Osceola

Seminole War Chief

By: Mike Harris

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Did you know that Seminole Indians were farmers who grew corn, raised cattle and ponies and didn't always live in a swamp? Did you also know that Osceola was born in 1804 as William 'Billy' Powell and was not a full-blooded Indian? In fact, he was part Creek, part Scots English, part black and half white. In the early 1800's, having slaves escape to Indian villages in Florida became a big problem for the U.S. government. To handle the problem, the government decided that all Seminole Indians would be moved out of Florida to a new 'Indian Territory' west of the Mississippi River. They offered tribes money for their cattle and ponies and agreed to transport them for free to new lands out west. Major General Edmond Gaines sent Army troops to Fowlstown, to arrest its Chief, Charley Neamalthia, for defying the authority of the government. It was into this period of Seminole history that Billy Powell was born. How his name was changed to Osceola and how he gained a reputation, not only with the Seminole Indians in Florida, but with people throughout the U.S., is what Osceola, Seminole War Chief, is all about.

Osceola

I like the story, but I’m not sure the author has done his homework. The research conflicts with other Internet sources.