It is Christmas day in 1837, and a historic battle of the second Seminole War is about to take place on the northern edge of Lake Okeechobee. The US Army is determined to drive the Seminole Indians off the peninsula, and has been chasing them south for two years. By the time they reach Lake Okeechobee, the US Army has about 800 men led by Col. Zachary Taylor. The Seminole Indians have about 300 warriors led by Coacoochee (Wildcat), legendary medicine man Abiaca, Alligator, and the Black Seminole leader John Cavallo. This sounds like a mismatch, but when you read the rest of the story, you may have a different opinion about who really won this battle!
The land just north of Lake Okeechobee was a densely wooded hammock. In front of the hammock was a large sawgrass swamp that the soldiers would have to cross in order to reach the cover of the hammock. The Seminoles used the hammock as a place to hide and to steady their rifles. They also cut a path through the swamp so the soldiers would stay bunched up making them easy targets. The warriors knew they could not defeat the soldiers but planned to delay the soldiers long enough for their women and children to paddle down Lake Okeechobee to the safety of the Everglades, and they stashed canoes for their own retreat.
The Missouri Volunteers led by Col. Richard Gentry was the first unit to slog through the swamp. The Seminoles took careful aim targeting the officers. With nearly all of their officers killed, including Gentry, the Volunteers moved back.
The 6th Infantry led by Lt. Col. Ramsey Thompson, marched bravely to the hammock. Once again the warriors took careful aim concentrating on the officers. The 6th Infantry stood bravely as their officers were cut down with deadly fire power.
The wounded are tended to, and moved to the rear.
As the 6th Infantry bravely held their ground...
Lt. Col. William Foster led a charge of the 4th Infantry pushing the Indians deeper into the hammock.
After about two hours of fighting, the Indians retreated to their canoes and headed to the safety of the Everglades joining their women and children.
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At the end of the day, the army held the ground and declared the battle a victory, and Col. Zachary Taylor would later become the commander of the army during the Mexican war. But, the army casualties were horrific. Nearly a third of the soldiers that crossed the sawgrass swamp were killed or wounded and nearly every officer in the Missouri Volunteers and 6th Infantry were killed. The wounded were so numerous that half of Taylor's force was out of action for weeks, and this tragic war would continue for another four and a half years.
On the other hand, the Seminole casualties were light, suffering less than a dozen killed and a little more than a dozen wounded. The Seminoles had accomplished their mission of delaying the army long enough for the women and children to escape. So, who really won this battle?
The reenactors wear authentic clothing of the time, they sleep in tents for the weekend, and cook their meals over the camp fire just as they did in the early 1800's.
Before visiting this re-enactment, I had never heard of the Battle of Okeechobee. So, I've learned something new today!
Here's one of the reenactors having a drink after the battle.
I didn't know they had plastic drink bottles back in 1837. I guess I learned something else today!! Ha!
Warfare is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.
ReplyDeleteYour article is very well done, a good read.