Battle of Loxahatchee (Seminole Victory)

This first of two battles along the Loxahatchee river (from the Seminole name meaning Turtle River) which were victories for Seminole forces during the Second Seminole War. Seminole forces led by Abiaki were estimated to be around 300 strong, defeating the US Army forces of 1500, and recovered a boat containing gunpowder left behind by the retreating party. The Seminole warriors attacked the US forces and then retreated into a swamp where they had good cover. As the US Army marched into the swamp to attack, the Seminole warriors wounded every single officer and the troops made a messy retreat. Involved in the conflict was Joseph E. Johnston who would later go on to fight in Bleeding Kansas and be the highest ranking US Army officer to resign at the outbreak of the Civil war to defect to the Confederate side.