The Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War lasted from 1835-1842 and was the longest and costliest Indian war in United States history. The war began because of an event know as Dade's Battle. What happened was Seminoles and blacks opened fire on U.S. troops under the command of Major Francis L. Dade. Within hours, all but three of his original 110 soldiers were dead. On the same day of the massacre, a Seminole chief Osceola and his followers shot and killed Wiley Thompson and six others outside of Fort King. On Jan. 6, 1836, a group of Seminoles attacked the plantation of William Cooley and ended up killing him and his family. The Indian Key was an island by the upper Florida Keys. The U.S. set up a fort there and there were sights of Seminoles so they had their eyes peeled. In the middle of one night, the Indians moved up to the island to attack and luckily for the U.S., somebody was up and sounded the alarm. Out of the 50 people that were on the island, 40 of them escaped but 10 were killed in the attack. Eventually the war died down even though the U.S. were still trying to push the Seminoles completely out of Florida. However, tempers flared once again at the start of the Third Seminole War.
Below are pictures of documents and a map of Dade's Battle.
Below are pictures of documents and a map of Dade's Battle.
Letter from General Thomas Sidney Jesup to Governor Hugh McVay (November 7, 1837)
These are parts of Thomas Jesup's field diary
which contain his perspective on the war from
Oct. 1, 1836 to May 30, 1837.
“Met Micanopy to day in council—Read and explained
the articles of the Capitulation. He stated that he had
authorized the chiefs, Jumper, Holahtoochee &
Yaholoachee to sign that instrument for him, he…”
which contain his perspective on the war from
Oct. 1, 1836 to May 30, 1837.
“Met Micanopy to day in council—Read and explained
the articles of the Capitulation. He stated that he had
authorized the chiefs, Jumper, Holahtoochee &
Yaholoachee to sign that instrument for him, he…”
“…agreed to every article, and formally ratified it.
He, Aligator, and John Hopony a friendly chief,
dined with General Jesup. Had a talk with Aligator
after dinner in relation to the movement of his
people to Tampa & thence west.”
Map of the Dade Battlefield, published in Myer M. Cohen,
Notices of Florida and the Campaigns (Charleston: Burges & Honour, 1836)