Tohopeka in Flames

In this meadow, 350 women and children sheltered in the village of Tohopeka listened to the sounds of battle from a barricade 1,000 yards away. As enemy Cherokee and Lower Creek warriors crossed the river and cut off escape, Tohopeka, their only refuge, was set aflame within minutes. The village under attack may have included as many as 300 log huts resembling simple log cabins. In the Muskogee (Creek) language, Tohopeka meant fort or fence. In this bend, warriors from Oakfuskee, Oakchaya, New Youka, Hillabees, the Fishponds, and Eufala towns, having learned of the approach against them, had gathered their strength. Their exact number was uncertain, but prisoners reported that they numbered a thousand, and about 350 prisoners were taken, consisting of women and children and three warriors.

Alabama · United States