Scott's Massacre of 1817
The battle is seen here as
depicted by a 19th century
artist.
The battle is seen here as
depicted by a 19th century
artist.
Scott's Massacre - Chattahoochee, Florida
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Scott's Massacre, Florida
| Site of Scott's Massacre The bloodiest battle of the First Seminole War was fought along this bend of Florida's Apalachicola River on November 30, 1817. |
The First Seminole War
On November 30, 1817, the bloodiest battle
of the First Seminole War was fought on the
Apalachicola River at today's Chattahoochee,
Florida. The event has been remembered for
more than 190 years as Scott's Massacre.
Although it was portrayed at the time as an
unprovoked attack, the slaughter of Lt. R.W.
Scott, more than 30 soldiers, 6 women and 4
children by hundreds of Creek and Seminole
warriors was a retaliatory strike for the U.S.
attack on the Creek village of Fowltown in
Southwest Georgia just one week earlier.
Soldiers from Fort Scott, a frontier outpost on
today's Lake Seminole, attacked Fowltown
on November 21 and 23, 1817, in an attempt
to chastise its chief, Neamathla. The bold
chief had refused to surrender land claimed
by the United States following the Treaty of
Fort Jackson, Alabama. Fowltown was
ransacked and several villagers, both men
and women, were killed.
Outraged by the army raid, warriors from
Fowltown joined with other Seminole and
Creek men in preparing an ambush on a
sharp bend of the Apalachicola River just
south of today's U.S. 90 bridge. They were
aware that a large boat was then slowly
making its way upstream carrying soldiers,
civilians and supplies bound for Fort Scott.
The commander of the vessel, Lt. R.W. Scott
of the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment, had been
warned that he might be attacked, but for
unexplained reasons continued to make his
way upstream. He did take the precaution of
sending a messenger overland to request
help from General E.P. Gaines at Fort Scott,
but reached the site of the attack before
Gaines could do anything to help.
As the lieutenant's boat rounded the bend at
today's Chattahoochee, the strong current
forced his men to navigate close to the east
bank. This was where the waiting warriors
were hidden. Scott and most of his men were
killed in the first volley. Most of the others,
along with 6 women and 4 children were
killed as the warriors waded into the river and
stormed the boat. Only 6 soldiers (4 of them
wounded) and 1 woman survived.
of the First Seminole War was fought on the
Apalachicola River at today's Chattahoochee,
Florida. The event has been remembered for
more than 190 years as Scott's Massacre.
Although it was portrayed at the time as an
unprovoked attack, the slaughter of Lt. R.W.
Scott, more than 30 soldiers, 6 women and 4
children by hundreds of Creek and Seminole
warriors was a retaliatory strike for the U.S.
attack on the Creek village of Fowltown in
Southwest Georgia just one week earlier.
Soldiers from Fort Scott, a frontier outpost on
today's Lake Seminole, attacked Fowltown
on November 21 and 23, 1817, in an attempt
to chastise its chief, Neamathla. The bold
chief had refused to surrender land claimed
by the United States following the Treaty of
Fort Jackson, Alabama. Fowltown was
ransacked and several villagers, both men
and women, were killed.
Outraged by the army raid, warriors from
Fowltown joined with other Seminole and
Creek men in preparing an ambush on a
sharp bend of the Apalachicola River just
south of today's U.S. 90 bridge. They were
aware that a large boat was then slowly
making its way upstream carrying soldiers,
civilians and supplies bound for Fort Scott.
The commander of the vessel, Lt. R.W. Scott
of the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment, had been
warned that he might be attacked, but for
unexplained reasons continued to make his
way upstream. He did take the precaution of
sending a messenger overland to request
help from General E.P. Gaines at Fort Scott,
but reached the site of the attack before
Gaines could do anything to help.
As the lieutenant's boat rounded the bend at
today's Chattahoochee, the strong current
forced his men to navigate close to the east
bank. This was where the waiting warriors
were hidden. Scott and most of his men were
killed in the first volley. Most of the others,
along with 6 women and 4 children were
killed as the warriors waded into the river and
stormed the boat. Only 6 soldiers (4 of them
wounded) and 1 woman survived.
 | |  | |  | |  |
The men swam away from the scene, while
Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart (later Elizabeth Dill)
was captured. She was freed the following
spring by troops led by Andrew Jackson and
lived out the rest of her life in Fort Gaines,
Georgia.
The attack on Scott's party prompted officials
in Washington to order Jackson to frontier to
"chastise" the Seminoles and Creeks. He
invaded Spanish Florida during the spring of
1818, destroying the principal Seminole town
of Miccosukee and capturing the fort of San
Marcos de Apalachee and the Spanish city of
Pensacola.
The actual site of the massacre can be
viewed by looking downstream from the dock
at Chattahoochee Landing.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart (later Elizabeth Dill)
was captured. She was freed the following
spring by troops led by Andrew Jackson and
lived out the rest of her life in Fort Gaines,
Georgia.
The attack on Scott's party prompted officials
in Washington to order Jackson to frontier to
"chastise" the Seminoles and Creeks. He
invaded Spanish Florida during the spring of
1818, destroying the principal Seminole town
of Miccosukee and capturing the fort of San
Marcos de Apalachee and the Spanish city of
Pensacola.
The actual site of the massacre can be
viewed by looking downstream from the dock
at Chattahoochee Landing.
| Copyright 2009 by Dale Cox All rights reserved. |
Site of the Attack
The strong current forced Lt.
Scott's boat near the shore at
this point, where warriors
were waiting to attack.
The strong current forced Lt.
Scott's boat near the shore at
this point, where warriors
were waiting to attack.
lor.
Home of a Survivor
The only female survivor of
the attack later lived in this
home in Fort Gaines, Georgia.
The only female survivor of
the attack later lived in this
home in Fort Gaines, Georgia.
