Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-16
Twcmty-fourtla CosEgrcss--EstS Seas.
IN SENATE-FcJrHary 10.

solution of the Sd instant, relative the Indian oslIll.
ties in Florida, transmit herewith, report IRON The
Secretary of War, accompanied by sundry explanatory
p'G W,*u,scrox r., q ,ssi ANDRE" 'AcASoS'
Wan DEPARTMENT, Feb Q, 1876.
SiRln answer TO the resolution ut the Senate of Feb
ruary 3 l~0, requesting the President to commGncate
TO the Senate all the taken by the Adnlnstra-
ton suppress The Indian hostes Florida, and also
all the information in his possession
ative the Of those hosLlitIrs have the honor
to transmit report from the Adutan General, showing
the above referred 10 which have been adopted.
transmit, also, the accompanying summary Ut the
proceedings with the Seminole Indians subsequent to
the formation of the treaty with them at Payne Land.
ing, concluded May o. c32 and ratified April !, Ie3l
exhibiting the which have led to the present hos
tiltes far as they known III this Department.
Very respectfully your most obrdirnt servant,
LEW. CASS.
To the PREslDESr Of the L. ;.
ApJrrAxr. GExEnals OFFICE,
WAsnISGTuS, Feb. >, lS3G.
Hon. LEWIS CAss Sec. of War:
SIn-ln comp lying with your instructions to report
the military operations of the Department., touching The
suppression OF Indian hosti!ls in Florida, it may BE
proper to advert the first order, au.mcntng the force
in that quarter, and to The assignment Of an officer otic
Army to duty there, who in his capacity OF commander
of the troops required also to afford all proper aid
the agents OF Government appointed To conduct and
supernlrnd the removal Of the Seminole Indians west
oil the Alssiss ppl. IN conformity with the stpuatIoS Of
their treaty with the United States
In consequence of the stale OF affairs reported by
the commanding officer of Fort Ming, the eth De-
tober 1854 and the officer Of the ConllSsarys Dcprt.
ment charged with duties connected with the renewal
the Indians and also the report o the Indian Ag-mt,
it deemed necessary to increase the military force
stationed in Florida. Accordingly, orders. dated No
veubcr "a were issued directing three companies oiar
,llcry to take pust at Fort Brooke Tampa Bay and the
company stationed Fort Marion, ST. Augustine, 10
Join the garrison at Fort King, then consulting Of one
company OF infantry. The order ASST med Brerrt
Brigader- General Cliuch to the command u tho troops
| in Florida an officer Of much experience anC being well
acquainted with the Indian habits and claacer, lie
also required tu Cooperate with the Indian Agent in all
proper relative to the contcup dated removal Of
| tho Seminole Indians.
On reuuisition Of General CIinch, received in Fe
bruay 1885, tor six additional companies L" strengthen
his command, tour companies oil artillery, Under Bevet
Lieutenant Colonel Tanning, of The 4th regiment, WERE
the 18th OF February, 1870 ordered from Fort Monroe
to Fort Ming, with authority ut The saline time, 10 draw
in the company Of infantry at Key West. The number
| ut companies III Florida Increased to ten; OF
which number, six concentrated ut Fci King, three
at Fort Blooke before stuffed, and stationed ut
| Key West.
On the 9Th Of October Lieutenant Harms Of the
tllery discussing agent for the ScnoIcs, recommend
ed that the force Florida should be ncrrased but lis
no additional rcquison for that purpose nad been
ceived from General Clnch, it not considered pro-
per TO direct this measure On the 10Th }, the month";
the companies Of artillery stationed Forts Morgan
and PickcrIs near Mobile and Pensacola, placed
under his orders.
On the 2Ist ut October letter, dated tue St
ccived from General Cnch III which he suggested the
propriey of being authorized to call into The service one
hundred and iv mounted volunteers, TO and IN Tie re-
moval OF the lndians and TO suppress any dtculliei
winch NIGH But, this force was required to
aid tie removal OF the Indians AID t" prevent difficult
which anticipated, and not 10 rcpfcss h"Sll
ties which had commenced. which were then impend-
ing General ClInCl was Informed, IN answer: Oh The
y2d October, that there appropriation uulho-
rlzng the casurc and a: the President: under exist
inu cuinslaccs did consider that the case came
The constitutional power to call into SERVICE al ad-
dluna iuIce Tor the defence OF the country. But lie
was authorised to order two cunpunirs VIZ those
al Forts W God and Pike JOIN him, which, with the
two cUnpales placed at his disposal on the 10Th Ut DC
toUer made four cupanies OF regular troops IN lieu vi
the mounted On the 30Ii OF the SAME month, Or
Lers were gwen by the Navy Department 10 Co'nno
dore Dallas to direct oil the vessels o! tile squadron
to co-oprate with General Cnc III his endeavors 10
effect removal oil the Scinnolcs.
In l!lcr received the }lst Of Oct, Gen. Clinc
REQUESTED That three conparirs OF regular troops might
be added TO his command. lie apprIzcd however,
by previous orders that four had already been placed III
| his uIspusdl.
In hs communication from St. Augustine, dated 2.',
November, received Oh the !Ii OF December, General
Cnch reported that, should he find It necessary "r The
protection OF the frontier settlements, he would ASSUME
the responsibility OF calling out at least one hundred
mounted men, believing that the measure would be sane
|
approval was communicated To him IN the Shiir day;
and in addition 10 It, letter addressed to tile Go
vernon Florida, requesting hun to place at the disPo
sal of Gen. Cllnc any militia force that officer might
! require. Of this Gen. Cllncl was informed. lie VAS
also informed that at the request of Cen hernandez,
ders would be oiyen through the Ordnance Department.
to issue tive hundred usKets and the necessary equip
ncms to the militia.
It appears that Oh the Both of November The force in
Floriou consisted rf field officer and nine companies
u,Isl OF
| follows
AT ST. Augustine, one company fifty three strong, in
cluting three commissioned officers; III Fort Ming SIX
conpanirs three hundred and three strong, including
one field officer and twelve company officers; al Fort
Brooke Tuupa Bay, three companies, one hundred and
thirty.lhree strong, including company officers; at
Key West company, forty seven strong, including
ole company officer; making IN the aggregate, hve hun,
dred aud hlrysx, including twenty BIN commissioner
officers, then serving III florda ~
The four cvmpuulrs placed under the orders of zen
Cnch October were, pursuant |" his oioeIs' o'a".
from their permanent stulunS, and srveray art'eu
Fort Brooke the 21t OF November, I'm, Zoti ana
18th OF December. as did the company from Key Ncs
II the 2lst OF that month.
| On the 23d OF December, tachment OF Two com
panles commanded by the gallant Ma or Dadc, look up
tile line Of from Fort Bronkr to Fort Ming distant
about che hundred miles, TO JOIN the troops unaer u'e
| immediate command Of Gen. Clincll
The loss Of these COMPANIES on the 2'th rednceu lis
force Florida ~ twelve companies, which, oil the iss
| of December, distributed us follows: Al Fort
Brooke, Tampa bay five companies, two hundred anu
four stong including nine company officers, Capt Bel
ton commanding; at Furt KING, company, forty
eight strong, including Two company officers ana ono
field officer Lieutenant Colonel Crane commanding; III
the field near the Wythacouchee, companies WIN
one field officer OF artillery, Brevrt Lieut. COL Fannlns
under the immediate command OF Cen Ili'Ich. 4h's
battalion Is estimated To have been about 2cJ strong
including thirteen company officers. HE regular ioicr
in Floua OH the morning vi the 3st December ID es
mated TO have been about live hundred and thirty lVe
strong. including Two field officers and co
pauv officers On The 18th ct DrcrtIbri, Gcncral Chnch
moved torw ard with the battalion %! companies and