Powell's Battle,Riverbend Pk -Jupiter,FL
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BONSAIRAD
N 26° 56.137 W 080° 10.471
17R E 581948 N 2979571
This marker notes the 1st battle of the Loxahatchee.The actual battle field is about a half a mile west of it.The U.S. was routed in this battle and every officer was wounded.
Waymark Code: WM62BW
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 03/21/2009
Views: 29
POWELLS BATTLE
On January 15,1838,during the Second Seminole War.The Seminoles
met and defeated U.S. forces in the first battle of the Loxahatchee
River.Trying to end the war,Maj. Gen. Thomas Jesup brought several
columns of troops to south Florida, including Waterborne Everglades
Expeditionary Unit commanded by Navy Lt. Levin Powell. In search of
the Seminoles, Powell's unit entered the southwest fork of the Loxahatchee river in small boats, led by a captured Seminole woman. Marching west, they saw smoke trails rise from a cypress swamp encampment and were suddenly met by hot musket fire from Seminole warriors. A running fire fight in the swamp led by Chiefs Tuskegee and Halleck Hadjo ended at dark with the Seminoles slowly gaining control. Powell's small force of 80 sailors and soldiers, overpowered by a much larger force of Seminole swamp fighters, barely escaped with severe casualities. Only the leadership of Joseph Johnston prevented what could have been the "Powell Massacre". With news of the Seminole victory, Gen. Jesup and his main column of more than 1500 men headed southeast to confront the Seminoles in the Second Battle of the Loxahatchee River on January 24, 1838. See this
marker too