Mosquito Roarers
{{Short description|American militia company}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Mosquito Roarers
|image= Port Orange Sugar Mill Ruins plaque01.jpg
|caption= Dunlawton Plantation historical marker
|country= Florida Territory
|allegiance= United States
|type= Militia
|branch= Florida Militia
|dates= 1835-1840s
|size=Company
|battles=Second Seminole War
|notable_commanders= Maj. Benjamin Putnam
Lt. Dummett
|anniversaries=
}}
The Mosquito Roarers was an American militia company formed in Mosquito County, Florida. Called into service during the Fall of 1835, the militia became Company B of the Florida militia.{{cite web|last=Andrews|first=Mark|date=July 21, 1996|title=Mosquito Roarers Militia Saw Action In Battles of Second Seminole War|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1996-07-21-9607181402-story.html|url-access=limited|website=Orlando Sentinel}} They were involved in battles against the Seminole people.
History
The regiment's commanding officer was Major Benjamin Putnam{{Cite journal|url=https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/historical_architecture_main/7368/|title=Battle of Dunlawton Plantation Marker, Port Orange, FL|first=George|last=Taylor|date=February 23, 2013|journal=George Lansing Taylor Collection Main Gallery}}{{cite web|title=Marker Detail: Battle of Dunlawton Plantation|url=http://apps.flheritage.com/markers/markerDetail.cfm?id=565&keyword=&city=&county=|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Florida Historical Markers Programs, Florida Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State}} and companies were commanded by Lt. Douglas Dummett, the son of a local Halifax River plantation owner,{{Cite journal|url=https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/historical_architecture_main/7399|title=Ormond Tomb Marker Volusia Co, FL|first=George|last=Taylor|date=March 12, 2020|journal=George Lansing Taylor Collection Main Gallery}} James Ormond II, whose family Ormond Beach, Florida is named for,{{cite web|title=Marker Detail: Ormond Tomb|url=http://apps.flheritage.com/markers/markerDetail.cfm?id=574&keyword=&city=&county=|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Florida Historical Markers Programs, Florida Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State}} and Colonel Joseph Sanchez.
On December 21, 1835 the Mosquito Roarers, along with other companies, arrived at an outpost on the Tomoka River named Rosetta (named for the Rosetta Plantation owned by John Moultrie). Seminole Indians began later that month attacking plantations throughout New Smryna, Florida and the rest of Mosquito County.{{cite journal |last1=Sheldon |first1=Jane Murray |title=Seminole Attacks Near New Smyrna, 1835-1856 |journal=The Florida Historical Quarterly |date=1929 |volume=8 |number=4 |department=Article 5 |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1829&context=fhq}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/second-seminole-war/|title=Dec. 26, 1835: Second Seminole War, Largest Uprising of the Enslaved; Zinn Education Project|website=www.zinnedproject.org}}
On New Years eve of 1835, the Mosquito Roarers were present and took part in the Battle of Ouithlacoochie along the Withlacoochee River in present-day Citrus County, one of the first major battles of the Second Seminole War. The Mosquito Roarers aided in providing cover for the US Army as their troops ferried themselves and supplies across the banks.
On January 17, 1836 the Mosquito Roarers were involved in another confrontation with the Seminole Indians on Dunlawton Plantation in present-day Port Orange, Florida. This skirmish was eventually put to an end when Coacoochee arrived with more Seminoles and forced the Mosquito Roarers to retreat.{{cite journal |last1=Bittle |first1=George C. |title=First Campaign of the Second Seminole War |journal=The Florida Historical Quarterly |date=July 1967 |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=43–44 |url=http://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/ucf%3A22409 |access-date=10 March 2023}}
After the conclusion of the Second Seminole War, the Mosquito Roarers remained relatively active as support for local sheriffs and law enforcement when hunting criminals and stopping disturbances.
References
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Category:Militia of the United States
Category:Military units and formations in Florida
Category:Year of establishment missing
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