I've decided that the claim that Osceola was the "jewel of the west" is true. It developed before West Point and KC and was a major hub for westward expansion in the 1850s. As to the population figure, the 1860 census images is 46 pages long and lists 1,832 folks not counting slaves. The Slave Schedules are 4 pages long and list 165 male and 216 female slaves. So I guess to be technical about it that's 2,213. The St Clair County population less slaves was 6,235.

For comparison in 1870 post war Osceola population 970. County wide 6,742.
1850 county wide population was 3,109. The entire county was considered district 79 and no specific info for Osceola is listed.

As to the drunk story somewhere I read a diary entry that the leadership busted up a large store of whiskey and several soldiers filled their canteens as the whiskey ran down the hill. Now if I can just find the entry again. (I really did not expect this discussion to blossom but it strikes me there may be untapped stories to tell....)

I understand the confusion about the executions, there seems to be an early and persistent claim of 9 executed but I've not found what I would call a direct source for it.

John R.