The Battle of Ouithlacoochie, otherwise known as the Battle of Withlacoochee was a battle in the Second Seminole War

Second Seminole War

The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...

 fought on December 31, 1835, along the Withlacoochee River

Withlacoochee River

Withlacoochee River may refer to:* Withlacoochee River , aka Withlacoochee River , which originates in Georgia but ends in Florida* Withlacoochee River , aka Withlacoochee River , which flows entirely through Florida...

 in Citrus County, Florida

Citrus County, Florida

Citrus County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 118,085. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 141,416 . Its county seat is Inverness, Florida...

.

Prelude

After the Dade Massacre

Dade Massacre

The "Dade Massacre" was an 1835 defeat for the United States Army that started the Second Seminole War, which lasted until 1842.On December 23, 1835, two U.S. companies of 110 troops under Major Francis L. Dade departed from Fort Brooke , heading up the King Highway on a resupply and reinforce...

, the Florida militia reached the Withlacoochee River, however an unexpected difficulty was found. The stream was deep and rapid, there was no bridge, and the only means of crossing was in a leaky canoe that would hold only four or five men. An effort was made to swim the horses over, but only two could be gotten across in that way. The crossing began at daylight, the regular soldiers going first, and at noon only 260 had crossed. They tried to make rafts, but there was no suitable wood. The men who could do so swam the river, and ammunition was carried over on a raft of tree logs.

Battle

The regulars and a few of the volunteers had crossed, when the Indians began a severe and unexpected fire. General Call, having made a footbridge of logs, was trying to get his men across as fast as possible when the attack began. He now left them with orders to cross is rapidly as they could, and crossed in the canoe himself while the fight was at the worst. As many of the volunteers as could do so crossed during the fight, and by their gallant conduct helped largely to win the day, for they prevented the Indians from getting between the regular troops and the river, and so cutting them off.