Peter McQueen
Encyclopedia
Peter McQueen was a Creek Indian chief
, trader and warrior from the tribal town of Talisi (Tallassee
, among the Upper Towns in present-day Alabama.) He was one of the young men, known as Red Sticks
, who supported a revitalization of traditional practices and opposed European-American settlement. The population in the Upper Towns comprised a majority of the Creek in the early nineteenth century. From open conflict with the Lower Towns, the Red Sticks became involved in warfare against the United States.
The Red Sticks were defeated by General Andrew Jackson
with allied troops, Creek and Cherokee warriors at Horseshoe Bend in 1814, McQueen, along with many other Red Stick warriors, retreated into Florida. There he joined the recently formed Seminole
and continued resistance to United States forces during the First Seminole War.
fur trader, as was typical of many mixed-race alliances between Native Americans and European Americans in those years. He was born in the Talisi area. Both cultures considered such marriages or unions as strategic alliances, as the traders brought goods of both practical use and prestige, and offered entree to European society.
As the Creek culture was matrilineal, McQueen derived his social status from his mother's family. Traditionally, his maternal uncles were more important to a Creek boy than his father, as they, especially the elder one, would introduce him to men's ways and men's societies.
prophet Tenskwatawa
and his brother, the chief Tecumseh
, McQueen was one of several young Creek prophets who envisioned the expulsion of the European Americans from Indian lands. He became aligned with the Red Stick faction of the Upper Creek, who were trying to resist assimilation and to restore traditional culture and religion.
Conflicts between the Upper Creek towns, which had the majority of people, and the Lower Creek, who had adopted more European-American ways, developed into violence in 1813. The following year, McQueen commanded a party of Red Sticks at the Battle of Burnt Corn
, where they finally defeated US soldiers. The Red Sticks were attacked while bringing back arms they had purchased in Pensacola, Florida from the Spanish. The next month, in August 1814 McQueen took part in the attack on Fort Mims and the resulting massacre
of most of the refugees there. The Red Sticks killed a total of nearly 500 Lower Creek and European-American settlers.
Together with numerous other Red Stick warriors, McQueen faced General Andrew Jackson
with his several state militias, allied troops, and Lower Creek and Cherokee warriors at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend later in 1814. Defeated by Jackson's forces, many surviving Red Stick warriors, including McQueen, retreated into Florida. The Creek warriors became allied with the Seminole
and continued their resistance to the US from deep within the Everglades
.
Chief
- Title or rank :* Chiefs of the Name, the head of a family or clan* Chief executive officer, the highest-ranking corporate officer of an organization* Chief Master Sergeant, in the United States Air Force* Chief of police, the head of a police department...
, trader and warrior from the tribal town of Talisi (Tallassee
Tallassee, Alabama
Tallassee is a city on the Tallapoosa River, located in both Elmore and Tallapoosa counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2000 census the population was 4,934...
, among the Upper Towns in present-day Alabama.) He was one of the young men, known as Red Sticks
Red Sticks
Red Sticks is the English term for a traditionalist faction of Creek Indians who led a resistance movement which culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813....
, who supported a revitalization of traditional practices and opposed European-American settlement. The population in the Upper Towns comprised a majority of the Creek in the early nineteenth century. From open conflict with the Lower Towns, the Red Sticks became involved in warfare against the United States.
The Red Sticks were defeated by General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
with allied troops, Creek and Cherokee warriors at Horseshoe Bend in 1814, McQueen, along with many other Red Stick warriors, retreated into Florida. There he joined the recently formed Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
and continued resistance to United States forces during the First Seminole War.
Early life and education
Peter McQueen was the son of a high-status Creek woman and a Scots-IrishScots-Irish
Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irish may refer to;* Ulster Scots people, an ethnic group in the Ulster province of Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland and northern England....
fur trader, as was typical of many mixed-race alliances between Native Americans and European Americans in those years. He was born in the Talisi area. Both cultures considered such marriages or unions as strategic alliances, as the traders brought goods of both practical use and prestige, and offered entree to European society.
As the Creek culture was matrilineal, McQueen derived his social status from his mother's family. Traditionally, his maternal uncles were more important to a Creek boy than his father, as they, especially the elder one, would introduce him to men's ways and men's societies.
Career
Influenced by the thought of the ShawneeShawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
prophet Tenskwatawa
Tenskwatawa
Tenskwatawa, was a Native American religious and political leader of the Shawnee tribe, known as The Prophet or the Shawnee Prophet. He was the brother of Tecumseh, leader of the Shawnee...
and his brother, the chief Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
, McQueen was one of several young Creek prophets who envisioned the expulsion of the European Americans from Indian lands. He became aligned with the Red Stick faction of the Upper Creek, who were trying to resist assimilation and to restore traditional culture and religion.
Conflicts between the Upper Creek towns, which had the majority of people, and the Lower Creek, who had adopted more European-American ways, developed into violence in 1813. The following year, McQueen commanded a party of Red Sticks at the Battle of Burnt Corn
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 Indians that took place July 27, 1813 in present-day southern Alabama...
, where they finally defeated US soldiers. The Red Sticks were attacked while bringing back arms they had purchased in Pensacola, Florida from the Spanish. The next month, in August 1814 McQueen took part in the attack on Fort Mims and the resulting massacre
Fort Mims massacre
The Fort Mims massacre occurred on 30 August 1813, when a force of Creek people, belonging to the "Red Sticks" faction under the command of Peter McQueen and William Weatherford "Red Eagle", his cousin by marriage, killed hundreds of settlers, mixed-blood Creeks, and militia at Fort Mims...
of most of the refugees there. The Red Sticks killed a total of nearly 500 Lower Creek and European-American settlers.
Together with numerous other Red Stick warriors, McQueen faced General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
with his several state militias, allied troops, and Lower Creek and Cherokee warriors at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend later in 1814. Defeated by Jackson's forces, many surviving Red Stick warriors, including McQueen, retreated into Florida. The Creek warriors became allied with the Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
and continued their resistance to the US from deep within the Everglades
Everglades
The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee...
.