Battle of the Caloosahatchee

Battle of the Caloosahatchee
Part of Second Seminole War
A U.S. Army encampment in South Florida
Date July 23, 1839 Location Near mouth of Caloosahatchee River, Florida Result Seminole victory Collapse of the Macomb Treaty
Belligerents
United States	Seminole
Commanders and leaders
William Harney John Bigelow †	Abiaka Billy Bowlegs Chekaika
Strength
28	150
Casualties and losses
16 soldiers killed 4 civilian traders killed 2 Black Seminole scouts captured	None

The Battle of the Caloosahatchee, also called the Harney Massacre, was a battle that took place during the Second Seminole War on July 23, 1839. A large group of Seminole raiders attacked a trading post and U.S. Army encampment along the Caloosahatchee River.^[1] The U.S. Army troops were part of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Harney. The Seminole raiders were from various bands of Miccosukees, Muscogees, and "Spanish Indians". The battle happened because the Seminoles learned that the United States intended to violate the terms of the Macomb Treaty, a peace treaty they had recently negotiated with General Alexander Macomb that would allow them to remain in Florida.^[2] The Seminole warriors overran the trading post and encampment, killing most of the soldiers and civilian traders. Harney and some of his soldiers managed to escape at the last moment.^[3] The battle led to a resumption of fighting as the war would continue for three more years.