Rick Modine Oral History Collection
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Alternative Title
Richard "Rick" Modine Oral History Interview 04 of 05
Interviewer
Terry Lee Howard
Publication Date
9-17-2025
Abstract
Richard R. “Rick” Modine Jr. recounts the Willoughby Tillis Battle of 1856 during the Third Seminole War, speaking in the voice of his great-grandfather, Wright Carlton. Drawing from family accounts and historical reports, Modine narrates the story of his ancestor, Lieutenant Alderman Carlton, who led a small volunteer militia from Hillsborough County to defend settlers after Seminoles attacked the Tillis homestead near Fort Meade. The account details the defense of the Tillis family cabin, the cavalry charge led by Carlton and his men, and the intense skirmish that followed, resulting in several casualties on both sides, including Carlton’s own death. Through vivid retelling, Modine preserves the experiences of Florida’s early pioneer families, their role in local militia efforts, and the broader conflicts between settlers and Seminoles that shaped mid-nineteenth-century Florida.
Document Type
Oral History
Keywords
Willoughby Tillis Battle (1856), Third Seminole War (1855-1858), Florida--History--Seminole Wars (1817-1858), Frontier and pioneer life--Florida, Homesteading, Family heritage, Militia, Cattle branding, Battle of Bushy Creek (1836)
Extent
00:14:59; 5 page transcript
Subject: geographic
Fort Meade (Fla.); Hillsborough County (Fla.); Lowndes County; (Ga.); Ocala (Fla.); Gainesville (Fla.); Peace River (Fla.); Alafia Settlement (Fla.)
Language
English
Digital Date
2025
Format
Digital only
Identifier
rick_modine_ohp-1003
Recommended Citation
Modine, Richard, "Rick Modine Oral History Interview 04 of 05" (2025). Rick Modine Oral History Collection. 4.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/rick_modine_ohp/4
Rights Statement
