Dade Massacre

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Dade Massacre (28 Dec 1835) - A Seminole War Battle fought between a U.S. Army expedition traveling from Fort Dade to Fort King commanded by Bvt Major Francis L. Dade and Seminole forces under Chiefs Micanopy and Thlocklo Tustenuggee (Alligator). The result was a tactical victory for the Seminoles but strategically it signaled the beginning of the Second Seminole War which resulted in the removal of most of the Seminoles to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The action was deemed to be a massacre because the Seminoles refused an offer of surrender and they methodically killed the survivors including the wounded. Four expedition members survived the battle, one of those was killed the next day, one was captured and kept by the Seminole and two managed to make it back to Fort Dade. The battle was fought near present-day Bushnell in Sumter County, Florida. Monument to Maj Dade where he fell during the first Volley. Inverted Cannon Monuments to the Officers who fell during the Initial Attack. Dade Massacre Triangular Breastworks, Site of the Last Stand. As Major Dade's column approached what would be the massacre site it was organized with an advance guard of six enlisted men under the command of 2nd Lt. Robert Mudge. He was joined by Captain Fraser, Major Dade, and the translator Pacheo. The advance guard was 200 yards ahead of the main column and walked in single file. The main force followed in two-man columns led by Captain Gardiner. Following the main force was a wagon and cannon and directly behind them was the rearguard under 2nd Lt. William Bassinger. Battle Casualties U.S. Forces Seminole Total Total Engaged 110 180 290 Killed 108 3 111 Wounded 1 5 6 Total Casualties 110 8 118 Source: Various Dade Command Battle Survivors Name Unit Result Private Edward Decourcey Company B, 2nd Artillery Killed the next day on way back Private Ransom Clark Company B, 2nd Artillery Returned to Fort Brooke wounded Private John Thomas Company B, 2nd Artillery Returned to Fort Brooke before the battle after a back injury Private Joseph Sprague Company B, 3rd Artillery Returned to Fort Brooke wounded & left before final stand Luis Pacheco mulatto slave Guided the expedition captured by Indians and kept by them bodies of eight officers and ninety-eight non-commissioned officers and men original list two more in the west point list Dade Command Officers Rank Name Cullum Unit Notes Bvt Major Francis L. Dade 4th Regiment Infantry Killed by 1st Shot from Micanopy Captain Upton S. Fraser B Company 3rd Artillery Killed in 1st Volley Captain George W. Gardiner (Cullum 91) C Company 2nd Artillery 1st Lieutenant William E. Bassinger (Cullum 588) 2nd Regiment Artillery 2nd Lieutenant Robert Rich Mudge (Cullum 720) 3rd Regiment Artillery Bvt 2nd Lieutenant John L.Keais (Cullum 799) 3rd Regiment Artillery Bvt 2nd Lieutenant Richard Henderson (Cullum 797) 2nd Regiment Artillery Current Status Part of Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, Sumter County, Florida {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Dade Battlefield Historic State Park near Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida. Maps & Images Lat: 28.652222 Long: -82.126667 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' See Also: Seminole Wars First Seminole War Second Seminole War Third Seminole War Seminole War Forts List St. Francis Barracks Sources: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: rrrrr Links: Massacre Wikipedia - Dade Massacre Steele, W.S., Last Command: The Dade Massacre The Dade Massacre U.S. Army - Dade Staff Ride THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA Visited: 22 Sep 2021