The Case of Oceola’s Missing Head
December 1837
When a full moon falls on the day of his death, the headless ghost of Osceola rises from his grave and roams the grounds of Fort Moultrie searching for his lost head.
1838 painting by George Catlin
(Smithsonian American History Museum)
After his capture, Chief Osceola, along with several other Seminole chiefs, warriors, women and children were held in Fort Marion in St. Augustine. In early December of 1837 Chief Wild Cat (Coacoochee) along with sixteen warriors and two women escaped from Fort Marion.[1] Osceola was sick at the time and was reported why he did not escape with the others although it was Osceola who reported the escape to the commander and told General Jesup that he and his people could had also escaped but choose not to do so.#40
Concerned that Osceola and the other captives may escape, General Jesup ordered Osceola and the remaining prisoners to be sent to the more secure Fort Moultrie in Charleston. The Seminoles held at Fort Marion were reluctant to go as Dr. Frederick Weedon, who was attending the Indians at Fort Moultrie, wrote in his personal diary:
On the Day I met Capt. Morrison on his waw to the Fort he Informed me (what I new) that the Indians was unwilling to go to Charlston… Capt. M told Micanopa that they must & should go… there was an impression amongst them that they were to be carried to Charleston and there to be killed. I went to their Room, they expressed great unwillingness at going to Charleston; ask if I would go with then, if compeld to go. I evaded an answer
[1] Growing up in Gainesville, Florida we had Florida History taught in the fourth grade in which the 4th grade classes took a field trip to Fort Marion, or Castillo de San Marcos as it was then called after the original name was restored in 1942. As part of Florida 4th grade history I remember being taught the story how Osceola was held in the fort where he starved himself to be so thin that he was able to escape between his prison bars. As we toured the grounds of the fort, we came upon a door with bars in it and a life size picture of Osceola behind the bars. Outside the door was a stand with a plaque about Osceola being held in the room. At lunch with my brother in 2025 I asked my brother if he knew who Osceola was and he said sure, he had learned about him in 4th grade Florida history class and then repeated the story about how he starved himself to be thin enough to escape. As it turns out, I learned in writing this story that Osceola never escaped from Fort Marion although Chief Wild Cat and others did, and not be starving themselves, but by filing through the iron bars. Osceola, Chief Micanopy along with other Seminole warriors, women and children were shipped to Fourt Moultrie in South Carolina after the others escaped.