The Portland gazette., 1819-03-23
PAYABLE YEARLY.

tue Secretary Of War, of the 18th, 18th, and
goth Of February, 1918, from which II can
fairly be Inferred that he appointed single
offlCer; indeed ii would seem from fair in-
depreciation Of those letters, that officers, AT
LEAST, were OF the regular militia OF the States,
and that the only departure from his orders
by the General, was, his having called on the
subordinate officers of the militia, instead of
the Governor Of the State of Tennessee and
his preference of mounted men to infantry
and it will also appear from the letters afore-
said, that had the Department Of War disap-
proved Of his conduct, and determined 10
countermand the order of General Jackson.
in raising this force, no order TO that effect
could have reached him before II had arrived
at the seat of war, aud OF course the army
might have been disbanded in sight OF
the enemy, and the objects of the campaign
thereby jeopardized and perhaps defeated.
!. The committee will next take notice Of the
operations Of the army in the Floridas, with
er they were authorized TO pursue the enemy
and connected with this authority, il was en-
joined on Gen. Gaines, to whom the first or
der to this effect was given, that in case the
enemy took refuge under Spapish garrison,
not TO attack them there but 10 report the fact
TO the Secretary OF Wars and the observance
of this order the committee conceive was e.
quaIIv obligatory on Gen Jackson, who sue
ceeded 10 the command at least It must have
clearly evinced the will of the Secretary Of
War on that point and how far this iniunc-
ton was observed will be found by what fol-
lowed. 1t appears that Gen. Jackson advao-
ced into Florida, with force of 1900 men,
composed Of regulars, volunteers, and the
Georgia militia and afterwards, on the first
day Of April was joined by Gen. M'Intosh and
his brigade of 500 Indians, who had been
previously organized by Gen. Gaines oppo-
sed to whom, II appears from the report OF
Capt. Young, typographical engineer and 9TH
er evidence the whole forces of the fugitive
Seminole Indians and runaway negroes, bad
they all been embodied, could not have ex-
ceeded 900 or 1000 men, aud at no time did
half that number present themselves to OPP
pose his march, of course little or no resist
ance was made.
The Mickasuky towns were first taken and
destroyed the army marched upon St. Marks,
q feeble Spanish garrison, which surrendered
without 8 firing gun" and was then occupied
as an American posi- the Spanish command
ant having first by humble entreaties, and
then by a timid protest, endeaYored to avert
the measure. Here Alexander Arbuthnot was
found, taken prisoner, and put in con6nment,
for the purpose, as it was stated by Gen. Jack
son, = of collecting evidence 10 establish his
guilt; y and here also were taken two Indian
chiefs, one Of whom pretended 10 possess the
spirit Of prophecy ;hey were bung without
trial, and without ceremony.
This being done, and St. Mark garrisoned
with American troops, the army pursued their
march eastward to Suwaney river on which
they found large Indian village, which was
consumed, and tbe Indians and negroes were
dispersed (; after which the army returned to
ST. Marks, bringing with them Robert c. Am
brister, who bad been taken prisoner on their
march TO Suwaney.
During tile halt of the army for few days
at ST. Marks. general court martial was cal
led. Arbuthnot was arraigned found guilty,
sentenced to suffer death, and hung.
Ambrster was tried in like manner, found
guilty, and sentenced TO whipping and con-
innent. Gen. Jackson, annulled the sentence,
and ordered him to be shot; and this order
was executed.
1t appears by the testimony, that the army
had arrived at ST. Marks, on their return from
Suwaney, on the Goth of April, and on the
Goth General Jackson writes.to the Secretary
of War, in the following manner; 81 shall
leave this in 2 or 3 days for fort Gadsden, and
after making all necessarya for The
security of the positions occupied, and de-
taching force TO scour The country west Of
the Appalachcola, shall proceed directly TO
Nashville my presence in this country can
be no longer necessary. The Indian forces
have been divided and scattered cut of
from all communication with those unprinci-
pied agents Of foreign nations, who have de-
luded them to their ruin. they have not the
power If the will remains of annoying our
frontier" 1t appears however, by the con-
duct OF the commanding general, that he had,
at the time looked to different movements, for,
at the time ne was writing this letter, as viii
be seen by ihe testimony of Capt. Call and
surgeon Bronaugh, he bad despatched Lieut..
SANDS to Mobile, to forward ON train Of ar
tillery 10 given point to be ready to be made
use Of in reducing Pensacola and the fort Of
Barrancas, should that measure thereafter be
thought proper having made these arrange
neDts the army marched TO fort Gadsden, on
the Appalichcola river. There, as stated by
Gen. Jackson, and confirmed by The testimo,
ny of col. Butler, information was received by
private letter, written from a merchant al
Pensacola TO Mr.. Doyle, and shewn to Gen.
T.-I-.... L.. . .,,,,x. nor of saIsur. A.. II ...