Did Burnt Corn man and Indian princess leap to their deaths at Claiborne?

(The following story was originally published in The Monroe Journal’s Centennial Edition on Dec. 22, 1966. The story appeared on Page 33C of that issue under the headline, “’Claiborne Also Has Lover’s Leap Legend.")

Fort Claiborne was a pallisaded structure enclosing two acres or more and surrounded by a moat or ditch, the remains of which are yet distinctly visible. The fort was nearly a mile below the present town on a high point of the bluff and about half way between the town and the original lower landing.

A legend of Fort Claiborne is told giving the circumstance from which the bluff is named Lover’s Leap.

Nannahubba was an island at the junction of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers, made by a cross channel called cutoff. The prophet Francais was a Parisan chief of the Creeks who waged an independent war against the whites between the two rivers. Upon her lofty bluff, Fort Claiborne stood filled with soldiery and emigrants. In every gorge and brake, the wily Indian crouched over all the territory. War’s bloody streams did flow.

It was night upon the Nannahubba and within his tent of reeds the Prophet Francais lay surrounded with his warriors.

The Burnt Corn captive bound securely to the tree, should die at the first beam of morning.

Warriors ranged about his watching. Still another watcher was there, more cunning in her surveillance, the beautiful Winona, the daughter of the prophet and prospective queen, who felt toward the victim and sympathy in her heart, resolved to set him free.

In the stillness of the early morn she approached the tree and with her stone knife, set him free and bade him follow quickly where she led the way.

She led him to a canoe in the water’s edge. He lingered there and gazed on his lonely savior, while in his breast arose the flame of love. Then their vows of fidelity were made and he stepped into the canoe and glided away.

When autumn came, Leopold Lanier stood sternly at Fort Claiborne. Here, where he had held his trystings with his Indian love. In the deep Morass he often met the lovely Winona. He feared to disclose her presence to his friends and she feared the Prophet Francais. One night as they met and talked, a noise which they heard and thought to be the dip of paddles in the stream, proved to be that made by Indian warriors. The Prophet with 12 grim warriors surrounded them. The Prophet commanded the warriors to seize Leopold but not to harm the maiden.

The stillness was broken by a shot from Leopold’s rifle and the Prophet fell. The warriors rushed upon him and on the rim of the yawning precipice he fought them till by accident his gun was seized. His foes thought him taken, but in an instant, he caught the maiden in his arms and with a wild bound, leaped into the water.

There in the watery grave, side by side, sleep Leopold and Winona, the ever faithful lovers.