Dade Massacre

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Dade Massacre (28 Dec 1835) - A Seminole War Battle fought between a U.S. Army expedition traveling from Fort Brooke 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 Basinger. The Seminole plan was to simultaneously kill the Indian Agent at Fort King and attack Dade’s command while he was en route to reinforce Fort King. Chief Osceola would kill Indian Agent Thompson at Fort King and Chief Micanopy would lead the ambush on Dade's column. Both of these events occurred on the same day, either by plan or by circumstance. The Seminoles were divided into two groups, the largest group was of some 200 dismounted Seminole Indians who hid on the left side of the Fort Brooke to Fort King road. The right side of the road bordered on a lake and marsh. The second group of Seminoles, some 100 in number were escaped slaves who had taken up with the Seminole and intermarried with them. This group was mounted and positioned to block soldiers fleeing toward Fort King. This group did not participate in the battle but did participate in the following massacre. The ambush began just as the column reached the last and easiest part of the journey. The attack began sometime between 8 and 9 am with a single shot fired by Chief Micanopy that killed Major Dade instantly. Micanopy followed that shot with a war hoop that signaled the 200 warriors to open fire on the column. The first volley killed almost the entire advanced guard and almost the entire left-hand column of the main body. Half of Dade's command was killed in that first volley. 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 by 1st Volley Captain George W. Gardiner (Cullum 91) C Company 2nd Artillery Unharmed by first volley 1st Lieutenant William E. Basinger (Cullum 588) 2nd Regiment Artillery Unharmed by first volley 2nd Lieutenant Robert Rich Mudge (Cullum 720) 3rd Regiment Artillery Mortally wounded by first volley Bvt 2nd Lieutenant John L.Keais (Cullum 799) 3rd Regiment Artillery Both arms broken by first volley Bvt 2nd Lieutenant Richard Henderson (Cullum 797) 2nd Regiment Artillery Shot in arm by first volley Assistant Surgeon Doctor John S. Gatlin Unharmed by first volley 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