Uchee Billy facts for kids

Uchee Billy or Yuchi Billy was an important leader of the Yuchi people in Florida during the early 1800s. He was a chief of a Yuchi group. His people lived near Lake Miccosukee when Andrew Jackson and his troops entered Spanish Florida. This happened during the First Seminole War.

After attacks on their villages, Uchee Billy and his group moved to the St. Johns River. Later, during the Second Seminole War, Uchee Billy became a strong ally of the Seminoles. He was one of the main war chiefs who fought against the U.S. Army.

Early Life of Uchee Billy

Uchee Billy was believed to be the son of John Hicks (Tukose Emathla). John Hicks was a Mikasuki chief. In 1818, Uchee Billy was known as the chief of a Yuchi town. This town had about 75 people. It was located near Mikasuki villages, east of Tallahassee, around Lake Miccosukee.

Moving to the St. Johns River

After Andrew Jackson's troops raided the Mikasuki villages in 1818, Uchee Billy led his Yuchi people east. They moved to the St. Johns River area. By 1821, they set up a new village at Spring Garden. This place is now called De Leon Springs in Volusia County.

It is thought that Uchee Billy's group moved to Spring Garden to be close to the Mikasuki group. This group was led by Ee-mat-la, also known as King Phillip. However, a white settler soon convinced Uchee Billy's group to leave Spring Garden. They moved to an area southwest of the St. Johns River. The U.S. government did not seem to recognize the Yuchi people much. No Yuchi chiefs were invited to the talks for the Treaty of Moultrie Creek in 1823.

Uchee Billy in the Second Seminole War

Some reports say that Yuchi warriors were part of the 1835 ambush of U.S. Army troops. This event is known as the Dade massacre. However, Uchee Billy himself is not known to have been there. He did travel to Georgia and Alabama at the start of the Second Seminole War. He recruited over 100 men to fight in Florida.

Attacks and Raids

At the end of 1835, a group of 80 to 120 warriors began attacking farms. These farms were east of the St. Johns River and south of St. Augustine. This war party included some Yuchi and Black individuals. It was identified as being under Uchee Billy's command. The group burned buildings, including the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet. They also took enslaved people.

In January, a group led by Uchee Billy caused the remaining white residents of the area to evacuate to St. Augustine.

Battles and Capture

General Winfield Scott took charge of the war in Florida in 1836. He planned to push the Seminole out of their safe area. This area was called the Cove of the Withlacoochee. He wanted to move them into northern Florida, where the Army could fight them more easily. One group of soldiers, led by Brigadier General Abraham Eustis, left St. Augustine. They went up the St. Johns River to Volusia. Then they crossed the river towards the Cove.

Eustis's group had a few small fights with Seminole warriors. After one fight, it was reported that Ya-ha Hadjo, a Seminole chief, and Uchee Billy had been killed. But it was later found that the report about Uchee Billy was wrong.

Uchee Billy was captured by Brigadier General Joseph Marion Hernandez. Hernandez was the commander of the East Florida Militia. This happened on the night of September 10, 1837. His brother, Uchee Jack, and most of his small group were also captured. Only one person from the group of 21 escaped. Hernandez was led to the capture site by a Seminole named Tomoka John. Tomoka John had been captured with Seminole Chief King Phillip two nights earlier at Dunlawton Plantation.

During Uchee Billy's capture, a U.S. soldier named Lieutenant John Winfield Scott McNeil died. He was 21 years old and the nephew of Franklin Pierce. News accounts at the time said Lieutenant McNeil was badly wounded in the attack on the Yuchi camp. A military history from the 1800s states that Uchee Billy shot Lieutenant McNeil as he led the charge into the Yuchi camp.

Uchee Billy and his group were held in Fort Marion in St. Augustine. Other important leaders like Coacoochee and Osceola were also held there.

Death

Uchee Billy died in the fort on November 25, 1837. He passed away while imprisoned in St. Augustine, Florida.