The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-07-27
oscELoLAAND BILLY BoWLEGe

oscELoLA AND BILLY BoWLEGe
A Story OF the Florida Everglades
Recalled by Recent Transfer OF
Land. T
VI Up to few years ago all that was
known Of the vast inland sea on the
southern border Of Georgia called the
Okefenokee swamp was that it mad
once been the stronghold of Billy Ii
Bowlegs." Even those who had heard
of the euphonious name often enough
to form some idea as to the typogra
ply of the swamp received an entirely
erroneous impression Of it's character,
says the Atlanta Journal. They re-
garded it as a mere waste Of 1nalarial
waters, like the everglades of Florida
or the Dismal swamp of Virginia
Within the past two years, however,
the Invasion Of capital into the recasses
of it's cypress and magnolia groves
has revealed a wealth Of natural re-
sources unsurpassed, and shown that,
instead of being an .mpenetrable
swamp, the Okefenokee is a great in
land sea of very much the same type
in the quality of its water as Lake
Superior. Away back in the early days
of the century, just prior to the Semi
mole war, Gen. Clinch Of Georgia
marched into Florida and penetrated
the everglades with a regiment Of sol
diers, his purpose being sto induce the
Seminole chiefs to sign a treaty re-
linquishing their possessions to the
government. He pitched his tent In
the heart of the swamp, and invited
the Indian chieftains to a conference,
at which they were to sign the papers
| ceding the land to the United States
The chief of the Seminoles at that
| time was a half breed named Smith:
| q man of strikingly handsome appear
! aIlce, over six feet in height and as
straight as an arrow. This leader, to-
gether with two of his sub-chiefs, was:
| standing in Gen. Clinch's tent listening
| to the reading of the deed which took
away their lands At the conclusion of
the reading the two subchiefs, who.
| could neither read nor write, made
their marks. Turning to Smith, who
stood in contemplatiye mood, gazing
with fixed eyes upon the papers be-
fore them, Gen. Clinch asked: I'll
You can write your name, Smith2''
4 eyes," he replied quickly, "but this
| is one time when intend to make my
mark" - = II
Quick as thought the powerful half
breed whipped out a long, keen: knife
and lightning like buried it to the hilt
in the h cart of one Of the sub-chiefs,
then in that of the other, and finally
in the breast of the government agent,
killing the three almost instantly. The
soldiers about Gen. Clinch flew to arms
and were in the act of making. Smith
their prisoner when he calmly called
to them to look outside the tent. Doing
so they found the camp completely
surrounded by a band Of at least !, OOO
Indian braves ready. to obey their
chiefs command. Smith did not order
J; the massacre of the company, but with.
out as much as harming a hair Of the
head Of Gen. Clinch or any of his sol
diers, marched them to the edge Oh
the swamp and, in parting, said:
Nov, Gen. Clinch, you and your
soldiers may go, but I warn you thai
if ever a white man places his FOOT
upon our lands again he had BETTE
beware of the Seminoles.'' ~ -.
AS Gen. Clinch marched his meI
away the Indian braves enthusiastical
ly crowded about their great chief, and
raising him high upon their shoulders
cried out ina mighty chorus, 'Osceola
Osceola!' which means "the rising
SUM- This was the beginning of the
Seminole war; and it was in this way
that the half-breed chieftain received
the name by which he is known tt
history. Ia
The end Of his career is familiar tt
all. The manner in which he was en-
. ticed to Washington, where he attract
l ed much attention and was the lob
served of all oSscrvers,'' under cover
Of q flag Of truce. and his confinement
until death in Fort Moultrie at Charles
| ton, are well remembered. Smith
successor in command of the Seminoles
was Billy BOwlegS q chief Of diminu
tive stature, but undaunted courage
During the war which followed Billy
found refuge i'll Okefenokee swamp
and one of the principal islands of thi:
inland sea now bears his name. ORe
, fenokee swamp was, until 1890, thu
property of the State of Georgia. Az
i. act of the legislature, approved in DC
tober, 1880, provided fortthe sale of tn,
| swamp to the highest bidder. the mini
t mum price being fixed at IL IL cent!
) an acre. When the bids We're openet
: by Gov. Gordon on March Is, 1890
: that offering &c IL cents per acre VIZ,
; accepted. -