Notes on Gallant Estes  

Notes on Gallant Estes

 

Submitted by:  David Thomas

Gallant was with his son Edward by his first wife at the Battle of Emucfau in Alabama as a private in the Company of Tennessee Volunteers Mounted Gunmen commanded by Capt. Adam Dale, Second Regiment commanded by Col. William Y Higgins & under the command of Maj. Gen.  Andrew Jackson fighting the Creek Indians.  He was shot through the head on the morning of the 22nd January 1814 and died on the fourth day after on 26 January 1814.

The following is taken from the Book Pictorial Field-Book, 
Jackson on the war-path again. Pages 774 & 775, Battle of Emucfau, Bravery of the Force.

January 21, 1814. 
On the following morning he pushed forward toward Emucfau, twelve miles distant on the bend of the Tallapoosa, and toward the evening, when near Emuqeth Creek, fell upon a much beaten trail, which indicated the proximity of a large force of Indians.  Jackson though it prudent to halt and reconnoiter.  He disposed his troops in a hollow square, doubled the sentinels, sent out spies, and in every way had measures to meet an attack during the night.  Toward midnight the savages were observed prowling about, and at the same time the general was informed that a large body of Indians were encamped within three miles of him, some engaged in a war dance, and others removing the women and children.  An immediate attack seemed impending, and Jackson, fully prepared, calmly awaited it.

January 22, 1814.
The night wore away, and the dawn approached, when, at six o'clock, the Indians fell suddenly and with great fury upon the left flank of Jackson's camp, occupied by troops under Colonel Higgins. General Coffee was with them, and, under his direction, assisted by Colonel Sitler, the Adjutant General, and Colonel Carroll, the Inspector General, these new recruits fought gallantly, and kept the assailants in check.  At dawn, when the whole field might be seen, they were re-enforced by Captain Ferrill's company of infantry, and the whole body were led to vigorous charge upon the savages by General Coffee, Supported by Colonels Higgins and Carroll, and the friendly Indians.  The savages were discomfited and dispersed and fled, hotly pursued by the Tennesseans, with much slaughter, for full two miles.  Inspired by this success, Jackson immediately detached General Coffee, with four hundred men and the whole body of Indians, to destroy the encampment of the for at Emucfau.  It was found to be too strongly fortified to be taken without artillery, so Coffee march back for the purpose of guarding the cannon on its way to a position to bear upon the town.  This retrograde movement encouraged the Indians, and a strong party of them fell upon the right of Jackson's encampment.  Coffee at once asked and obtained leave to lead two hundred men to the support of that wing, and to fall upon the left of the foe, while the friendly Indians should fall upon their right flank at the same moment.  By some mistake only fifty-four men followed Coffee.  The gallent General fell upon the Indians with these, and Jackson ordered two hundred of the friendly Indians to co-operate with him by attacking the right flank of the savages.  "This order was promptly obeyed,"  said Jackson in his report, "and on the moment of its execution what I expected was realized.  The enemy had intended the attack on the right as a feint, and , expecting to direct my attention thither, meant to attack me again with their main force, on the left flank, which they had hoped to find weakened and in disorder.  They were disappointed."  The General, with wise discretion, had only ordered his left to remain firm, but had repaired thither himself, and directed a part of the reserves, under Captain Ferrill, to hasten to its support. In this way the main body met the advancing enemy.  They gave the foe two or three volleys, and then charged them vigorously with the bayonet.  The Indians broke, and fled in confusion, hotly pursued some distance and the friendly Indians, unable to withstand the temptation, left their post on the right flank and joined in the chase, all the while pouring a harassing fire upon the fugitives. 

General Coffee in the mean time was struggling manfully against the assailants on the right of the encampment.  The desertion of the Indians supporters placed him in a critical situation, for the odds were greatly against him. he was soon relieved by the return from the chase of Jim Fife and a hundred if his warriors, who were immediately summoned to his support.  The aid was timely.  Coffee and his little party charged the savages vigorously, who, dispirited by the flight of their main body, gave way and ran for their lives in every direction, many of them falling before the destructive weapons of the pursuers.  The victory, in the form of a repulse, was complete, but it had been won at the cost of a severe wound in his Body by General Coffee, and the loss of his Aid-De-Camp, Colonel A. Donelson, and two of three others.  Several of the Privates were also wounded.

Notes for Gallant Estes:
Source of info: Military records & application for land grand by second wife.
"Estes Trails" Vol. 3 #4 Apr-Jul 1983; book titled "The Estes Family" by: Charles Estes;
Book Pictorial Field-Book, Jackson on the war-path again. Pages 774 & 775, Battle of Emucfau, Bravery of the Force.
Gallent is also recorded as Gilbert and John in different documents.
Gallant fought in the Revolutionary War as well as the War of 1812.

Information supplied by: 
David Thomas

Robert Lee Estes
Roberta Lee Estes Hall

For further information, you can e-mail them.

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