Charles Rinaldo Floyd (October 14, 1797 – March 22, 1845) was an American planter, politician and military leader most famous for his leading the Trail of Tears out of Georgia and for his Okefenokee Campaign during the Second Seminole War.

General John Floyd built Bellevue Plantation within view of the marshes leading to Todd's Creek for his father, Charles.

He received a marine lieutenant's commission nonetheless, as discussed below, but was court martialed and suspended with pay in 1820 for caning a storekeeper who had insulted a sentinel.

[3] Charles and Julia and their children lived at Fairfield, a traditional two-story Southern style home, which his father gave them.

The Georgia militia cut off escape routes, then completely destroyed and burned the town and slaughtered more than 200 Indians, including women and children.

Floyd's family background and early training as a soldier resulted in a penchant for dueling, a practice he engaged in throughout his lifetime.

[4] In 1824, Floyd served as Commander of the Marine Honor Guard whose primary goal was to protect the Marquis de Lafayette when he arrived in New York City to tour the United States.

A neighbor, Edward Stevens Hopkins, allowed his slaves to capture and kill Floyd's cows that had roamed onto his property and trampled his patches of peas.

The true reason for the confrontation was that Edward S. Hopkins announced his name for election as Major of the 8th Battalion, First Regiment, Georgia Militia.

[4] In May 1838, under orders from Governor Gilmer, Charles Rinaldo Floyd commanded troops effecting removal of Cherokee Indians from northern Georgia.

[4] Indian families were rounded up and placed in internment camps before their forced march out West – clearly written about in textbooks today and well-documented as The Trail of Tears.

At his headquarters at New Echota he wrote to troops under his command, "A truly good soldier is known chiefly by his ready compliance with the orders of his superior – his valor in battle, and his humanity to the vanquished".

[9] Floyd was appointed brigadier general of the Georgia militia in October 1838 and ordered to meet five companies and chase a party of Seminoles out of the Okefenokee Swamp.

The Indian refugees had been forced north during the Second Seminole Wars, and their presence caused anxiety and conflict in the south Georgia.

He wrote that it was “a satisfaction to me to have performed what all other men have deemed impossible; to cross the Okefenokee with an army.”[10] However, Floyd was deeply disappointed the following year when the Georgia legislature appointed Peter Cone rather than himself as Major General of the state militia.

Canoes especially were a travel and sporting boat of choice in the area and they were manned by crews of strong slaves in races.