Battle of Econfina River

[[File:Hugh Young 1818 Map of the Route of Jackson's Army.jpg|thumb|Topographer Hugh Young's 1818 map of the route of Andrew Jackson's army during his invasion of Spanish Florida in the First Seminole War.]]

[[File:Hugh Young 1818 Map of the Route of Jackson's Army.jpg|thumb|Topographer Hugh Young's 1818 map of the route of Andrew Jackson's army during his invasion of Spanish Florida in the First Seminole War.]]

The '''Battle of Econfina River''' occurred on April 12, 1818, during [[Andrew Jackson]]'s 1818 invasion of [[Spanish Florida]] (now known as the [[Seminole Wars|First Seminole War]]). The battle was fought along the [[Econfina River]] in today's [[Taylor County, Florida]]. The battle broke out in the morning as Jackson's army marched from the Spanish fortification [[San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park|San Marcos de Apalache]] towards [[Bowlegs Town|Bowleg's Town]]. A force led by [[Peter McQueen]], a noted [[Red Sticks|Red Stick]] war chief from [[Tallassee, Alabama|Tallassee]] was discovered by Jackson's troops.{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=The Scott Battle of 1817: First U.S. Defeat of The Seminole Wars |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2019 |isbn=978-0578-617572 |publication-date=2019}}{{self-published inline|date=April 2026}}

The '''Battle of Econfina River''' occurred on April 12, 1818, during [[Andrew Jackson]]'s 1818 invasion of [[Spanish Florida]] (now known as the [[Seminole Wars|First Seminole War]]). The battle was fought along the [[Econfina River]] in today's [[Taylor County, Florida]]. The battle broke out in the morning as Jackson's army marched from the Spanish fortification [[San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park|San Marcos de Apalache]] towards [[Bowlegs Town|Bowleg's Town]]. A force led by [[Peter McQueen]], a noted [[Red Sticks|Red Stick]] war chief from [[Tallassee, Alabama|Tallassee]] was discovered by Jackson's troops.{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=The Scott Battle of 1817: First U.S. Defeat of The Seminole Wars |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2019 |isbn=978-0578-617572 |publication-date=2019}}ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=McReynolds |first=Edwin |title=The Seminoles |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=1972 |isbn=0806112557 |publication-date=1972}}

==Background==

==Background==

Following the [[Creek War|Creek War of 1813-1814]], Native American refugees from that conflict went into exile in [[Spanish Florida]]. One of the rendezvous points for these people was in the [[Apalachicola River]] valley (see [[Blountstown, Florida]]). During the [[War of 1812]] the British established two military posts along the river; one at [[Prospect Bluff Historic Sites|Prospect Bluff]] and the other near modern day [[Chattahoochee, Florida]]. Following the [[Treaty of Ghent]], British regulars and many of the [[Corps of Colonial Marines]] were evacuated to other British colonies while the arms of these military installations were left with a contingent of the Colonial Marines (see the [[Treaty of Nicolls' Outpost|Treaty of Nicolls Outpost]]). The British post with the remaining contingent of Colonial Marines thus became known as the [[Negro Fort]].{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=Nicolls' Outpost: A War of 1812 Fort at Chattahoochee, Florida |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2015 |isbn=978-0692379363}}{{self-published inline|date=April 2026}} The fort was considered a haven for [[Maroons]] from the United States.{{Cite book |last=Millett |first=Nathaniel |title=The Maroons of Prospect Bluff and Their Quest for Freedom in the Atlantic World |publisher=University Press of Florida |year=2013 |isbn=978-0813044545 |publication-date=2015}} In April 1816, Andrew Jackson informed Spanish Governor [[José Masot]] of [[West Florida]] that if he did not eliminate the Negro Fort, Jackson would. The governor replied that he did not have the forces to take the fort.{{Cite book |last=Heidler |first=David S. and Jeanne T. |title=Old Hickory's Way: Andrew Jackson and the Quest for Empire |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0807128671 |publication-date=2003 |pages=147-149}}

Following the [[Creek War|Creek War of 1813-1814]], Native American refugees from that conflict went into exile in [[Spanish Florida]]. One of the rendezvous points for these people was in the [[Apalachicola River]] valley (see [[Blountstown, Florida]]). During the [[War of 1812]] the British established two military posts along the river; one at [[Prospect Bluff Historic Sites|Prospect Bluff]] and the other near modern day [[Chattahoochee, Florida]]. Following the [[Treaty of Ghent]], British regulars and many of the [[Corps of Colonial Marines]] were evacuated to other British colonies while the arms of these military installations were left with a contingent of the Colonial Marines (see the [[Treaty of Nicolls' Outpost|Treaty of Nicolls Outpost]]). The British post with the remaining contingent of Colonial Marines thus became known as the [[Negro Fort]].{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=Nicolls' Outpost: A War of 1812 Fort at Chattahoochee, Florida |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2015 |isbn=978-0692379363}}ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Giddings |first=Joshua |title=The Exiles of Florida |publisher=Follet, Foster & Co. |year=1858 |publication-date=2021}} The fort was considered a haven for [[Maroons]] from the United States.{{Cite book |last=Millett |first=Nathaniel |title=The Maroons of Prospect Bluff and Their Quest for Freedom in the Atlantic World |publisher=University Press of Florida |year=2013 |isbn=978-0813044545 |publication-date=2015}} In April 1816, Andrew Jackson informed Spanish Governor [[José Masot]] of [[West Florida]] that if he did not eliminate the Negro Fort, Jackson would. The governor replied that he did not have the forces to take the fort.{{Cite book |last=Heidler |first=David S. and Jeanne T. |title=Old Hickory's Way: Andrew Jackson and the Quest for Empire |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0807128671 |publication-date=2003 |pages=147-149}}

Over the next two years a series of hostile actions in the region ([[Negro Fort|Battle of Negro Fort]], [[Battle of Fowltown]], the [[Scott massacre]], [[Battle of Ocheesee]]) would lead to Jackson's incursion into Spanish Florida in March 1818. The [[First Seminole War]] saw Jackson's army and his allied Lower Creek warriors led by [[William McIntosh]] march down the Apalachicola to build the new [[Fort Gadsden]] as well as destroy the Native American settlements at [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] and [[Miccosukee, Florida|Miccosukee]].{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=Fowltown: Neamathla, Tutalosi Talofa and the First Battle of the Seminole Wars |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2017 |isbn=978-0692977880}}{{self-published inline|date=April 2026}}

Over the next two years a series of hostile actions in the region ([[Negro Fort|Battle of Negro Fort]], [[Battle of Fowltown]], the [[Scott massacre]], [[Battle of Ocheesee]]) would lead to Jackson's incursion into Spanish Florida in March 1818. The [[First Seminole War]] saw Jackson's army and his allied Lower Creek warriors led by [[William McIntosh]] march down the Apalachicola to build the new [[Fort Gadsden]] as well as destroy the Native American settlements at [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] and [[Miccosukee, Florida|Miccosukee]].{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Dale |title=Fowltown: Neamathla, Tutalosi Talofa and the First Battle of the Seminole Wars |publisher=Old Kitchen Books |year=2017 |isbn=978-0692977880}}ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wright Jr. |first=J. Leitch |title=Creeks and Seminoles: The Destruction and Regeneration of the Muscogulge People |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |year=1986 |isbn=0803247389 |publication-date=1990}}

==Battle==

==Battle==