Milly Francis in Oklahoma
This monument to the Creek
Pocahontas stands near her
burial site at Bacone College
in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
This monument to the Creek
Pocahontas stands near her
burial site at Bacone College
in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Milly Francis in Florida
A monument to Milly Francis
can be found on the grounds
of San Marcos de Apalache
Historic State Park in St.
Marks, Florida.
A monument to Milly Francis
can be found on the grounds
of San Marcos de Apalache
Historic State Park in St.
Marks, Florida.
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Milly Francis, The Creek Pocahontas
Milly Francis - The Remarkable Story of the Creek Pocahontas
| Milly Francis and Duncan McKrimmon The young Creek Pocahontas pleads for the life of Georgia militiaman Duncan McKrimmon in this stylized 19th century engraving. |
An Act of Mercy in a Time of War
In March of 1818, a remarkable incident took
place on the banks of the Wakulla River in
what is now Wakulla County, Florida.
A young Native American woman named Milly
Francis, the daughter of a Creek prophet,
saved the life of a Georgia militiaman named
Duncan McKrimmon. The First Seminole War
was then at its height and her act of courage
captivated the nation. Within weeks she had
rightfully been labeled "a new Pocahontas."
One of the most remarkable women of here
time, Milly Francis was born in the Upper
Creek villages of Alabama in around 1803.
Although some writers have speculated that
her name was really Malee, a Creek word,
there is no evidence that this was the case.
Milly's father, Josiah Francis, gave all of his
children English names and there is no
reason to suppose that he did any different in
her case.
Josiah Francis is better remembered as the
Prophet Francis or Hillis Hadjo, the religious
leader of the Red Stick movement in the
Creek Nation. His teachings played a critical
role in the outbreak of the Creek War of 1813-
1814 and he led warriors against three white
armies during that conflict.
When Andrew Jackson finally overwhelmed
the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
on March 27, 1814, the Prophet fled to Florida
with his family and surviving followers.
Armed and reinforced by the British, they
continued to fight against Jackson and his
soldiers until the end of the War of 1812.
Homeless and hungry, Francis' followers
(including Milly, her mother and sister)
settled on the Wakulla River, built new
homes and planted corn while the Prophet
went to England to plead the case of his
people with leaders there.
When he returned in 1817, Francis found that
the fighting was far from over. A series of
incidents that fall led to the outbreak of the
First Seminole War, sparked when U.S.
troops attacked the Creek village of Fowltown
near today's Bainbridge, Georgia.
Francis and his followers joined the conflict
and took part in several battles, although he
remained hopeful that the British would
intervene to save the Creeks and their
Seminole allies
Ordered to the frontier, Andrew Jackson
invaded Florida in March of 1818 and
occupied the former site of a British post on
the Apalachicola River where he built a new
work named Fort Gadsden. It was here,
sometime in March, that a soldier from the
Georgia militia wandered from camp and
was captured by warriors loyal to the Prophet.
place on the banks of the Wakulla River in
what is now Wakulla County, Florida.
A young Native American woman named Milly
Francis, the daughter of a Creek prophet,
saved the life of a Georgia militiaman named
Duncan McKrimmon. The First Seminole War
was then at its height and her act of courage
captivated the nation. Within weeks she had
rightfully been labeled "a new Pocahontas."
One of the most remarkable women of here
time, Milly Francis was born in the Upper
Creek villages of Alabama in around 1803.
Although some writers have speculated that
her name was really Malee, a Creek word,
there is no evidence that this was the case.
Milly's father, Josiah Francis, gave all of his
children English names and there is no
reason to suppose that he did any different in
her case.
Josiah Francis is better remembered as the
Prophet Francis or Hillis Hadjo, the religious
leader of the Red Stick movement in the
Creek Nation. His teachings played a critical
role in the outbreak of the Creek War of 1813-
1814 and he led warriors against three white
armies during that conflict.
When Andrew Jackson finally overwhelmed
the Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
on March 27, 1814, the Prophet fled to Florida
with his family and surviving followers.
Armed and reinforced by the British, they
continued to fight against Jackson and his
soldiers until the end of the War of 1812.
Homeless and hungry, Francis' followers
(including Milly, her mother and sister)
settled on the Wakulla River, built new
homes and planted corn while the Prophet
went to England to plead the case of his
people with leaders there.
When he returned in 1817, Francis found that
the fighting was far from over. A series of
incidents that fall led to the outbreak of the
First Seminole War, sparked when U.S.
troops attacked the Creek village of Fowltown
near today's Bainbridge, Georgia.
Francis and his followers joined the conflict
and took part in several battles, although he
remained hopeful that the British would
intervene to save the Creeks and their
Seminole allies
Ordered to the frontier, Andrew Jackson
invaded Florida in March of 1818 and
occupied the former site of a British post on
the Apalachicola River where he built a new
work named Fort Gadsden. It was here,
sometime in March, that a soldier from the
Georgia militia wandered from camp and
was captured by warriors loyal to the Prophet.
| Copyright 2008 by Dale Cox All rights reserved. |
A resident of Milledgeville, Georgia, Duncan
McKrimmon (sometimes spelled McRimmon
or McCrimmon) was a member of a Scottish
family that had settled in Georgia over the
previous decades.
Taken to the Prophet's village on the Wakulla,
he was interrogated for information on the
strength and intentions of Jackson's army.
His captors then prepared to execute him.
One of the warriors responsible for capturing
McKrimmon had suffered the loss of two
sisters in the Creek War and it was the law of
the nation to retaliate for such deaths by
taking the lives of those responsible. As a
soldier, McKrimmon met this criteria.
When Milly realized what was happening,
however, she pleaded with her father to save
the young man's life. The Prophet responded
that under the law the decision was beyond
his authority. He explained that Creek law
placed the fate of McKrimmon in the hands of
his captor. He suggested, however, that his
daughter speak with that warrior.
She did so and ultimately convinced him that
killing McKrimmon would serve no purpose
because it would not bring the warrior's
sisters back to life. He relented and agreed
to spare the life of the soldier.
McKrimmon was turned over to the Spanish
at San Marcos de Apalache (Fort St. Marks)
where he was rescued just a week or two
later by American forces. Captured a short
time later by the U.S. Navy, the Prophet
Francis received no such mercy. He was
hanged without trial at St. Marks, probably as
Milly watched.
Please click here to learn more about the
remarkable story of Milly Francis.
McKrimmon (sometimes spelled McRimmon
or McCrimmon) was a member of a Scottish
family that had settled in Georgia over the
previous decades.
Taken to the Prophet's village on the Wakulla,
he was interrogated for information on the
strength and intentions of Jackson's army.
His captors then prepared to execute him.
One of the warriors responsible for capturing
McKrimmon had suffered the loss of two
sisters in the Creek War and it was the law of
the nation to retaliate for such deaths by
taking the lives of those responsible. As a
soldier, McKrimmon met this criteria.
When Milly realized what was happening,
however, she pleaded with her father to save
the young man's life. The Prophet responded
that under the law the decision was beyond
his authority. He explained that Creek law
placed the fate of McKrimmon in the hands of
his captor. He suggested, however, that his
daughter speak with that warrior.
She did so and ultimately convinced him that
killing McKrimmon would serve no purpose
because it would not bring the warrior's
sisters back to life. He relented and agreed
to spare the life of the soldier.
McKrimmon was turned over to the Spanish
at San Marcos de Apalache (Fort St. Marks)
where he was rescued just a week or two
later by American forces. Captured a short
time later by the U.S. Navy, the Prophet
Francis received no such mercy. He was
hanged without trial at St. Marks, probably as
Milly watched.
Please click here to learn more about the
remarkable story of Milly Francis.
lor.
San Marcos de Apalache
Called Fort St. Marks by the
Americans, this old Spanish
fort in Florida was the scene
of the execution of the Prophet
Josiah Francis.
Called Fort St. Marks by the
Americans, this old Spanish
fort in Florida was the scene
of the execution of the Prophet
Josiah Francis.
"The Rescue of M'Krimmon"
This engraving was one of a
number of similar pictures
that appeared in American
history books of the 19th and
early 20th centuries.
This engraving was one of a
number of similar pictures
that appeared in American
history books of the 19th and
early 20th centuries.
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