Osceola
Seminole Patriot and Warrior
During the 1830's
Osceola led the Seminole people of Florida in a valiant attempt to resist U.S.
Government efforts to relocate them to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.
The
Seminole Wars were the longest and costliest Indians wars fought by the United
States
military at a cost of $50,000,000 and over 2,000 soldiers died-
Osceola's death at Fort Moultrie in
1838 foreshadowed the outcome of their struggle.
The majority of the Seminole
people were eventually forced from their traditional homeland-
The word Osceola is a corrupted
English pronunciation of the Seminole name for 'Black Drink Singer'.
During
purification rites, a Seminole warrior drinks a black liquid brewed from the
leaves of holly bushes.
The word 'Assin-ye-o-la' is the long drawn out cry that
accompanied the ceremonial drinking-
There is little known for sure about Osceola's early life.
Osceola
b. 1804 d. 30 - January - 1838
Fort Moultrie, SC
Osceola had a full military funeral
with rifle salute.
A marble stone was erected over the grave containing
the simple inscription, Patriot and Warrior.
By the 1880's the present
iron railing was installed.
Over the years the gravestone split in half and was
replaced by the current one in 1969.
The original gravestone is on exhibit at
the visitor center at Fort Moultrie, SC
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08/02/2015
