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Class of 1833

Vol. I
p561 736

(Born Mas.)

John P. Center

(Ap'd Mas.)

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1829, to July 1, 1833, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 6th Infantry, July 1, 1833.

Served: on frontier duty at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1833‑36, — Ft.

(Second Lieut., 6th Infantry, Aug. 10, 1836)

Jesup, La., 1836, — Camp Sabine, La., 1836, — Caddo Country, 1836, — and Camp Sabine, La., 1836‑37; as Adjutant, 6th Infantry, Nov. 1 to

(First Lieut., 6th Infantry, Sep. 26, 1837)

Dec. 25, 1837, in the Florida War, being engaged against the Seminole Indians in the Battle of Okee-cho‑bee, where, by the enemy's concentrated deadly fire upon five companies of his regiment, while pressing forward to the attack, like a "moving battery," till nearly cut up and few were left uninjured, he was

Killed,1 Dec. 25, 1837: Aged 25.a

Buried, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, MO.

The Author's Note:

1 In the language of Colonel Z. Taylor's official despatch of the battle, " Indicates a West Point graduate, Class of 1824: a link to his biographical entry in Cullum's Register. Capt. Van Swearingen, Lieutenant Brooke, and Adjutant Center, who fell on that day, had no superior of their years in the service, and in point of chivalry ranked among the first in the army or nation."

Thayer's Note:

a Details of the engagement are given by Ganoe, The History of the United States Army, p181.

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