He was a descendant of Colonel William Claiborne (1600–1677), who was born in Crayford, Kent, England and settled in the Colony of Virginia.

Promoted to lieutenant in 1794, Claiborne fought at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, under the command of General Anthony Wayne.

[3] Elected in 1804 to serve in the 3rd General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory,[4] Claiborne experienced a rapid rise in prominence.

Appointed colonel of the Militia of Adams County, in 1806 Claiborne was ordered to march a unit in support of General James Wilkinson during the Sabine expedition.

A political dispute between Claiborne and Governor Williams led to the revocations of his commissions as militia colonel and magistrate.

A unit of Mississippi Territory militia intercepted and engaged a group of Red Stick Creeks.

[3] In July 1813, Claiborne was ordered to Fort Stoddert to defend the eastern part of Mississippi Territory from the Creeks.

[5] Claiborne assigned Major Daniel Beasley to take less than 200 militiamen to reinforce forts along the Tensaw River.

Brigadier General Thomas Flournoy, commander of the Seventh Military District, based in New Orleans, authorized Claiborne to call up more militia to augment his force.

[3] Claiborne spent approximately one month at Fort Easley combing the area for Red Stick warriors.

Taking offense, Flournoy, the Seventh District commander called his regulars back to New Orleans and dismissed from federal service the Mississippi Dragoon Regiment.

This set the stage for the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which occurred on 27 March 1814, a decisive victory for Jackson, effectively ending the Red Stick resistance.