[6] In December 1854, Brevet Major William Hays took command of three companies from the 2nd Artillery Regiment serving in the area.

In January 1855, he moved most of his men to Fort Denaud and established it as his operational base and headquarters.

From there, patrols were sent out into Big Cypress Swamp to map out Indian villages as well as along Fisheating Creek.

[7] On January 18, 1856, a small army detachment was attacked on the river near Denaud and all but one of the soldiers were killed.

[2] The Caloosahatchee River flows through the center of the CDP, running west to tidewater at Fort Myers.