They soon came upon another detachment of the army, and uniting, marched to Ten Islands, on the Coosa River, where they established a fort, which they called Fort Strother, as a depot for provisions and ammunition.  They were here not far from the centre of the country inhabited by the hostile Indians.  This fort stood on the left bank of the river, in what is now St. Clair County, Alabama.  It was a region but little explored, and the whites had but little acquaintance with the nature of the country around them, or with the places occupied by the Indians.  Some scouts, from the friendly Creeks, brought the intelligence that, at the distance of about eight miles from the fort, there was an Indian town, where a large party of warriors was assembled in preparation for some secret expedition.  A large and select band was immediately dispatched, on horseback, to attack them by surprise.  Two friendly Creeks led them with Indian sagacity through circuitous trails.  Stealthily they approached the town, and dividing their force, marched on each side so as to encircle it completely.  Aided by their Creek guides, this important movement was accomplished without the warriors discovering their approach.  The number of the whites was so great that they were enabled to surround the town with so continuous a line that escape was impossible for any enclosed within that fearful barrier of loaded rifles wielded by unerring marksmen.  Closer and more compactly the fatal line was drawn.  These movements were accomplished in the dim morning twilight.

All being ready, Captain Hammond, and a few rangers, were sent forward to show themselves, and to bring on the fight.  The moment the warriors caught sight of them, one general war-whoop rose from every throat.  Grasping their rifles, they rushed headlong upon the rangers, who retired before them.  They soon reached one portion of the compact line, and were received with a terrible fire, which struck many of them down in instant death.  The troops then closed rapidly upon the doomed Indians, and from the north, the south, the east, and the west, they were assailed by a deadly storm of bullets.

Almost immediately the Indians saw that they were lost.  There was no possibility of escape.  This was alike manifest to every one, to warrior, squaw, and pappoose.  All surrendered themselves to despair.  The warriors threw down their weapons, in sign of surrender.  Some rushed into the lodges.  Some rushed toward the soldiers, stretching out their unarmed hands in supplication for life.  The women in particular, panic-stricken, ran to the soldiers, clasped them about the knees, and looked up into their faces with piteous supplications for life.  Crockett writes: 

“I saw seven squaws have hold of one man.  So I hollered out the Scriptures was fulfilling; that there was seven women holding to one man’s coat-tail.  But I believe it was a hunting-shirt all the time.  We took them all prisoners that came out to us in this way.”