battle in three columns.
He also had two or three field-pieces.
There were two towns, one below the other.
The towns were simultaneously attacked, and a general battle ensued.
After a brief contest, the roar of artillery and a furious bayonet charge made the Indians fall back in terror to whatever shelter they could find.
Their dwellings, about 400 in number, were burned, and the smitten and dismayed barbarians were hunted and butchered with fiendish cruelty.
It was estimated that fully 200 of the Indians were murdered.
Floyd lost eleven men killed and fifty-four wounded. He had marched 120 miles, laid waste the town, and destroyed the inhabitants in the space of seven days.