only two miles from St. Augustine. Although they did not succeed to the extent of their wishes, yet they took and carried off all the blankets and other clothing which had been provided for a “large stock of negroes,” for the ensuing winter; and when about to fire the buildings, became alarmed by the approach of some neighboring whites, whom a negro had informed of what was going on, and fled without doing further mischief. They had intended to have carried off all the slaves, but were prevented by this circumstance. Wild Cat is said to have led the Indians in this expedition. People flocked in and garrisoned the place, and watched all night for the return of the Indians, who doubtless had not the most distant idea of repeating their visit. This led to one of those melancholy events, accounts of many of which are already upon our records. The news of the descent upon Col. Hanson's farm was carried immediately to Picolata, which caused Lieut. Graham to march with a small force for that place, hoping to surprise the Indians there, or in its vicinity. Accordingly, he approached it with great caution about 2 o'clock on the morning of the next day, not knowing that guards had been set to receive the Indians, should they return; and, unfortunately, being himself and company taken for Indians, were fired upon, and Serg. Wolcott was mortally, and Lieut. Graham severely wounded. On the same day, the post rider between Forts Fanning and Macomb was found murdered, quartered, and thrown into a pond. Every day adds new scenes to the tragedy. On the 1st day of November, as Lieut. Judd, with Mr. Falany and three dragoons, was proceeding from Fort Searle for St. Augustine, they were fired upon when near the eightmile-post, by Indians concealed in bushes along the road, by which a sergeant and one private were killed, and Mr. Falany and another private severely wounded. Lieut. Judd escaped, as it were, by a miracle. He rode with the wounded soldier till he fell from his horse, then dismounting, dragged him from the path, and the Indians being just upon him, concealed himself in the bushes until they gave up the chase. About the same time Col. Harney captured 12 Indians (women and children) near Fort Reid, on the St. John's. He found them in possession of 50 blankets, mostly new, pieces of calico, &c., supposed to have been taken from Indian Key, when it was destroyed in August last. Fort Hanson, 15 miles from St. Augustine, was abandoned about the 5 November, and in two or three hours after was burnt by the Indians. Early in December, Col. Harney, as much now the terror of the Seminoles as Col. Church was to the Wampanoags, or Daniel Boone to the Kikapoos, undertakes an expedition into the everglades. These much heard of and little known retreats extend over perhaps 100 square miles. They are an expanse of shoal water, varying in depth from one to five feet, dotted with innumerable low and flat islands, generally covered with trees or shrubs. Much of the water is shaded by an almost impenetrable saw-grass, as high as a man's head, but the little channels in every direction are free from it. It had been ong supposed, that upon the islands in some part of this district the Indians had their head-quarters, from whence they had issued upon their destructive expeditions. This suspicion amounted to a certainty a little before this, from the testimony of a negro named John, who had escaped from a clan in that region and come in at Cape Florida. He had been with the Indians since 1835, at which time he was captured by them from Dr. Grew. Therefore it was determined by Col. Harney to take John as a guide, and endeavor to strike an effectual blow upon them in their own fastness. Accordingly, with 90 men in boats, he set out to traverse that monotonous world, the everglades. John faithfully performed his promise, and led the armament directly to the island where the Indians were, which was at once surrounded, and 38 prisoners taken and 2 killed. It proved to be the band of CHAI-KI-KA, as "noted a rogue" as Tatoson of old. He it was, it is said, who led the party that destroyed Indian Key, and traitorously massacred Col. Harney's men at the Synebal. As direct evidence of the fact, upwards of 2,000 hollars' worth of the goods taken from Dr. Perrine's settlement were ideified, and 13 Colt's rifles lost at the Synebal were found; therefore, as an offset to those affairs, nine of the "warriors" were forthwith executed by hanging, and the tenth was preserved for a future guide. 496 MRS. MONTGOMERY KILLED. [BOOK IV. When Col. Harney came upon Chaikika's band, the chief was at a short distance from his people, chopping wood, and on discovering that the foe was upon them, fled with all his might for the high grass. Several soldiers started in pursuit, but he outran them all except a private named Hall. When he found he could not escape from him, and being unarmed, he faced about, and with a smile of submission on his face, threw up his arms, in token of surrender. This availed him nothing. Hall levelled his rifle, which sent a bullet through his skull into his brains, and he fell lifeless into the water but a little distance from the shore of the island! How like the fall of the great Wampanoag chief! Col. Harney had one man killed and five wounded, of whom negro John, the pilot, was one. There was great rejoicing at the success of Col. Harney all over Florida; and although his summary vengeance upon some of the prisoners called forth imprecations from many, those were drowned by the general burst of approbation; but this was damped in some degree by the loss of a very valuable and meritorious officer, who died immediately after the expedition returned from the everglades. This was Capt. W. B. Davidson, who died at Indian Key on the 24th of the same month, from disease engendered while upon that service. About this time, or previous to 23 December, Tiger-tail's son and brother, with several others, came in to Fort King and surrendered. The old chief himself was daily expected in also, but that expectation only amounted to a disappointment. Not long after these Indians came in, a party went to Fort Walker, between Micanopy and Newnansville, where they killed three negroes and wounded one white woman, without being molested. On the morning of the 29 December, a wagon was ordered to proceed from Fort Micanopy to Fort Wacahoota, and notwithstanding "positive orders had been given by the commanding general, forbidding any escort from post to post to consist of less than 30 men," but 11 went on this occasion. They were under the command of Lieuts. Sherwood and Hopson, and "as the morning was fine, a Mrs. Montgomery, wife of Lieut. Montgomery, rode out with them." This company had got scarcely three miles on the way when it fell into an ambush, and Mrs. Montgomery, Lieut. Sherwood, a sergeantmajor, and two privates were immediately killed. Lieut. Sherwood and a soldier sacrificed themselves to save Mrs. Montgomery, but it availed her nothing. Her husband arrived on the ground soon after, but she was dead, and a soldier was lying by her side in the agonies of death, but had strength enough to say to her husband, "Lieutenant, I fought for your wife as long as I could," and then expired! Mrs. Montgomery was an accomplished lady from Cincinnati, and had not been married but about three weeks. About the same time two wagoners were killed on the way from Pilatka to Fort Russell. They started in advance of the escort.-Such are some of the most prominent events of Florida warfare, which brings our account of it to the close of the year 1840. BIOGRAPHY BOOK V. AND HISTORY OF THE IROQUOIS OR FIVE NATIONS, AND OTHER NEIGHBORING TRIBES OF THE WEST. Nurslings of nature, I mark your bold bearing, The red levin flash and the thunder'a dread rattle, The din of the tempest, the yell of the battle, Nerve your steeled bosoms to danger and death.-J. R. DRAKE.` CHAPTER L Particulars in the history of the IROQUOIS or FIVE NATIONS-Extent of their dominions-Antiquities and traditions-Destroy the ERIES-War with the ADIRONDAKS -Specimen of their language-Account of the chiefs-GRANGUELE-BLACKKETTLE-His bloody wars with the French-ADARIO-His singular stratagem to unite his countrymen against the French-Destroys Montreal and near a thousand inhabitants-Dies in peace with the French-DEKANISORA a renowned oratorPEISKARET-The miraculous stories concerning him. History of the journey of Five Iroquois chiefs to England. THE great western confederacy of Indian nations has commonly been styled by the French, Iroquois, but generally by the English, the Five Nations t and sometimes the Six Nations; but either of the two latter appellations must be considered only as such, because we shall show, as we proceed, that they are not numerically true now, if they ever were. Five may have been the number which originally leagued together, but when that happened, if indeed it ever did, can never be known. It is a tradition that these people came from beyond the lakes, a great while ago, and subdued or exterminated the inhabitants of the country on this side. Even if this were the case, it "Le nom d'Iroquois est purement François, et a été formé du terme Hiro, qui signifie, l'ai dit: et par quel ces sauvages finissent tous leurs discours, comme les Latins faisoient autrefois par leur Dixi; et de Koué, qui est un cri, tantôt de tristesse, lorsqu'on le prononce en traînant, et tantôt de joye, quand on le prononce plus court. Leur nom propre est Agonnonsionni, qui veut dire Faiseurs de Cabannes; parce qu'ils les batissent beaucoup plus solides, que la plupart des autres sauvages." Charlevoix, i. 270-1, (sub anno 1646,) also Loskiel, 1. 2.-Heckewelder and Forster's Northern Voyages. "Ces barbares ne sont qu'une seule nation, et qu'un seul intérêt public. On pourroit les nommer pour la distribution du terrain, les Suisses de ce continent. Les Iroquois sont partager en cinq cantons, sçavoir les Tsonontolans, les Goyogoans, les Onnotagues, les Onoyouts, et les Agniés." (Lahontan, i. 35.) By the Agnies we are to understand Mohawks. |