Battle of Ocheesee
Seminole and Creek warriors
fired on U.S. troops from this
position at Ocheesee Bluff.
Seminole and Creek warriors
fired on U.S. troops from this
position at Ocheesee Bluff.
The Battle of Ocheesee - Calhoun and Liberty Counties, Florida
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - The Battle of Ocheesee, Florida
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - The Battle of Ocheesee, Florida
| Battle of Ocheesee, Florida A view of the battlefield as seen from Ocheesee Landing in Calhoun County, Florida. |
Fight to Control the Apalachicola
As the Apalachicola River sweeps around a
series of bends between Torreya State Park
and Ocheesee Landing, it flows by the site of
an important battle of the First Seminole War.
The Battle of Ocheesee began on December
15, 1817, when a large force of Seminole
and Creek warriors attacked a small flotilla of
America supply boats as it made its way
around the river bend at Ocheesee Bluff, an
important historic landmark in Calhoun
County, Florida. The bluff was then the site of
a large Lower Creek village headed by Chief
Jack Mealy, the son of an English trader and
a Creek woman.
The First Seminole War had erupted three
weeks earlier when U.S. troops attacked the
Creek village of Fowltown in what is now
Decatur County, Georgia. Set on revenge,
hundreds - possibly even thousands - of
warriors from villages throughout the region
converged on the upper Apalachicola River.
On November 30th, they attacked and
captured a boat carrying 47 people near
present-day Chattahoochee in a battle known
today as Scott's Massacre. Then, on
December 13th they attacked Blunt's Town
(on the site of present-day Blountstown)
hoping to capture Chief John Blunt, who had
sided with the whites in the war. Blunt
escaped, but two white traders were taken
prisoner.
Flush with success, the warriors next turned
their attention to supply boats coming up the
river under the command of Major Peter
Muhlenburg. He described the initial attack in
a letter to General Edmund P. Gaines at Fort
Scott, Georgia:
On Monday morning the transports were
attacked by the Indians from both sides of
the river, with a heavy fire of small arms. We
returned the fire; the firing has continued ever
since. We have lost two killed and thirteen
wounded, most of them severely; whether we
have injured them any, I am unable to say.
We are now compelled to remain here, as it
is impossible for us to carry out a warp, as a
man cannot show himself above the bulwark
without being fired on.
The boats remained pinned down in the
center of the river for the next four days and
Major Muhlenburg warne General Gaines
that unless he received help immediately, he
would be forced to drop back down to the bay
with his much needed supplies.
series of bends between Torreya State Park
and Ocheesee Landing, it flows by the site of
an important battle of the First Seminole War.
The Battle of Ocheesee began on December
15, 1817, when a large force of Seminole
and Creek warriors attacked a small flotilla of
America supply boats as it made its way
around the river bend at Ocheesee Bluff, an
important historic landmark in Calhoun
County, Florida. The bluff was then the site of
a large Lower Creek village headed by Chief
Jack Mealy, the son of an English trader and
a Creek woman.
The First Seminole War had erupted three
weeks earlier when U.S. troops attacked the
Creek village of Fowltown in what is now
Decatur County, Georgia. Set on revenge,
hundreds - possibly even thousands - of
warriors from villages throughout the region
converged on the upper Apalachicola River.
On November 30th, they attacked and
captured a boat carrying 47 people near
present-day Chattahoochee in a battle known
today as Scott's Massacre. Then, on
December 13th they attacked Blunt's Town
(on the site of present-day Blountstown)
hoping to capture Chief John Blunt, who had
sided with the whites in the war. Blunt
escaped, but two white traders were taken
prisoner.
Flush with success, the warriors next turned
their attention to supply boats coming up the
river under the command of Major Peter
Muhlenburg. He described the initial attack in
a letter to General Edmund P. Gaines at Fort
Scott, Georgia:
On Monday morning the transports were
attacked by the Indians from both sides of
the river, with a heavy fire of small arms. We
returned the fire; the firing has continued ever
since. We have lost two killed and thirteen
wounded, most of them severely; whether we
have injured them any, I am unable to say.
We are now compelled to remain here, as it
is impossible for us to carry out a warp, as a
man cannot show himself above the bulwark
without being fired on.
The boats remained pinned down in the
center of the river for the next four days and
Major Muhlenburg warne General Gaines
that unless he received help immediately, he
would be forced to drop back down to the bay
with his much needed supplies.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Gaines responded by sending Captain
Blackstone with provisions for Muhlenburg's
men as well as materials to use in securing
his boats from Indian fire. He also had
Blackstone's boat altered to carry an anchor
forward, which could then be dropped. The
men aboard the supply boats could then pull
their vessels slowly forward using the anchor
rope at which point the process would be
repeated.
The unique idea worked and Muhlenburg
was finally able to break free from the Indian
attack. Total casualties for the battle are not
known.
The site of the Battle of Ocheesee can be
viewed today from Ocheesee Landing in
Calhoun County, Florida, or from Torreya
State Park across the river in Liberty County.
The riverbanks at both locations were
occupied by warriors during the battle and
the U.S. Army supply boats were pinned
down in mid-stream between the two
locations.
Blackstone with provisions for Muhlenburg's
men as well as materials to use in securing
his boats from Indian fire. He also had
Blackstone's boat altered to carry an anchor
forward, which could then be dropped. The
men aboard the supply boats could then pull
their vessels slowly forward using the anchor
rope at which point the process would be
repeated.
The unique idea worked and Muhlenburg
was finally able to break free from the Indian
attack. Total casualties for the battle are not
known.
The site of the Battle of Ocheesee can be
viewed today from Ocheesee Landing in
Calhoun County, Florida, or from Torreya
State Park across the river in Liberty County.
The riverbanks at both locations were
occupied by warriors during the battle and
the U.S. Army supply boats were pinned
down in mid-stream between the two
locations.
Apalachicola River
The winding channel and
high banks created an ideal
site for an ambush of the
supply boats.
The winding channel and
high banks created an ideal
site for an ambush of the
supply boats.
A Seminole War Battlefield
Pinned down in midstream,
the U.S. forces lost at least 2
killed and 13 wounded.
Pinned down in midstream,
the U.S. forces lost at least 2
killed and 13 wounded.
Torreya State Park
Scott's Massacre of 1817
Fort Gadsden Historic Site
U.S. Arsenal at Chattahoochee, Florida
Explosion on the C.S.S. Chattahoochee
Historic Sites in Florida
Explore other Southern Historic Sites
Scott's Massacre of 1817
Fort Gadsden Historic Site
U.S. Arsenal at Chattahoochee, Florida
Explosion on the C.S.S. Chattahoochee
Historic Sites in Florida
Explore other Southern Historic Sites
Ocheesee Bluff
At the time of the battle, the
bluff was the site of the Creek
village of Ocheesee. Its
warriors took part in the fight.
At the time of the battle, the
bluff was the site of the Creek
village of Ocheesee. Its
warriors took part in the fight.
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