Battle of Lake Okeechobee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Lake Okeechobee
Part of Second Seminole War
Date December 25, 1837 Location Lake Okeechobee, Florida 27°12′45.44″N 80°47′6.43″W / 27.2126222°N 80.7851194°W / 27.2126222; -80.7851194 Result Both sides claim victory; Seminole tactical victory
Belligerents
United States	Seminole
Commanders and leaders
Zachary Taylor Richard Gentry  † William Stanhope Foster Alexander R. Thompson  †	Halpatter Tustenuggee (Alligator) Billy Bowlegs (Holata Micco) Abiaca
Strength
1,100	400
Casualties and losses
26 killed 112 wounded	11 killed 14 wounded

The Battle of Lake Okeechobee was a major battle during the Second Seminole War. It took place on Christmas Day, December 25, 1837. This fight was between about 800 United States soldiers and 132 volunteers from Missouri. They were led by Colonel Zachary Taylor. On the other side were about 380 to 480 Seminole warriors. Their leaders included Billy Bowlegs, Abiaca, and Halpatter Tustenuggee (also known as Alligator).

The Seminole people were fighting because they did not want to be forced to move from their homes in Florida. The U.S. government wanted them to move to a reservation in Oklahoma. After the battle, both sides said they won. However, Colonel Taylor was promoted to a higher rank, brigadier general. This battle also helped him get his famous nickname, "Old Rough and Ready."

Preparing for Battle: Taylor's Plan

In 1836, Major General Thomas Jesup took charge of the war in Florida. He planned a big effort in 1837 to finally move the Seminoles out of Florida. In November, four groups of soldiers started moving south through the state.

• One group went down the east coast.
• Another group moved south along the St. Johns River.
• A third group crossed from Tampa to the Kissimmee River. They then moved down the river toward Lake Okeechobee.
• The fourth group moved up the Caloosahatchee River.

Colonel Taylor was in charge of the third group. General Jesup told him to build a supply base near the Peace River. Taylor built a fort called Fort Gardner near Lake Tohopekaliga on the Kissimmee River. On December 19, Taylor left Fort Gardiner with over 1,000 men. They marched down the Kissimmee River toward Lake Okeechobee. Along the way, some Seminoles gave up to Taylor's group. Taylor stopped to build another fort, Fort Basinger. He left the prisoners, guards, and sick soldiers there.

The Battle Begins: A Swampy Fight

Taylor's army reached a large area of trees called a hammock. In front of it was about half a mile of swamp. On the other side of the hammock was Lake Okeechobee. The saw grass in the swamp was five feet tall. The mud and water were three feet deep. Horses could not be used here.

It was clear that the Seminoles had chosen this spot for the battle. They had cut the tall grass to make it easier to shoot. They had also cut notches in trees to help steady their rifles. Seminole scouts watched from treetops to see every move the soldiers made.

Around 12:30 PM, with the sun high overhead and the air still, Taylor moved his troops into the middle of the swamp. His plan was to attack directly, not to try and surround the Seminoles. All his soldiers were on foot.

The Missouri Volunteers' Charge

The first group to go forward was 132 volunteers from Missouri. As soon as they got close enough, the Seminoles started firing heavily. The volunteers broke apart, and their leader, Colonel Richard Gentry, was badly wounded and could not get them back together. The Seminoles then attacked the remaining soldiers.

Before the battle, Gentry had suggested surrounding the Seminoles. Taylor had said no, accusing Gentry of being afraid. This might have made Gentry keep charging the Seminole positions. The original plan was for the volunteers to fall back behind the regular army if they met heavy fire.

Because the volunteers kept charging, they suffered more injuries. They then ran back across the swamp. They were too confused and discouraged to get back into formation as planned.

Heavy Losses for the Sixth Infantry

The fighting in the saw grass was very deadly for five companies of the Sixth Infantry. Almost all their officers and many of their non-commissioned officers (NCOs) were killed or wounded. When this part of the regiment pulled back a short distance to regroup, they found only four men from these companies were not hurt. The commander of the 6th Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander R. Thompson, was among those killed. Lieutenant William H.T. Walker, who later became a general, was wounded in many places during the battle.

Aftermath of the Battle

In total, 26 U.S. soldiers were killed, and 112 were wounded. This included most of Taylor's officers and NCOs. The Seminoles had 11 killed and 14 wounded. The battle stopped Taylor's troops from moving further south for a while. No Seminoles were captured, but Taylor did capture 100 ponies and 600 cattle.

Many years later, Seminole chief Holata Micco (also known as Billy Bowlegs) visited Washington, D.C. As he was shown around the Capitol building, he saw many statues and paintings. He stopped suddenly in front of a portrait of Zachary Taylor and smiled.

Today, there are over four successful Seminole Indian reservations in south Florida. One of them is in Okeechobee County, where this battle took place.

Protecting the Battlefield

Okeechobee Battlefield in 2010

The National Trust for Historic Preservation put the Battle of Lake Okeechobee site on a list of "America's Most Endangered Historic Places" in 2000. This means the site was at risk of being lost or damaged.

The state of Florida spent $3.2 million to create a 145-acre park at the site. Each year, a battle reenactment is held there. This event helps raise money for the State park and teaches people about this important part of history.