Litafatchi
Litafatchi (also spelled Littafuchee, Littafulchee, Littafutche or Littefutchi) is a historical town of the Upper Creek tribe, located on the south bank of the upper part of Canoe Creek between Ashville and Springville in St Clair County. It was reported that the name, which is similar to Letohatchee in Lowndes County, referred to the making of arrows ("li ito fachita", for "those who make arrows straight"). The town has been provisionally identified with "Olitifar", which was mentioned in the narratives of 16th century Spanish explorer Juan Pardo.
The town was burned to the ground by a cavalry force 200 strong under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Dyer on October 29, 1813. Twenty-nine prisoners, mostly women and children, were taken, along with a large number of cattle. Among the prisoners was Bob Cotalla, also known as "Catawla", described as a "hostile Creek chief" who had collaborated with the "wealthy half-Cherokee" William Ratcliff. Another reported survivor, named "Theodore", was sent to General Andrew Jackson's farm, the Hermitage, in Tennessee, but did not survive long there.
References
- Owen, Thomas McAdory and Marie Bankhead Owen (1921) History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. 4 volumes. Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
External links
- "Lyncoya at the National Park Service website