The Portland gazette., 1819-03-23
SEMINOLE WAR, &c.
IN SENArE-FgB "a.

the message OF the President and docu.
ments, relative TO the Seminole war, be re-
ierred TO a select committee, who shall
have authority, if necessary, TO send for
persons aud papers; that said committee
inquire relative 10 the advance OF the Uni
ted States troops into West Florida and
whether The officers in command at Pensa
cola and ST.. Marks, we're amenable 10, and
under The control of Spain and particular
Iy, ,what circumstances existed, 10 suthor
Izs or justify the commanding general in
saking possession of those pos's5
REPORTED,
That they have, uRder the authority con-
Gerred on them, called for and examined
persons and papers. he testimony ob
tanned is herewith submitted. The COM
mitrSc, after the most mature and dispas
sionate examination of the subjec, Offer for
the consideration of the Senate, the follow
ing narrative Of facts and the opinions and
deductions clearly arising from, and grow
ing out of the facts thus presented. On
the origin of the hostllitles between The U
nited States and the oeml1ole Indians, the
committee ask leave TO rsiWAfk, that the diff
fcrent savage tiibes living within and on
the borders of the Floridas, denominated
Seminole Indians were principally fugitlves
from the more northern tribes, resident
within the limits OF the United States. Al
ter the treaty of 1914, with the Greek In
dians, a considerable addition was made to
the number of those fugitives, az the In
6ians who were dissatisfied with the proyi
sions OF the treaty took refuge IN the Flor
idas cherishing, there Can be but little doubt,
feelings of hostility to the u. S. i hese
feelings seem 10 have been strengthened by
the influence of foreign emissaries, who
had taken up their residence among them,
among whom as The most conspicuous,
were Alcxander Arbuthnot, and Robert {.
Ambrister. In this state OF things ii ap
pears that the executive department OF the
government deemed it necessary for the
security of the frontier, TO establish q line
of forts near the southern boundary of the
United States and to occupy those fortih-
caions with portions of the regular forces,
and by these means peace was maintained
with the Indians, until the spring or sum
mer of 1917, when the regular forces were
Withdrawn from the posts on the Georgia
frontier, and concentrated at Fort Montgo
merry, on the Alabama river. considerable
distance west of the Georgia line. But il
seems that about the time, border warfare
was commenced between the Seminole In
dams and the frontier inhabitants OF Geor- !
gia. 1t is difficult to determine with GER
tainty who commenced those Indian hostil,
tiles, or on whom the greatest injuries were
Gaines however, deman- |
ded a surrender of the Indians who had
committed outrages on the frontier OF Geor-
eia With this demand they refused to
alledglng tnat the first and grea'
test aggressions had been made by the
white men.
In consequence of this refusal, Gen.
Gaines was authorised by The Secretary at
War. at his discretion, TO remove the In
dians, still remaining on the land ceded to
the United States by The treaty made with
the Greeks in 1914 in so doing lac is told
that it might be proper to retain some OF
them as hostages until reparation was made
for the depredations committed by the In
dams. In pursuance of this discretionary
authority, Gen. Gaines ordered detach-
ment Of near SOC men, under the command
of major rwiggs, to surround and take an
Indian village called Fowl Town, about IA
miles fram Fort Scott, and near the Fiori-
da line. : This detachment arrived at Fowl
Town in the night, and the Indians taking
the alarm, andHying to On adjacent swamp,
were fred on by the detachment, and one
man and woman kiiled--two Indians made
prisoners the detachment returned 10 Fort
Scott. A day or two afterwards, as stated
by captain M'Intosa, who was of the party,
about The same number of troops, paid a
second visit to the same village,(a as he states)
for the purpose of obtsining property
While loading their Wagons with corn, and
collecting horses and cattle, they were hred
upon by the Indians, and skirmlsh ensued,
in which a small loss was sustained on both
sides. Ii is stated by Capt. Young, the to-
geographical engineer, that this town con-
,ained about As Indian warriors, besides
women and children.
A few days after the affair of Fowl Town,
lieut. Scott with detachment of forty men,
women and some children ascending the
Appalachicoia with clothing and supplies
for the garrison at FortScott, when within
few miles of that place,he was attacked by
party OF Indians, himself and his whole par
~ fell victims to their fury, except six men,
who made their escape, and one woman
made prisoner.