The Seminole Wars were a series of conflicts sparked by American expansion, Seminole resistance, and Spain’s need to focus on other troubled areas. They first erupted in 1816, as Americans attempted to push native Seminole people out of Florida. Three wars broke out over the next forty years, ending with a majority of Seminoles leaving.
Why Was Florida Important?
American interest in Florida grew in the early 19th century. Spanish Florida’s strategic location controlled the Caribbean, the Mississippi, and the South. American settlers saw Florida’s agricultural potential for huge plantations, which, in turn, would increase economic growth. And to many, European powers couldn’t establish a foothold if Florida became American territory.
When Did the First Seminole War Break Out?
The First Seminole War broke out on November 21, 1816, when American troops attacked a Seminole village in southern Georgia. Like previous fights, the soldiers, or more often militia, came looking for runaway slaves and cattle. Escaped slaves had sought refuge in Florida for years. These runaways allied with the tribe, later becoming known as Black Seminoles.
The American Army under future President Andrew Jackson invaded in November 1817. He destroyed Fowltown, the principal Seminole town. Besides fighting the Seminoles, Jackson sought to control the area. Soon, the Spanish towns of Pensacola and St. Marks fell. The Spanish government, already dealing with bigger problems, ceded Florida in the 1819 Adams-Onis Treaty.
What Happened Between the First and Second Seminole Wars?
The years after the first conflict were anything but good for the Seminoles. First, the U.S. officially took control of Florida in 1821. The 1823 Treaty of Moultrie Creek, in return for the Seminoles moving to a central Florida reservation, would give supplies and assistance. The Seminoles and other tribes moved, but not all. Further conflicts between the remaining bands and settlers only grew. 1830 pushed the dial to war with the Indian Removal Act—the simple goal: removal of all Native American tribes east of the Mississippi River.
Championed by the Seminole’s former antagonist, now President Jackson, the Act called for the removal of the Native Tribes. Whether by negotiation or force, the removal encompassed all the Southwest tribes, even the “Five Civilized Tribes” like the Cherokees. President Jackson and the Jacksonian Democrats firmly believed assimilation to be futile. All the tribes were to be moved to Oklahoma.
Further anger on both sides came from another treaty – the 1832 Treaty of Payne’s Landing. Here, the Seminole were coerced to move IF suitable grounds in Oklahoma were found in the Creek Reservation. Yet, the land found the tribe deemed unsuitable, plus they weren’t Creek. The U.S. forced the tribes of Seminole, Creek, Cherokee, and others on the “Trail of Tears,” resulting in thousands of deaths. Some Seminoles refused to leave, making war inevitable. The U.S. Army harassed the Seminoles or offered bounties, either dead or alive.
Also, settlers and U.S. soldiers went slave hunting, capturing Black Seminoles and runaway slaves. This and deportation pressure blew up on December 28, 1835 – Dade Massacre. The Seminoles attacked and wiped out a U.S. Army column moving between forts. 108 out of 110 soldiers died in the fighting. The Second Seminole War was on.
Which Side Won the Second Seminole War?
This Seminole War would be the hardest fought of the three wars. Lasting from 1835 to 1842, the Seminoles used guerrilla tactics suited to Florida’s terrain. Led by able leaders like Osceola, the tribe plus allied Black Seminoles fought hard. The single biggest battle was the Battle of Lake Okeechobee. Here, 400 Seminoles forced 1,100 U.S. Army soldiers led by another future president, Zachary Taylor, to retreat. The U.S. eventually kept fighting but negotiated with Seminole leaders, offering incentives for Oklahoma resettlement. Many Seminoles took the offer, eager to avoid more fighting.
The Seminoles, who only numbered around 3,000 warriors, squared off against over 30,000 American soldiers. To keep the pressure on, the Army used scorched earth tactics as well, burning Seminole villages and crops. There was only one truce during the War, as the Seminoles kept moving. Again, their unmatched knowledge of Florida’s swamps allowed the tribe to fight on despite hundreds of Seminoles captured and exiled.
By 1842, the war’s costs ballooned to $20 million, and 1,500 soldiers dead. By now, the bulk of Seminoles now resided in Oklahoma, far to the west. Only scattered bands remained, and both sides became content to avoid each other.
Third Seminole War and the Wars’ Legacy
The Third Seminole War (and last) broke out in 1855. Brought on by land disputes, the Seminoles attacked. The U.S. Army returned, building forts to hem in the tribe, and used scorched earth tactics. To end the fighting, the government successfully offered cash. By 1858, only 200 Seminoles remained, usually deep in the interior. To this day, the Seminole can rightfully claim they never surrendered.
