Dec 28, 1835-1843: Second Seminole War (dec 28, 1835 – jan 1, 1843)

Description:

Osceola, a young Seminole chief, who had been imprisoned and chained by the Indian agent Thompson, and whose wife had been delivered into slavery, became a leader of the growing resistance.

When Thompson ordered the Seminoles, in December 1835, to assemble for the journey, no one came.

Instead, the Seminoles began a series of guerrilla attacks on white coastal settlements, all along the Florida perimeter, striking in surprise and in succession from the interior.
- murdered white families
- captured slaves
- destroyed property

Osceola himself, in a lightning stroke, shot down Thompson and an army lieutenant.

That same day, December 28, 1835, a column of 110 soldiers was attacked by Seminoles, and all but 3 soldiers were killed.

Spring 1837: Major General Jesup moved into the war with an army of ten thousand, but the Seminoles just faded into the swamps coming out from time to time to strike at isolated forces.

The army enlisted other Indians to fight the Seminoles. But that didn’t work either

$20 million and 1,500 American lives.

1837: Seminoles began to get tired. They were a tiny group against a huge nation with great resources.
They asked for truces. But when they went forward under truce flags, they were arrested, again and again.
Osceola, under a flag of truce, had been seized and put in irons, then died of illness in prison.

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