, written in 1898 by Capt. Charles HE Coe

   After months of warfare Osceola, in company with Wild Cat and other chiefs was persuaded, under a flag of truce, to meet General Thomas Jesup on October 2, 1837, at St. Augustine.

   With that grave dignity characteristic of the red man, dressed in costume becoming their station, with as courtly a bearing as ever graced kings, heralding their white flags they approached the place of meeting.

   History verifies the Seminole account of this blot on our nation that, as the officers approached, they asked of Osceola: "Are you prepared to deliver up the Negroes taken from the citizens? Why have you not surrendered them as promised by your chief Cohadjo?"

   According to history this promise had been made by a sub-chief and without the consent of the tribe. A signal, preconcerted, was at this moment given and armed soldiers rushed in and made prisoners of the chiefs.

   An account of this violated honor, given by the venerable John S. Masters of St. Augustine, Florida, is opportune at this point. The old soldier, in speaking of the affair, said "I was one of the party sent out to meet Osceola when he was coming to St. Augustine under a flag of truce."

   "Did you honor that truce?" he was asked. "Did we? No sir; no sooner was he safe within our lines than the order to seize him, kill if necessary, was given, and one of the soldiers knocked him down with the butt of his musket.

   "He was then bound and we brought him to Fort Marion and he was put in the dungeon. We were all outraged by the cowardly way he was betrayed into being captured."

   Osceola, with the other chiefs, was confined for a short time at St. Augustine, but the daring savage was too valuable a prize to trust on Florida territory, and he was taken to Fort Moultrie where he died January 30, 1838, at the age of thirty four years.

   Thoroughly and thrillingly dramatic was the death scene of the noble Osceola as given by Dr. Weedon, his attending surgeon. Confinement no doubt hastened his death, and his proud spirit sank under the doom of prison life. 

   He seemed to feel the approach of death, and about half an hour before the summons came he signified by signs - he could not speak - that he wished to see the chiefs and officers of the post.

   Making known that he wished his full dress, which he wore in time of war, it was brought him, and rising from his bed he dressed himself in the insignia of a chief. Exhausted by these efforts the swelling heart of the tempest-tossed frame subsided into stillest melancholy. With the death sweat already upon his brow, Osceola laid down a few minutes to recover his strength.

  Then, rising as before, with gloom dispelled, and a face agleam with smiles, the young warrior reached forth his hand and in dead silence bade each and all the officers and chiefs a last farewell.

   By his couch knelt his two wives and his little children. With the same oppressive silence he tenderly shook hands with these loved ones. Then signifying his wish to be lowered on his bed, with slow hand he drew from his war belt his scalping knife which he firmly grasped in his right hand, laying it across the other on his breast.

   In another moment he smiled away his last breath, without a struggle or a groan.

   In that death chamber there was not one tearless eye. Friends and foes alike wept over the dying chief.

   Osceola died as he lived - a hero among men. 

   Image: Portrait of Osceola, painted by American Artist George Catlin at Fort Moultrie, January 1838.