Great Leader: Peter McQueen of the Creek

Behind every great man or iconic hero is, not only a great woman, but also a mentor and inspiration.  The remarkable life story of Osceola began in the crucible of the Creek War (1813-1814) and he would've have plenty of powerful examples to draw on when his time came to take up his people's struggle.  One was his own great-uncle, Red Stick leader Peter McQueen (1780-1820).

Peter was born in Tallassee, on the Tallapoosa River in Alabama,  a town known for producing leaders among the Muscogee/Creek.  His father, Alexander McQueen, was a Scots trader, and his mother was a Creek woman with status in her society that she could pass on to her children.  Peter and his sister Ann were both leaders in their own right.  It was Ann who whose daughter Polly was the mother of William (Billy) Powell, the boy who would become Osceola.  In Creek society, the men of the mother's family provided the warrior training and mentored their nephews, sponsoring their introduction to men's society within the tribe.  If Polly did not have brothers, the next logical one to provide such training and mentorship to young Billy would've been his great-uncle, who was both a war leader and a prophet/visionary. 

Though the majority of Creeks, known as White Sticks, disregarded Tecumseh's pan-Indian movement, there were some among the Upper Creek towns who favored traditional ways and less coexistence with Whites.  They were known as Red Sticks, for the ceremonial painting of their war clubs with red, the color for war.  Peter McQueen, Josiah Francis, William Weatherford and Menawa were among a group of young war leaders who responded enthusiastically to Tecumseh's message and sought assistance from the Spanish and British to repulse American expansion on Creek land, and to oppose leaders such as William McIntosh who favored conciliation with the Americans. 

After the ambush at the Battle of Burnt Corn in July, 1813, when Peter McQueen was leading a party of Creeks who'd obtained arms and ammunition from Spanish agents, war began in earnest between the two Creek factions.  After the attack on Fort Mims in August, 1813, the United States became actively involved in putting down the Red Stick faction.  McQueen was also part of the Native command team which faced Andrew Jackson at Horseshoe Bend in March, 1814.  Following that battle, as McQueen and his warriors fled to fight another day, Ann, Polly and Billy fell into Jackson's hands as captives.  Ann approached Jackson, offering to divulge her brother's whereabouts to obtain the freedom of the women and children.  Likely, she had no idea where Peter and the others were and wouldn't have told Jackson accurately even if she did.  Also likely, he wasn't fooled a bit, but needed a pretext to rid his camp of extra mouths to patrol and feed.  If Jackson noticed a stripling 10-year-old who was no doubt learning how guile could help one survive, he gave no sign.  Billy Powell would claim the attention of US authorities soon enough.

Ann and the others made good their escape and Peter led his people to join the Seminoles in Florida.  There, while Francis went to England to press for aid from the British, McQueen masterminded the continued resistance to the Americans.  He would lead Creek and Seminole war parties throughout the First Seminole War (1816-1818).  His great-nephew would've been too young to be a warrior, but would've learned some lessons from the older man nonetheless.  Josiah Francis was eventually hanged in 1816 and the revolt crushed.  Peter, likely without his extended family, sought refuge on a remote island in Florida, some sources indicate one of the key islands, and died there in 1820.  Fifteen years later, a man with McQueen lineage would rise to lead his people again.