After Soto and his army landed on Tampa Bay, they immediately traveled north to the Tallahassee area where they spent the winter of 1539-40. But they were under attack the entire time.
In a hurry to find precious metals and large agricultural societies, Soto force marched his army up the peninsula passing present-day Ocala, Gainesville, and Lake City camping near Indian villages. Soto usually captured village leaders, holding them hostage to obtain food, porters, and guides from their followers. They arrived in Tallahassee taking over the recently deserted capital village of the Apalachee Indians and built a stockade for protection. Apalachee archers were renowned for their size and strong bows, and they made life miserable for the Spanish every time they ventured outside their fort.
Archaeologists have found the site of Soto’s winter encampment and traces of their stay such as broken jars, crossbow tips, coins, and chain mail. They found no trade goods such as glass beads or iron hatchets, reflecting only the daily life of the army behind their stockade.
Unearthing Florida is a project of WUWF Public Media, the Florida Public Archaeology Network(FPAN), and its founder, Dr. Judith Bense, since 1998. FPAN's Michael Thomin is a contributor to the program. WUWF's Sandra Averhart is the executive producer.
