Battle of Okeechobee: the Seminole and Black force that turned back Taylor (northeast shore of Lake Okeechobee, December 25, 1837)

SUMMARYBattle of Okeechobee: the Seminole and Black force that turned back Taylor (northeast shore of Lake Okeechobee, December 25, 1837) [Connections: Miami & Lake Okeechobee, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDCol. Zachary Taylor led about 1,100 troops against about 400 Seminole fighters under Abiaka, Billy Bowlegs, Halpatter Tustenuggee (Alligator) and Wild Cat; 26 US soldiers killed (mostly officers) and 112 wounded; Seminole losses 11 killed and 14 wounded; Taylor withdrew over 100 miles to Tampa Bay; Lt. Robert C. Buchanan's diary: "A sad Christmas has this been; for us and our friends" (Wikipedia). William Loren Katz (BlackPast, citing Kenneth W. Porter and Kevin Mulroy) describes "about 450 Seminole soldiers and their Black allies." The UCF VLPedia entry (citing Mahon 1985 and Procyk 1999) says a small band of Black warriors fought on the line and that historians estimate "one black warrior" among the 10 to 12 Seminole dead. Hostile witness: Taylor's official report claimed "The Indians were driven in every direction" (quoted by Katz as erroneous)

PATTERNBlack and Indigenous fighters stood in one line on the shore of the lake

LENS (WW9)On Christmas 1837 at the big water, the Aboriginal line and the "Negro" line were the same line

OPENThe number of Black fighters is not given; Taylor's report text (American State Papers, Military Affairs); a 2015 NPS investigation did not locate battlefield evidence, so the exact site is uncertain

SOURCEBattle of Lake Okeechobee (Wikipedia); Battle of Lake Okeechobee (BlackPast, Katz); VLPedia: Okeechobee (UCF).