The sound of cannon fire filled the air as the 17th annual commemoration of the end of the Second Seminole War was celebrated at St. Francis Barracks, Florida, on August 17, 2024. The ceremony is a yearly tradition hosted by the Florida National Guard to honor fallen participants of the Florida Seminole War.
The Florida National Guard welcomed community members to witness the march of the color guard and ceremony participants from St. Francis Barracks to the St. Augustine National Cemetery, where a service was held. This year's participants included members of the Masonic Fraternity, St. Augustine High School ROTC program, Seminole Wars Foundation Inc., Peace River Artillery, and others.
“It's important to know history,” said Christopher Kimball, a member of the —. “It's about who we are and where we came from; what we are today. I was in the Army during Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Army Adjutant Corps. I just like researching the history and the history of people buried in the back here and what we can find out about them.”
Some participants like Kimball have been active in the ceremony for many years. It is an annual tradition that resonates with locals as they learn and preserve history pivotal to the state's foundation. The event began when retired Lt. Col. Greg Moore, a command historian for the Florida National Guard, invited West Point graduates to St. Augustine to learn about the Seminole War gravesite.
“We don’t want anyone to forget the men whose names are engraved into this cemetery,” said Alison Simpson, command historian of the Florida National Guard. “They mostly were active duty Soldiers but there were Florida Soldiers that were killed in combat during this war as well. My role is to talk about their history so their names aren’t lost.”
The grave site was created in 1842 when remains from those who participated in the war were transported to St. Augustine cemetery. This relocation allowed families access to their loved ones' remains as battlefields were otherwise inaccessible to the public. This public grave site is considered one of its kind's oldest in the nation, preceding even the National Cemetery System developed in the 1860s.
“Remembering people is most important,” said Kimball. “If it wasn't for research done by the National Guard and others involved who share a passion for history, these might be names lost to history. We've had people come up at events saying my ancestors are among those buried here. It's good to have that human connection.”
The Seminole Wars impacted not only Florida's history but continue influencing military history today, changing tactics, military organizations, and communities' establishment methods.
“We are still taking away lessons learned from mid-18th-century wars in Florida,” said Simpson. “I have met many Soldiers throughout my time with the Florida National Guard passionate about their history. I encourage our Soldiers and Airmen to pursue their unit's history as most likely whatever city they serve has a connection to this period.”