Signed Copies of Early History of Gadsden County, Florida

Just a reminder that if you are looking for a unique Christmas gift this holiday season, copies of The Early History of Gadsden County are available through the West Gadsden Historical Society.

Profits from the book benefit their efforts to preserve and interpret the history of all of Gadsden County, efforts in which they do an outstanding job. They can be purchased in Gadsden County at the following locations:

• Padget Jewelers - Quincy
• Twin City News - Chattahoochee
• Planters Exchange - Havana

Mail order forms for this and other books available through the historical society can be found on their website at www.gadsdenhistory.org.

If you prefer to order online, you can do that at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/dalecox. All order service is now provided by Amazon.com and there is still time to receive your book by Christmas.

Battle of Ocheesee, Florida

I've launched a new webpage that might be of interest as it relates to events in Gadsden County.

The Battle of Ocheesee took place 192 years ago this week, during the opening days of the First Seminole War. Seminole and Creek warriors, flush from major victories at Scott's Massacre in Gadsden County and the Battle of Blunt's Town in Calhoun County converged on the Apalachicola River to stop a small flotilla of supply boats from making its way upstream to Fort Scott (on today's Lake Seminole).

The fighting left at least two U.S. soldiers dead and 13 wounded and resulted in the boats being pinned down in the middle of the Apalachicola River between today's Torreya State Park and Ocheesee Bluff for more than five days. The battle involved the largest number of Indian warriors of any engagement of the First Seminole War.

To read more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ocheese1.