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Osceola was born 1804 near Alabama, Georgia . His mother was a Creek indian. His father might have been white trader William Powell; some white men persisted calling the young man Billy Powell.
1814 Osceola and his mother moved to Florida alongside other Creek Indians. In adulthood he received his name; the name Osceola is an anglicised form of Asiyahola; assi, from a ceremonial yaupon holly tea or "black drink" and yaholi, name of a Creek god intoned when the drink was served.In 1832, a few Seminole chiefs signed the Treaty of Payne's Landing , where they agreed to give up their Florida lands in exchange for lands west of the Mississippi. Osceola and many other Seminole were outraged by this treaty; Osceola reportedly stabbed the treaty with a dagger and said, "This is the only treaty I will make with the white man!".
In 1835 general and Indian agent Wiley Thompson humiliated Osceola by placing him in chains when he again refused to sign the treaty. Osceola was released when he pretended to submit. On December 28 1835 Osceola and 50 of his men ambushed Thompson outside Fort King and shot and scalped him and four other whites. Second Seminole War erupted.
Although Osceola was not an elected chief, his band of about 4,000 men successfully held over 200,000 United States Army troops at bay for over ten years by employing hit and run guerilla warfare tactics from bases deep within the wilderness swampland that was then central and south Florida.
On October 21October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. Events 686 Conon becomes Pope. 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats the leaders of rival Japanese clans in the Battle of Sekigahara, which marks the b 1837Events January 10 DePauw University founded in Greencastle, Indiana January 26 Michigan is admitted as the 26th U. State February 8 Richard Johnson becomes the first Vice President of the United States chosen by the United States Senate February 11 Americ, on the orders of General Thomas Sidney Jesup , Osceola was captured when he arrived for supposed truce negotiations in Fort Payton . He was imprisoned at Fort Marion , St. Augustine.
Osceola's capture by deceit caused uproar even among the white population and Jesup was publicly condemned. Opponents of the contemporary administration cited it as a black mark against the government.
In the next December Osceola and other Seminole prisoners were moved to Fort MoultrieFort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivans Island, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and motto (Palmetto State) of South Carolina. It was not yet complete an, South CarolinaSouth Carolina ( In Detail) (Full size) State nickname: Palmetto State Other U. States Capital Columbia Largest City Columbia Governor Mark Sanford Area Total Land Water % water Ranked 40th 82,965 km˛ 78,051 km˛ 4,915 km˛ 6% Population Total ( 2000) Densi. There painter George CatlinGeorge Catlin was an American Painter ( 1796- December_23, 1872) who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the American West. External link Catlin, George Catlin, George. met him and convinced him to pose for him for two paintings. Robert J. Curtis painted an oil portrait of him. These pictures inspired a number of other prints, engravings and even cigar store figures. Afterwards numerous landmarks, including Osceola CountyOsceola County is the name of several counties in the United States: Osceola County, Florida Osceola County, Iowa Osceola County, Michigan., Florida, has been named after him. See also Osceola (disambiguation).
Osceola died of malaria in January 20 1838 and was buried with military honors.