November 12, 1813
The legendary Canoe Fight occurred during the Creek War of 1813-1814 in present-day Clarke County. Leading a mission to drive the Creeks from the Mississippi Territory, Capt. Samuel Dale and his small band of militia engaged a group of 10 Creek warriors and a chief on the Alabama River. After shooting two of the warriors from the shore, Dale and two others boarded a canoe paddled by a free African-American and killed the remaining nine Creeks in hand-to-hand combat. Dale’s role in the fight earned him the nickname “Daniel Boone of Alabama,” and he later served as a representative in the first Alabama General Assembly.
Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.
For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.
