Page 24 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 13/340

The Early Beginnings: The Period Before United States Acquisition

heavy casualities with Newnan’s troops taking scalps as well as
lives. The victory was not complete, however, and the Georgians
prepared a defensive barricade after being unable to dislodge the
Indians. Over the next several days the Indians gathered strength
while Newnan, with food and ammunition running low, waited for
relief. No relief came, and after a week Newnan organized his
weakened force for the retreat back to St. Johns. The expedition
returned to Picolata eighteen days after their departure. The force
was demoralized, sick and hungry. Indians harassed them during
the retreat. Eight men were killed, nine wounded and eight were
reported missing. Estimates ran as high as fifty Indians killed or
wounded, yet the expedition had not secured its objectives.20
Newnan’s failure did not diminish American desire for
Seminole land, and in early February 1813, a force of two hundred
and fifty Tennessee mounted volunteers under Colonel John
Williams moved into northern Florida. During this campaign,
which lasted about three weeks, Williams’ force destroyed close to
four hundred Indian houses, some two thousand bushels of corn
and several hundred cattle and horses. The Seminoles in the region
east of the Suwannee River were faced with starvation and their
strength was broken.21
It is likely that at this time, early February 1813, the Seminole
tribe under Halpatter Tustenuggee, called “Chief Alligator” by the
white men, left their East Florida settlement of Alligator Town
and moved south. This was the Seminole village of Alligator Town
(Halpata Tolophka) which was located in present-day Columbia
County. White settlers would later establish their own town of
Alligator near the Indian site, and it would become the seat of
government when Columbia County was created in 1832.
A description of the Indian village of Alligator was provided

20 Patrick, Florida Fiasco, pp. 200-210.
21 Mahon, History of the Second Seminole War, pp. 21-23.

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