Part 5/12:
As Taylor’s forces advanced southward, they confronted fierce resistance from the Seminole and their allies. On the morning of December 25, 1837, Taylor’s troops found themselves entrenched in a trap along the shores of Lake Oki Chobi. Taylor believed that a direct assault could quickly overwhelm the 400 Seminole defenders. His forces, comprising around 800 men including experienced soldiers and artillery, quickly discovered that the dense terrain provided the Seminole with natural defenses.