A Bit of History
Attack at Fort King
While Major Dade’s company was being massacred on the way to Fort King, later the same day another attack occurred at the house of Erastus Rogers just outside of Fort King. About midafternoon on Monday the 28th a party of ten men were dining at the house of Erastus Rogers just outside of Fort King when they were attacked by Indians. While seated at the dinner table a volley of gunshots poured through the open door. Those not instantly killed, escaped through the windows. Five of the party fled to Fort King some 250 yards away while others fled to a nearby hammock and were shot down. The cook, a negro woman, hid in the house and survived. From the Jacksonville Courier:
The five of this party slain, were, General Thompson the Indian Agent, Lieutenant Constantine Smith, Erastus Rogers, Suggs and Hitzler. Through General Thompson were shot fifteen bullets, and sixteen through Rogers. The Indians scalped all, taking off the scalp clear around the head as far as the hair extended, and then beating in their sculls. The heads of Rogers and Suggs, were shockingly mangled. All this was done in open day-light, within 250 yards of Camp King – and in view of the 50 U.S. Troops there at the time
Although only 250 yards away, no one from the fort came to their aid due to most of the troops being on an expedition to a near by plantation. It was known that Osceola lead the Indian attack as his distinctive war whoop was recognized by friendly Indians who were at Fort King during the attack. General Thompson was Wiley Thompson, the U.S. Indian agent in April of 1835 that tried to depose Chief Micanopy and four other chiefs when they would not agree to move west was shot by Osceola with the gun that Thompson had giving Osceola as a gift.
After the raid, Osceola returned to the Seminole rejoined chiefs Jumper and Alligator in the south who had destroyed Dade’s force where they had a celebration of their success. It is said they passed around firewater captured from the white men and gave mocking speeches to the scalp of Wiley Thompson as they danced around the fire.