Fort Meade in Polk County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument

Photographed By AGS Media, June 27, 2012

1. Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument

West face

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

(West face)
A group of United States Army soldiers led by Lt. Carlton engaged the Seminole Indians in what is known as the Willoughby Tillis Battle in this vicinity on June 14-16, 1856. These five men who lost their lives in this engagement are buried here.

(North face)
In memory of
Lt. Alderman Carlton
Lott Whidden
William Parker
killed
June 14, 1856
and
Robert F. Prine
George Howell
killed
June 16, 1856
and others who were wounded

(East face)
This monument
erected by descendants
of
Alderman Carlton

Erected 1964 by descendants of Alderman Carlton.

Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1856.

Location. 27° 45.031′ N, 81° 47.391′ W. Marker is in Fort Meade, Florida, in Polk County. Marker is on 2nd Street Southeast east of South Church Avenue, on the left when traveling east. The monument and burial site

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are located at Monument Park, a municipal park of the City of Fort Meade. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Meade FL 33841, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Christ Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Site of Fort Meade (approx. half a mile away); The W. Henry Lewis House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Florida 2000 Center of Population (approx. ¾ mile away); Fort Meade Veterans Memorial (approx. ¾ mile away); Historic Kissengen Spring (approx. 5.1 miles away); Homeland School (approx. 5.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Meade.

More about this monument. The monument is a large, four-sided, polished granite obelisk set upon an unpolished base. The south face of the monument is without text or markings. The obelisk is the central feature of Monument Park.

Regarding Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument. Cattle farmer Willoughby Tillis and his wife Celia Durrance Tillis, along with several children, established their homestead within a few miles from the garrison of Fort Meade in 1855. Unfortunately, the Third Seminole War began during that same year. During the Tillis Farm Battle (a.k.a. Battle of Peace River), the family safely took shelter

Photographed By AGS Media, June 27, 2012

2. Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument

North face

inside their home, from where Mr. Tillis and a Mr. Underhill fired their guns upon the Seminole contingent. The gunfire was heard at Fort Meade, which prompted Lt. Carlton and his men to enter the skirmish. (Some sources state a young boy or boys who were nearby and heard the gunfire ran to the Fort to alert the men.)

Among the wounded under the command of Lt. Alderman Carlton was his son, Daniel W. Carlton. The monument identifies Carlton's men as U.S. Army soldiers, but this appears to be incorrect. Multiple sources* were found which identify Lt. Carlton as commander with the Florida Mounted Volunteers militia.
*See links below, also the Florida Department of Military Affairs (http://dma.myflorida.com/?page_id=424).

Also see . . .
1. Carlton: A Goodly Heritage. Cracker Barrell website entry:
Spessard Stone details the history of Alderman Carlton and his family in this excerpt originally published in the Sunland Tribune of Tampa, FL. Issue 24 (November 1998) (Submitted on July 7, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida.)

2. Monument salutes volunteers in Indian War. Typescript of Hampton Dunn's syndicated news column "Photouring Florida", describes the monument's 1964 dedication in then-Wildwood Park (Submitted on July 7, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida.)

Photographed By AGS Media, June 27, 2012

3. Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument

East face

Additional keywords. Third Seminole War

Photographed By AGS Media, June 27, 2012

4. Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument

View of the west face

Monument Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By AGS Media, June 27, 2012

5. Monument Park

The Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument is seen in the background to the left.

Lieutenant Alderman Carlton image. Click for full size.

6. Lieutenant Alderman Carlton

Courtesy: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/117973

Credits. This page was last revised on March 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,589 times since then and 156 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 7, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.