Sharp County record., 1912-03-15
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ALhERT 12.NfSOE3 TERfUNE
"BlLLY EOWLEGS."

long lnQl0n name CICutLSu pSAiiAu "
grassy knoll in a Florida swamp one
day in 1885. With bow as tall as
himself he was sending succession
of arrows into group of desperately
fighting United States soldiers.
1t was the battle in which brave
Major Dade and his little body OF
troops we're wiped out by Osceola's
fierce Seminole warriors. Osceola (as
an earlier article Of this series told)
took actual command Of the Semi
nolcs; but their Sachem was Micanopy
an old man. The little boy with the
big bow was Micanopy's grandson
From babyhood he was feroclous,
warlovng little chap. Most Of his
time was spent on horseback.
His efforts to sit astride the broad
backs of the native horses and ponies
had bent his legs into odd shape. The
Indians often nicknamed each other
from some regularity Of face, figure
or action SO the lads real name was
quickly forgotten and he was known
through life as Billy Bowlegs,' Such,
at least, was the way the Americans
translated his longer Spanish title OF
"Guillermito a las piernas corvas."
A Soy Warrior.
The Dade battle was the first Of
Billy's many fights. In it he slew sew
eral white men and, by reckless cour'
age as we'll as by Seminole cunning
he won then fame that was soon to
spread throughout the United States
Osceola had wrought terror and
desolation from one end of the Semi
mole country to the other. When he
was treacherously seized while going
to conference under a flag Of truce,
the government thought it would be
easy to force his leaderloss trlbesmen
into submission. But the War-ilres
Osceola had lighted were not to ba
SO easily Quenched. For years the
conflict dragged on before the author
tiles were able to ship the sullen
Seminoles west, to the reservation laid
out for them. AS it was, about $50 Of
the fercest refused to go and managed
to escape tie governments agents by
hiding In tho Everglades. These re-
bellous Seminoles chose Billy Bow
legs for their sachem, or head chief
Many years had passed since the
Dade fight and Billy had grown 10
full manhood. He was crack shM,
q warrior of marvellous strength and
endurance, and had, moreover, tho
faculty OF escaping from every tight
place In which he chanced to find HIM
self. This last-named quality led his
superstitions followers to believe Billy
had tho power to mako himself ipyis-
ible. At one time he secretly led o
party Of his braves on o siXty'mllo
march away from their Everglades
stronghold TO Lake Klssimmee where
nt daylight he fell upon the fort there
and well-nIgh carried 1t by storm ho-
fore the large garrison was fairly
awake. Eeaten back at last by super.
lor numbers, no Ietreated IN good or
der.
Captain Clarke, commandant Of the
fort, led party Of soldiers In pursuit
Of tho rotreating Indians, This suited
Billy Dowlogs perfectly, lIe en-
trenched his men around little hill,
and poured forth such % CALLING, dead.
ly fire that tho troops were beaten
back with heavy loss, Roiniorcements
were hurried to tho spot by General
li0raey, who hoped to catch tho Semi
noles before they could get back to
tho safety OF tho Everglades, But
Billy Bowleg8 was too clever for him.
The whole party had vanished by tho
time tho government reinforcements
came up.
The war department, angry ut tho
Seminole leaders audacious raids,
sent big expedition under Colonel
Looms 70 crush him, Loomls divided
HIS force and attacked tho Everglades
from many different points, Ono COM
pany was so fortunate aS to come
upon a party Of Indians who were cur.
rying their wives and children to a
place of safety. Billy Bowlegs was
loodng tho fugltives The troops gal.
loped down upon the Indians, shoot.
Ing, slashng and capturing, But when
the smoke Of battle cleared away It
was found that Billy Dowlegs had
eaeuped-as usual,
Force, diplomacy, trlckery, bribery,
were all tried against him IN vain.
Billy could not be caught,
At length, littlo by little, his best fol.
lowers were killed or imprisoned, and
tho bravo old chief was shorn Of al
his power, lIo was Obliged, for tho
sake Of tho SominoloB who remained,
TO sue for peace, with lG5 Of hls poo.