Learn Our History Today: On December 25, 1837, the Battle of Lake Okeechobee, one of the few major battles of the Second Seminole War took place in south central Florida. The Second Seminole War had begun when U.S. soldiers under the command of Major Francis Dade were ambushed by Seminole Indians resisting relocation to the west. Almost every single man under Dade’s command was killed, and an all-out conflict ensued between the U.S. and the Native Americans. In December of 1837, Colonel Zachary Taylor, the future United States President, was pursuing a massive group of Seminoles near Lake Okeechobee with more than 1,000 troops. He and his men, who consisted almost entirely of either regulars or Missouri volunteers, came upon this group of Seminoles as the Indians were entrenching themselves behind a large stand of trees, 400 yards in length. In front of these trees lay nearly half a mile of open swamp land, waist deep in some places and filled with saw grass and layers of mud. Taylor positioned his men directly in front of this seemingly impregnable position, and ordered them to attack it head on. Understandably apprehensive about making such a frontal assault, Colonel Richard Gentry of the Missourians pleaded with Taylor to allow him to make an attack from the rear and sides. The future President stubbornly refused the request, and even went so far as to claim that Gentry was afraid of direct confrontation. Not one to have his honor impugned, the Missourian agreed to make the attack, with the result being utter devastation. Stumbling through the mud and water of the swamp, Seminole bullets slammed into the Missourians, who were first in line to assault the position. This first wave of Missourians would eventually be forced to pull back, and it would take several more assaults by bayonet armed regulars to break the Seminole lines. In the end, although they technically won the fight because they forced the Indians from the field, the Americans paid a heavy price, with nearly 150 of their number being killed or wounded. Among those killed was Richard Gentry, who was shot down in the swamp while rallying his faltering men.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 20:33:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015