[95] After Jackson's army was reinforced by further recruitment, including a regular army unit, the 39th U. S. Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel John Williams,[94] their combined forces confronted the Red Sticks at a fort they had constructed at a bend in the Tallapoosa River. The Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought on March 27. Jackson's forces—including Cherokee, Choctaw, and Creek allies–numbered over 3,000 men; the Red Sticks had about 1,000.[96][97] The Red Sticks were overwhelmed and massacred. Over 800 Red Sticks were killed,[98] and nearly 300 Red Stick women and children were taken prisoner and distributed to Jackson's Native American allies.[99]
After the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, the power of the Red Sticks was broken.[100] Jackson continued his scorched-earth campaign of burning villages, destroying supplies,[100] and starving Red Stick women and children.[101] The campaign ended when Weatherford surrendered,[102] although some Red Sticks, including McQueen, fled to East Florida.[103] On June 8, Jackson was appointed a brigadier general in the United States Army, and 10 days later was made a brevet major general with command of the Seventh Military District, which included Tennessee, Louisiana, the Mississippi Territory, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy.