The Battle of Holy Ground, or Battle of Econochaca, was a battle fought on December 23, 1813, between the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

and the

Red Stick Red Sticks (also Redsticks, Batons Rouges, or Red Clubs), the name deriving from the red-painted war clubs of some Native American Creeks—refers to an early 19th-century traditionalist faction of these people in the American Southeast. Made ...

Creek Indians The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsCreek War The Creek War (1813–1814), also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, was a regional war between opposing Indigenous American Creek factions, European empires and the United States, taking place largely in modern-day Alabama ...

. The battle took place at Econochaca, the site of a fortified encampment established in the summer of 1813 by

Josiah Francis Sir Josiah Francis (28 March 1890 – 22 February 1964) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1922 to 1955. He was a minister in the Lyons and Menzies governments, serving as Minister in charge of War Se ...

on a bluff above the

Alabama River The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery, near the town of Wetumpka. The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about from Mobile, it ...

, in what is now

Lowndes County, Alabama Lowndes County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 10,311. Its county seat is Hayneville. The county is named in honor of William Lowndes, a member of the United States Con ...

. It was one of three encampments erected by Red Stick Creeks that summer. In addition to the physical defenses, Creek prophets performed ceremonies at the site to create a spiritual barrier of protection. Hence the Creek name "Econochaca," loosely translated as holy ground, but properly translated as sacred or beloved ground.

History

Following the

Battle of Burnt Corn The Battle of Burnt Corn, also known as the Battle of Burnt Corn Creek, was an encounter between United States armed forces and Creek (people), Creek Indians that took place July 27, 1813 in present-day southern Alabama. The battle was part of th ...

and the subsequent Fort Mims massacre, General

Ferdinand Claiborne Ferdinand Leigh Claiborne (March 9, 1772 - March 22, 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. Early life Born in Sussex County, Vir ...

, under the orders of General

Thomas Flournoy Thomas Stanhope Flournoy (December 15, 1811 – March 12, 1883) was a U.S. Representative from Virginia and a cavalry officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Fl ...

, began attempting to round-up troops to attack the Red Stick Creeks. By early December he had amassed a force of roughly 1,000 men including 150 Choctaw warriors under their leader,

Pushmataha Pushmataha (c. 1764 – December 24, 1824; also spelled Pooshawattaha, Pooshamallaha, or Poosha Matthaw), the "Indian General", was one of the three regional chiefs of the major divisions of the Choctaw in the 19th century. Many historians cons ...

. Weatherford's Creeks numbered around 320 men. On December 13, Claiborne's force set out from Fort Claiborne to Holy Ground. On December 22, 1813, Claiborne's force set up camp about south of Econochaca. Upon learning of this, the Creeks, under

William Weatherford William Weatherford, also known after his death as Red Eagle (ca. 1765 – March 24, 1824), was a Creek chief of the Upper Creek towns who led many of the Red Sticks actions in the Creek War (1813–1814) against Lower Creek towns and against ...

, evacuated women and children from settlement. On December 23 Claiborne attacked the defenses, killing between 20 and 30 Red Stick warriors and losing one man himself. Most of the Creeks escaped, with Weatherford riding his horse Arrow over the bluff and into the river while under fire. The U.S. forces then destroyed the encampment and the Creek supplies. The site is now home to Holy Ground Battlefield Park, maintained by the

United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

. It was added to the

Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage The Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, commonly referred to as the Alabama Register, is an official listing of buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts deemed worthy of preservation in the U.S. state of Alabama. These properties ...

on May 26, 1976. Two active battalions of the Regular Army (1-1 Inf and 2-1 Inf) perpetuate the lineage of the old 3rd Infantry Regiment, elements of which were at the Battle of Econochaca.

References

{{Battles of the War of 1812 Holy Ground Holy Ground Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage Native American history of Alabama 1813 in the United States December 1813 events Holy Ground