470

THE INSULT TO OSCEOLA.

[BOOK IV lotte Harbor-Fort Micanopy besieged-Death of officers-Lighthouse affairBATTLE OF WELIKA-Creeks and Cherokee affairs-Indians surprised-Murders -BATTLE OF SAN FELASCO-Col. Lane's Expedition-His melancholy death— Gov. Call in command-BATTLES OF THE WA100 SWAMP-Gen. Jesup resumes command-His expedition to the Wahoo.

THE murder of Hogtown, to which we have before alluded, was a serious crisis. It very much hastened hostilities, from the outrageous nature of the case. The additional facts to those we have already given are these. There were eight Indians belonging to the party, and in their wanderings they had killed a cow which did not belong to them, near Deamond's Pond. A part of them, on the 19th of June, being encamped at a sink-hole where there was water, about 3 miles from Kenapaha Pond, are fallen upon by a gang of whites, seven in number, who seized as many of the guns belonging to the Indians as they were able, and then commenced whipping them. Two of the Indians had gone out upon a hunt, and returned while this business was in progress. They made a shot upon the whites, wounding one of them, and in their turn they fired upon the two Indians, killing one, named Fure, and mortally wounding the other, named Lechotichee. Here the rencontre seems to have ended.

A great cry was now raised along the Indian border, and the surviving Indians, who had done all of this mischief, were demanded of the chiefs by the agent. They were readily surrendered, the whole surviving six, and thrown into prison, where they remained over thirty days, while their accusers were left at perfect liberty to commit other outrages, and to make preparations for convicting the Indians at the trial which was supposed to await them; but it does not appear that any trial ever took place, and my informant says, that the balance of proof was so much against the whites that they were glad to "dodge the question;" and hence we suppose the Indians were set at liberty. But could any rational man suppose that an outrage of such a flagitious character would pass without retaliation? It followed, but not immediately. On the 11 August, a private, named Dalton, carrying the mail between Fort Brook and Fort King, was met on his route and killed. Some seized his horse by the rems, while others dragged him off and shot him. When found, his body bore evidence of savage vengeance, being nearly torn in pieces. The party committing this act are immediately demanded by Gen. Clinch, and the chiefs promised they should be surrendered, probably without any intention of so doing. They were Mikasaukies, and having fled among the Redsticks of the Ouithlacooche, could not be found. If the Indians did not avow this murder to be in revenge for that of Fuxe and Lechotichee, it was known to be so.

The Indians were now, if possible, treated with greater contumely than before, and Osceola, about this time, went to the agent to complain of some ruthless villain who had been guilty of grossly illtreating some of his people. It so happened that some white person had, only the preceding day, made a similar complaint against the Indians; which complaints were, it is said, occasioned by the affair at Hogtown. The general therefore, having prejudged the case, as good as told Osceola he lied, and that it was his men who were guilty of outrage. An altercation ensued, and this was the time, we are told, that this chief was seized, manacled, and placed in the guard-house of the garrison; the circumstances of which have already been related, agreeably to the then existing information.

We now pass to the events of the war, taking up the subject where it had been suspended in the summer of 1836.

One of the divisions of the army under Gen. Clinch marched from Tampa for Fort Drane on the 14th of April, 1836. After a march of three days, they came within four miles of Fort Cooper, where Major Cooper had been left with his Georgia battalion. Having encamped, Gen. Clinch detached his two mounted companies under Capt. Malone of the Washington corps, with wagons, to Major Cooper, and instructions to join him. When this detachment had proceeded about two or three miles, it was fired upon by Indians concealed in a hommock near the road, and Mr. Howard and Cornet Dunsan of the Washington troops were wounded; the former with three shot, and the latter with one in the leg. Both probably recovered. Capt. Malone

immediately sent to Gen. Clinch for a reënforcement, on the arrival of which no Indians were to be found. The detachment then proceeded to Fort Cooper, which had been attacked for 13 days together, but with a loss only of one man, Mr. Zarock Cook, of the Morgan Guards.

At the same time Gen. Clinch marched from Tampa, Col. Lindsay left also upon a scout, and while crossing the Hillsborough River, the Indians fired upon him, killing Mr. James Branham of the Alabama volunteers. Gen. Clinch made but a short stay at Fort Cooper, when he returned to Fort King, where he arrived on the 25th; having had one man wounded, a Mr. Bostick of the Jefferson troop. At the same time Col. Goodwin burns a large Indian town on Peas Creek; and only two days after, a company of Indians attack Fort Drane, make prisoners of several negroes, and carry off a number of horses. Scarcely a day passed at this period without some tale of blood. Gen. Scott, on his march near Ocklawaha, is attacked in his camp on the 22d of April, and two of his men are wounded. Two days after, the general surprises a party of Indians about 23 miles from Volusia, but they all escape, leaving, however, their horses and packs to the victors.

At Charlotte Harbor, on the 28th of April, the Indians make thorough work, killing Dr. Creus, the collector of that port, "and all the people residing there." They next appear with great boldness before St. Marks, but retire without doing any other damage than frightening the people. About the middle of May depredations were committed within two miles of Mandarin, on the St. John's. They killed and scalped a Mr. Motte, a highly respectable gentleman from New York, and burnt his house and other buildings.

On the 7th of June the Indians burn the extensive sugar-works belonging to Gen. Clinch, together with 70 hogsheads of sugar, and a great amount of other property; and at the same time they burn also the sugar-house of Col. M'Intosh, of Oakland. The next day about 150 warriors invest Fort Micanopy, in which was Major Heillman and 70 or 80 men. After some preparations, a sortie was made, and the Indians dispersed. The whites had five men wounded and one killed. Major Heillman had been an active and valuable officer, but his term of service expired with his death, which took place at Micanopy on the 27th of the same month; and but a few days before, (June 15th,) Lieut. Wheelock had put an end to his own existence with his rifle. His duties had been so arduous that he was overcome by an aberration of mind, in which condition he committed the fatal act.

On the 23d of July the Seminoles attack and burn the lighthouse on Cape Florida; the keeper, a Mr. J. W. B. Thompson, is most surprisingly delivered from death, though not till he had been forced to drink deep of the cup of its agonies. On the 1st of August the express rider is cut off between Newnansville and Micanopy.

Some time in June, the unhealthiness of Fort Drane having been represented to Gov. Call, an order was given for its evacuation. About the 18th of July, a train of 22 wagons left that place, with stores and munitions for Fort Defiance, Micanopy, at 8 o'clock in the morning, escorted by 26 dragoons, under Capt. Ashby, and 36 artillerists, detailed from different companies; in all 62 men. They had a five and a half inch howitzer, under the charge of Lieut. Whitly. On the arrival of the train at Welika Pond, within a mile of its destination, as usual, the first notice of Indians was from a salute from their rifles, by which one man was mortally wounded. The place whence the discharge proceeded was scoured, but the Indians had gone. The force inoved on, and at about a quarter of a mile from Micanopy, as it was passing a long hommock, a tremendous fire was poured upon the whole column from 250 Indians, as was supposed; their line extending a quarter of a mile. Soon after Capt. Ashby was severely wounded, but continued in action until compelled to retire from loss of blood. The firing brought out to their relief two companies from Micanopy, 31 strong, under Lieuts. Talcott and Temple, who endered very important service. The Indians stood their ground until disodged by a charge, which was not until the fight had been considerably pro

I have published Mr. Thompson's narrative of the affair in my Collection of Indian Nar ratives a very proper appendix to this work.

472

CREEKS AND CHEROKEE AFFAIRS.

[Book IV

tracted. Of the whites 11 were killed and wounded; of the Indians' loss no account was obtained.

On the morning of the 8th of August fell Major Williams, near St. Arthur's Bridge, on his way from Black Creek to Nonardsville. There were 200 Indians, it is said, who did this single act, and although Mr. Williams had a son-in-law with him, he was suffered to escape; they were so elated that they had killed the man who struck the first blow in this wretched war, that they thought of no further retaliation at that time. The reader will, doubtless, readily remember the 19th of June, 1835, and the paralle! case of Capt. Chubb.

It is a relief, in pursuing general history, to be able to meet with some thing besides scenes of blood, but in particular history we are confined to the course of events, which when they lead us to nothing but the most dreaded scenes, we have no choice; we do not make events, only record them. For a moment our attention will be drawn to the Creek and Cherokee countries. Much was said about the more northern Indians going down into Florida and joining the Seminoles, and it was even said that the Seminoles had sent a messenger to the shores of the great lakes with invitations to the Indians in those regions to join them. It may be true. We are told that Gen. Gaines did not disbelieve it, but we have never heard that any came down from thence. The Creeks were adjacent, and it was easy for them to effect such a junction. Accordingly, on the 5th of July, a considerable body of them was discovered making their way towards Florida, which the people of Stewart county, Georgia, endeavored to prevent. They followed them about three days, and had about as many skirmishes with them. The final result was, each party was glad to be rid of the other. One of the whites was wounded, and three Indians were said to have been killed; the former being satisfied to display the remainder of their courage on paper.

On the 16th of July, 2,400 Cherokees were shipped at Montgomery, Alabama, for the Arkansas. In such a vast assemblage of people, forced from the land of their fathers, it would be very strange if there were not some who should show an unwillingness to go. How such unwillingness had been manifested we are not informed, but at this time "some 12 or 15" men were "shackled with heavy irons to prevent their rising." One of them was determined not to submit to such felonious indignity, and, wrenching himself from the grasp of his tormentors, seizes a club, and knocking down one with a 'blow on the head, gives the war-whoop and attempts an escape. Alas! his struggle is fraught with certain death; he is shot down, and instantly expires. Another is pierced with a bayonet, for what no mention is made; he dies in a few hours after. On the evening of the same day three had escaped from those who guarded them. Soon after one was retaken, brought in in a cart, and as he was thus conveyed along the streets, he cut his own throat, and expired without a groan! To such deeds of desperation does this work of expulsion lead.

About the 2d of August, a small party of Indians struck a small settlement on the Oscilla River, which flows into Appalachee Bay, and about 40 miles from Tallahassee, killed two men, took a boy, and burnt a house. Collecting what spoil they could, they decamped; but being immediately followed by Capt. Fisher's company, they abandoned the boy and plunder, and secured themselves in a hommock, and the whites marched back victorious.

On the 16th of this month, Major Pierce, with 110 men, marched from Gary's Ferry to attack a body of Indians, who, he had learned, were in possession of Fort Drane. He was fortunate enough to come upon them undiscovered, but such was the alertness of the Indians, that they escaped with small loss; 4 or 5, being badly wounded, fell into the hands of the whites, who, to add lustre to their exploit, barbarously put some of them to death. Osceola was there, and to his sagacity we may impute the small success of his enemies.

On the 15th of September we meet with a melancholy account of depredations. At 10 o'clock in the morning of this day, a Mr. Higginbotham arrived at Jacksonville from his late residence at Cedar Swamp, a distance of 7 miles, without a hat and almost exhausted. His house had been attacked

at daybreak by a party of Indians. He had two men and nine guns, with which before he left they had been able to silence the Indians. A number of citizens immediately volunteered, and marched for the scene of action, under Major Hart. They found Mr. Higginbotham's family safe, and firing having been heard the night before in the direction of a Mr. M'Cormick's, they proceeded there, and found it had been burnt down; and its ruins were yet smoking. Among them they found the remains of a human being. This was 18 miles from Jacksonville. Thence following the Indians' trail, they came to the house of Mr. Lowder, 7 miles farther. It was abandoned by its owners but very recently, as fire was still burning in the kitchen. Here the Indians had done no mischief. Proceeding thence, the detachment, in four miles, came to Mr. Sparkman's, where a tragedy was opened to their view. They found Mrs. Johns, who had lived in Mr. M'Cormick's house, her scalp taken off, and dreadfully wounded with two bullets; yet she was alive, and able to communicate the particulars of the horrid tragedy through which she had passed. She and her husband were about 20 yards from their own door when they discovered the Indians emerging from the corner of a fence close by them. They ran for the house, entered it, and closed the door; at the same moment the Indians fired on the house, and shortly after they hailed them in English, and told them if they would come out they should not be hurt. They not choosing to trust them, the Indians next looked through between the logs of the house, and ordered them, in a peremptory manner, to come out, but they still refused, and begged for their lives. The Indians then charged the house, burst open the door, shot Mr. Johns through the head, and Mrs. Johns as before related; he fell dead, and she fell upon his body. An Indian then seized her, and dragged her out of the house, and soon after dragged her in again; and after tearing the band and comb from her hair, applying his scalping-knife to her head, and fire to her garments, left her; and to make a more sure mark of his vengeance, he next set fire to the house, and then they all drew off. They carried away a portmanteau containing 100 dollars, and every thing else they thought of any value. As soon as they were out of hearing, the wretched woman raised herself up and crept from the burning building; saw the body of her husband lying unscalped. She fainted and fell, again and again, but finally reached the edge of a swamp not far distant, where she got some water, and lay down with hopes no greater than her strength. In this situation she was found by the scout above mentioned, and eventually recovered.

On the morning of the 17 September, a party of about 100 Indians came within a mile of Fort Gilleland, on the Picolata road, took a cart from some teamsters, and carried it off a piece, then set it on fire. Col. John Warren sallied out from the fort with 150 men, in the direction of San Felasco hommock, where he had reason to believe the Indians were posted. One hundred of his men were mounted, and of his number was a company of artillery, with a 24 pound howitzer. He could meet with none of the Indians that day. Early the next morning he sent out spies; but they soon returned with no intelligence of the enemy; yet so well convinced was he that the Indians were at Felasco, that he divided his men into three columns, and marched on in order of battle. When they came within about three quarters of a mile of the hommock, they found the Indians in their own peculiar order of battle; and they rose up and poured upon the whites a sharp though not a destructive fire. And we have very seldom heard of so much manoeuvring and fighting, without greater execution, on any former occasion. The battle having lasted an hour and a half, but one of the whites was killed, and four or five wounded; the Indians lost none that their enemy were certain of, though they report that they saw a great many fall. In the first of the onset the Indians made an attempt to turn the left flank of the Americans, "but were charged on with spirit and success by Lieut. Col. Mills's command, and driven into a thick oak scrub, who then dismounting and charging on them, drove through this into the border of the hommock, when the artillery played upon them with considerable effect; after this they retired to the right, and attempted to turn that wing, but a charge from Capt. Walker and Lieut. Bruten's command, drove them within the range of the artillery again, which opened upon them with

474

BATTLE OF SAN FELASCO.

[Book IV

great effect." They made several desperate attempts to maintain their posi tion, and charged twice on the artillery, but were beaten off at all points, and began a retreat. They were pursued a mile and a half into a dense hommock, and then abandoned. Thus ended the battle of San Felasco Hommock, as it was called. The Indians were reckoned at 300 men. Several of the officers under Col. Warren were highly commended for their bravery and good conduct, in his official account of the battle; especially Adj. Gilleland, Capt. D. D. Tompkins of the artillery, Capts. Beekman, Walker, and Ward, Lieuts. Bruten and Hindly.

About this time, the distinguished Creek chiefs, Paddy Carr and Jim Boy, arrive in Florida, with 950 of their warriors, to assist in subduing the Seminoles.

On or before the 28 September, about 50 Indians, supposed to be Creeks, attacked a house, near Orange Pond, and killed a Mr. Uptegrove and his wife. She at first escaped from the house, but they pursued her, overtook and killed her. A Mr. Hunter, living in the same house, escaped to a pond, and by burying himself almost entirely in water for 24 hours, they supposed him to be drowned; by which artifice he preserved his life.

The next day, namely, September 29th, Col. Lane landed at Tampa, with a force of whites and friendly Indians, from Apalachicola. Hearing that the Indians were committing depredations in the neighborhood, he marched immediately, with 12 mounted men and 100 Indians, to beat up their quarters. A rapid march of 12 miles brought them to Indian River, where they discovered the enemy on the opposite side. The friendly Creeks had not come up, and though there were near 200 Indians to oppose them, yet they engaged them, and for 15 minutes the skirmish was sharp and obstinate. The Creeks, under Maj. Watson, now arrived, and the Seminoles began to relax; they, however, maintained their order for a mile and a half, when they separated and fled in every direction, and night ended the pursuit. This battle was on the 30 of September, after which the colonel returned with his command to Tampa. An act of self-devotedness occurred in this fight, not of a very common character on record: A Mr. Kelly was standing near Col. Lane, when he observed an Indian taking deliberate aim at him; having just discharged his own gun, he saw no chance of saving the life of his commander, but by receiving the ball himself, which he did by instantly throwing himself between him and the Indian. Kelly received the ball and fell; happily he was not mortally wounded.

On the 10 of October, Col. Lane set out on another expedition from Tampa, and, on the 14th, after a march of 50 or 60 miles, he came in full view of Oloklikana, or Spotted Lake, which stretched off to the north as far as the eye could reach, dotted here and there with beautifully-wooded islands. Here they fell upon a fresh trail, and soon after a village, but it was abandoned. In another direction their trail led them to a ford, 200 yards over, which they passed by wading and swimming,-having left their horses behind, beyond which they came to extensive cornfields, some cattle and ponies, and a village; but no Indians yet. Passing the village, the trail led to a marsh, near a mile in extent, covered with soft mud and water; but it was no barrier to the Creeks, and they dashed into it at once, and were followed by the whites. They were often waist high in mud, from which hav ing extricated themselves, found they had reached a fine island, and the trail still continuing southerly. Here were a village, domestic animals and utensils, and the scalps of several white people. Not far from hence they came to another village, which, with the former, contained above a hundred houses. Another half mile brought them to the shore of a pond, skirted with a thick scrub, of near three fourths of a mile in extent. Here the Seminoles had made a stand, and began the attack by a volley of rifle-balls. A fight, now begun, was kept up for about half an hour, when a charge from the Creeks put them to flight, and they were soon covered by a hommock, and were followed no farther. But one of the whites was wounded, and whether any of the Creeks were killed or wounded, we are not told by their white associates. Of the loss of the enemy, they of course knew nothing, which no doubt amounted to the saine. The whites destroyed about a hundred