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Fire Ant Books
Osceola's Legacy
A bestselling, re-evaluation of a major Native American resistance leader. Named an Outstanding Book by the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights
Born in Alabama to a Muscogee/Creek Indian mother and an English father, Osceola, born Billy Powell, came to prominence in the 1830s for resisting the U. S. government's sweep into Florida. He protested the government's Florida Indian removal, killed a pro-emigration Indian leader and then made war on the US government.
Osceola's Legacy draws on a wealth of sources, including letters, diaries, and artifacts to bring this fascinating figure and the central role he played in the Second Seminole War into vivid focus. Of particular interest is a chapter on the forensic report on Osceola's grave as well as descriptions and the illustrations of his personal property at the time of his death.
Osceola's Legacy is significant for its genealogy and archaeological study of this Native American and his interaction with the federal government during the 1800s. The catalog of photographs of Osceola portraits and his personal possessions makes this a worthwhile reference book as well.
Born in Alabama to a Muscogee/Creek Indian mother and an English father, Osceola, born Billy Powell, came to prominence in the 1830s for resisting the U. S. government's sweep into Florida. He protested the government's Florida Indian removal, killed a pro-emigration Indian leader and then made war on the US government.
Osceola's Legacy draws on a wealth of sources, including letters, diaries, and artifacts to bring this fascinating figure and the central role he played in the Second Seminole War into vivid focus. Of particular interest is a chapter on the forensic report on Osceola's grave as well as descriptions and the illustrations of his personal property at the time of his death.
Osceola's Legacy is significant for its genealogy and archaeological study of this Native American and his interaction with the federal government during the 1800s. The catalog of photographs of Osceola portraits and his personal possessions makes this a worthwhile reference book as well.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
377 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
August 19, 2026
I found the idea of exploring all facets - literal and figurative - of a famous individual's legacy to be really interesting. The execution proved underwhelming. Great research and a kind of peak behind the curtain of how history is written, but a dry read.
The part I found most interesting was the Epilogue about the investigation of two artifacts alleged to have been Osceola's, but careful investigation determined both were frauds. The chapter about descendants of Osceola's family was also pretty important as there are a lot of erroneous trees on Ancestry.com
Be sure if you read this to get the revised edition from 2006, which is nearly 90 pages longer than the original, albeit without some of the images from the original.
The part I found most interesting was the Epilogue about the investigation of two artifacts alleged to have been Osceola's, but careful investigation determined both were frauds. The chapter about descendants of Osceola's family was also pretty important as there are a lot of erroneous trees on Ancestry.com
Be sure if you read this to get the revised edition from 2006, which is nearly 90 pages longer than the original, albeit without some of the images from the original.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review