Sharp County record., 1911-12-01
O5CEoLA.


An Indian chief-Iight of skin, slen-
der, graceful, handscme-stood con-
fronting a hundred savages with his
drawn bow. The threatened men were
chiefs and sub-chiefs of the Seminole
nation. Brave they were and fierce
warriors. Yet they shrank before the
leveled arrow of this one leader. For
it was well known he never twanged
bowstring nor pulled trigger without
killing. While the Seminoles hesitat-
ed he spoke:
mo treaty shall be signed" said he,
which robs US of our land. The man
who sets his name to such a paper
dies at my hand"
The speaker was As-se-he-ho-lar
(meaning Black Drtnk.") The name
has been shortened in history to 'Os-
ceola." His mother was daughter Of
Creek Indian chief His father was
William Powell, an Englishman. Os-
ceola was born near Chattahoochee,
Ga, in 1904. When he was mere
child his mother fed from her English
husband, taking her son with her, and
never pausing in her flight until she
reached her fathers tribe in southern
Georgia. Whether because her hus-
band had maltreated her or for some
other cause, she had mortal hatred
for all white men, and she made her
son hate them even more bitterly than
lid she. Both she and Osceola spoke
English as readily as their own lam
Guage.
A Boy Warrio-.
The Creek tribe which Osceola and
his mother joined went to war in 1918
with the United States. Osceola was
only fourteen years old, yet so valiant
was ne and already so brilliant q COM
mander that he was chosen as one Of
The tribes sub-chiets. lie and his
people fought in vain against the gov
errment troops and were forced to re-
treat southwark into the Everglades"
Ct Florida. There they Joined the
Seminoles. Micanopy, the Seminole
sachem, was old and a peaceful na.
ture. So the boy, Osceola, quickly be-
came real war chief Of the Semi.
noles. For the next few years he
went from tribe 10 tribe Of the ma.
tion," preaching against the white
men and preparing the savages for
war. Then came the first great clash
with Uncle Sam.
The government decided to ship the
whole Seminole nation west Of the
Mississippi and to pay them nomi.
nal sum for their Florida land. A few
chiefs were induced on March 8, 1882,
to sign q treaty to this effect. Osceola,
IN fury, denounced such an act and
lashed his people to rebellion. Then
1t was that he called the council and
threatened TO shoot dead the first man
who should agree to leave Florida.
Mlcanopy was as wax In the hands OF
the local Indian agent. But he feared
to disobey Osceola more than he
dreaded the power OF the white men.
The agent saw that Osceola was the
real power in Florida, so he spread be-
fore the young savage a copy Of the
treaty, begging him to sign It. BY way
OF answer, Osceola drove his knife
through the paper. The agent threat.
ened him with the wrath Of President
Jackson, former conqueror OF Florida.
Osceola retorted;
Il fear Jackson no more than fear
you"
The conference broke up in disor-
der. Osceola's hatred Of the whites
was increased tenfold when they cap.
tured his young wife and sold her as
a slave. He himself was captured, but
escaped from jail inside Of two days,
After that, It was war to the death.
Osceola looked on the Indian agent as
his worst enemy. Soon afterward the
agents dead body was found, pierced
by fourteen bullets. Major Dade, with
10 soldiers, was marching inland
from Tampa when O3ceola and band
Of braves flung themselves on the
troops and slaughtered all but three
OF them. Then with an Inferior force
no marched against General Cllneh
and 1000 soldiers. lie martaled his
little army like On expert taetieian.
The Indians held off the troops until
all their ammunition was gone, then
retroated In safety. osceola himself
Ia said 10 have slain 40 white men In
that aght,
An Act OF rreaeherY
Battle followed battle, with varying
results. Al times OBoeola used all the
willy tricks Of his race, pretending TO
agree 10 the governments wishes;
then, as soon as he was strong enough,
breakiDg out In some new seotIon.
When hard pressed no and his men
would take refuge In the "Eyorglados."
Tho Everglades Ia huge, marShy