John Caesar and the "Indian negroes" of the St. Johns, 1835–37 (St. Johns River and New Smyrna, Dec. 1835–Jan. 17, 1837)

SUMMARYJohn Caesar and the "Indian negroes" of the St. Johns, 1835–37 (St. Johns River and New Smyrna, Dec. 1835–Jan. 17, 1837) [Connections: Tallahassee & Orlando, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDJohn Caesar was a Black Seminole lieutenant and interpreter for Ee-mat-la, hereditary chief of the St. Johns River Seminoles. In December 1835 Ee-mat-la's Seminoles, a few Uchees and an estimated 80 to 120 "Indian negroes" (period term) raided the New Smyrna-area plantations. Caesar's wife was enslaved on a local plantation, and he recruited enslaved people to flee and join the Seminoles. His last platoon had two Black Seminoles, two Native Seminoles, one free Black man and about eight recently escaped people. He was killed January 17, 1837, near St. Augustine

PATTERNThe period's own term "Indian negroes" fused the two identities, and on the St. Johns the war was fought by mixed units

LENS (WW9)The record itself said "Indian negroes": one people, one fight

OPENThe total number of enslaved people who joined the Seminoles in 1835–36 is not given; check Kenneth Porter (Journal of Negro History, 1946) and Anthony Dixon (2007)

SOURCEJohn Caesar (Seminole) (Wikipedia)), citing Porter (1946) and Dixon (2007).