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 The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the western half of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Mississippi. T ...

during the

Creek 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 ...

and the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

Early life

Born in

Sussex County, Virginia Sussex County is a rural county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,829. Its county seat is Sussex. It was formed in 1754 from Surry County. The county is named after the county of Sussex, ...

, Ferdinand was the brother of

William C. C. Claiborne William Charles Cole Claiborne ( 1773–1775 – November 23, 1817) was an American politician, best known as the first non-colonial governor of Louisiana. He also has the distinction of possibly being the youngest member of the United State ...

and father of

John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne (April 24, 1809 – May 17, 1884) was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. He wrote a history of Mississippi. Biography Claiborne was named after Jean François Hamtramck and was the ...

. He was a descendant of Colonel William Claiborne (1600–1677), who was born in

Crayford Crayford is a town and electoral ward in South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It lies east of Bexleyheath and north west of Dartford. Crayford was in the historic county of Kent until 1965. The settlement deve ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and settled in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...

. He began his military service when appointed an ensign in 1793 in the 1st Sub-Legion. Promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in 1794, Claiborne fought at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, under the command of General Anthony Wayne. With the end of the

Northwest Indian War The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...

, Claiborne served as a recruiter in Richmond and Norfolk, before returning to the

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...

to serve as acting adjutant-general. Promoted to Captain in 1799, Claiborne resigned his commission on 1 January 1802 and moved to

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the county seat of and only city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez has a total population of 14,520 (as of the 2020 census). Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, N ...

Mississippi Territory

At the time of his move to Natchez, Claiborne's brother William C. C. Claiborne was serving as governor and superintendent of Indian affairs for the Mississippi Territory. Elected in 1804 to serve in the 3rd General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory, Claiborne experienced a rapid rise in prominence. Appointed

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the Militia of Adams County, in 1806 Claiborne was ordered to march a unit in support of General

James Wilkinson James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier, politician, and double agent who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, b ...

during the

Sabine expedition The Sabine Expedition was an expedition approved by the United States Congress in 1806. It was led by Major General Edmund Pendleton Gaines. It consisted of volunteers provided by Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, including militia f ...

. A political dispute between Claiborne and Governor Williams led to the revocations of his commissions as militia colonel and

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

War of 1812 and Creek War

A change of territorial administrations led to Governor Holmes asking the President of the United States to commission Claiborne as a Brigadier General of the militia of the territory. Supported by the legislature in 1809, this appointment was made in 1811. When war was declared in 1812 Claiborne was made a colonel of Mississippi Volunteers,

United States Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...

. Promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers in March 1813, he became the force's commander.

Creek War

United States military involvement in the Creek War began on 27 July 1813. A unit of Mississippi Territory militia intercepted and engaged a group of Red Stick Creeks. This engagement, known as 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 Indians that took place July 27, 1813 in present-day southern Alabama. The battle was part of the Creek War. B ...

raised tensions considerably within the territory. In July 1813, Claiborne was ordered to Fort Stoddert to defend the eastern part of Mississippi Territory from the Creeks. Claiborne expected the Creek to seek revenge for the previous battle. Knowing that he did not have the resources for a full-scale offensive against the Creek, he instead dispatched troops to reinforce various frontier forts, including

Fort St. Stephens A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

and

Fort Glass Fort Glass was a stockade fort built in July 1813 in present-day Clarke County, Alabama during the Creek War (part of the larger War of 1812). History Background The Creek War of 1813 began as a civil war between supporters of the Creek nation ...

. Claiborne assigned Major Daniel Beasley to take less than 200 militiamen to reinforce forts along the Tensaw River. Beasley distributed about 50 of his troops to various forts along the river and stationed the remaining 120 at Fort Mims. This decision turned out to be a fateful one as Beasley, his troops, and many of the settlers and mixed race Creek sheltering in the fort were killed during the Massacre of Fort Mims on 30 August 1813. Claiborne was initially blamed for the massacre. However, Beasley took few precautions despite the likelihood of an attack. The day before the attack Beasley disregarded the sighting of Creek warriors by two slaves, after cursory scouting did not find any Creeks. When news of the massacre reached Claiborne, his command was still in no position to further reinforce the frontier. Brigadier General Thomas Flournoy, commander of the Seventh Military District, based in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, authorized Claiborne to call up more militia to augment his force. He was ordered to march his newly augmented force to the confluence of the

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

and Tombigbee Rivers engaging any Creek forces encountered. Claiborne spent approximately one month at

Fort Easley Fort Easley was a stockade fort built in 1813 in present-day Clarke County, Alabama during the Creek War (part of the larger War of 1812). History Creek War Fort Easley was built in 1813 on the east side of the Tombigbee River to provide local se ...

combing the area for Red Stick warriors. Claiborne then established

Fort Claiborne Fort Claiborne was a stockade fort built in 1813 in present-day Monroe County, Alabama during the Creek War. History Creek War In the fall of 1813, General Thomas Fluornoy commanded General Ferdinand Claiborne to advance up the Alabama River f ...

as his base of operations against the Creeks. With the completion of the fort, Claiborne was to be reinforced by army regulars from the

3rd Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...

and 7th Infantry Regiment. Claiborne's expected reinforcements were delayed when an administrative change of responsibilities for the Creek campaign occurred. The conflict was taking place in both the Sixth Military District and the Seventh Military District. The decision was made to place the conflict under the command of the Sixth Military District. Taking offense, Flournoy, the Seventh District commander called his regulars back to New Orleans and dismissed from federal service the Mississippi Dragoon Regiment. Claiborne's initial protest was met by a reprimand from Flournoy, but Claiborne's persistence led to the Third Infantry joining the campaign. With the addition of the regulars, Claiborne began his campaign in November 1813 with a combined force of 1200 troops. The campaign's objective was the Creek settlement at Econochaca. Also known as the Holy Ground, this settlement served as a safe haven and base of operations for

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 ...

. Creek prophets claimed to have placed a protective barrier around the town to kill any white man who crossed the barrier. As Claiborne marched on Econochaca, he established forts to protect the rear of his force. On 23 December 1813, Claiborne attacked Econachca. The ensuing Battle of Holy Ground marked a defeat for the Creeks. After Claiborne's force foraged for food, they burned the rest of the town. The following day Claiborne's force fought another brief engagement and burned another Creek town.

Aftermath and effect on the wider war

With the Red Sticks on the run and pushed out of his area of operations Claiborne retired to Fort Claiborne. His militia troops' enlistments were due to expire on 1 January 1814. Claiborne resigned his volunteer commission on 17 January 1814. Claiborne's campaign had a significant impact on the Creek War. By clearing the Alabama River of Red Sticks, and building fortification to keep them out, he forced them to move eastward. This eastward movement nearly coincided with the beginning of the campaign of General

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

. This set the stage for the

Battle of Horseshoe Bend The Battle of Horseshoe Bend (also known as ''Tohopeka'', ''Cholocco Litabixbee'', or ''The Horseshoe''), was fought during the War of 1812 in the Mississippi Territory, now central Alabama. On March 27, 1814, United States forces and Indian a ...

, which occurred on 27 March 1814, a decisive victory for Jackson, effectively ending the Red Stick resistance.

Last years and death

Claiborne returned to Natchez with his troops in 1814. In March of that year, he resumed his duties as brigadier general of militia. Claiborne made extensive expenditures, of his own money, for the care and transportation of his men. In doing so, he expended nearly all of his fortune. Claiborne died March 22, 1815 at the age of 45.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claiborne, Ferdinand Leigh 1773 births 1815 deaths People from Sussex County, Virginia Claiborne family American people of English descent United States Army generals American militia generals United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 People of the Creek War