Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-06-07
Esseas E&'E'sS.


The FLORIDA CAMPAiGS.-Ihc uhsucteSe" ,
nation of III. ca.npagr in Florida has Produceu great
public disappointment Oar vast superiority ~ ~
and in the arts and resources Of war, had led TO an OK
Declalon that the sa"ascs coMiu DC c1'i ;',r;,s
and ranid,y Instead %! brilliant anu decisive ''c'o'
our soiHprs rcinru without having uuGht Tile enemy,
win, retains possession Of his forests, Win nu"ue
diminished and with spirit unsubdncd, fTuuen'iy wall
in for fayc.ablr season 20 renew his Grpfeua''
a.: n r. nrr sc,,k.nens and 10 slaug our ieoS on
their UNPROTECTED plantations. Already has ms haisS
ing and destructive warfare hecn Inc
tbatlc of Cnc Oh the banks OF the "!thllcooc'e N''
hailed b. us as victory; bat the c"n4"e't"g loce "ue
r,niJ rcral: and the conquered enemy remained mas
crs of the field No atnneneai has been made tor the
horrible angb,er Of Dadrs gallant but Inflated detacl-
ment Gaess hasy expedition Tor tlme sa'Iteu '"'
nub;c wish which couId not brook the delay OF sysle-
| matte nrrn,ra,ion and mrat!enty loohlnS LOT
some brillian, uu decisive action. Bnt the unsuccess-
sul termination Of this ill., advised movement only helshl
! ened the public disappointment Hastily separating
himself from his supplies his army was Su;Jec;eu 10
most distressing privaliHns the extraordinary lnfo
whence of the General. lie makes Il ten days nafch
into an Indian country, without knowing how his army
is to subsis in the hostile Wilderness When nc attempt
ed to return hs supplies at Tampa: &c Indians threw
themselves across his path at the Withaco"clce Ato
the subsistence o his army depended on IT, nc aaeu o'
attempt cross That stream lie could not pass
this river to his army ir"n CONSUMING famine OUT
the enemy caud pass it whenever they chose TO aliack
him. and rppass it, whenever they chose TO discontinue
the attack He confined his starving soldiers WITHIN
! their intrencha"nts, wLc the savage enemy: ALUM
dainty supplied, aareSsy surrounded those in!rench-
| mcn.s in the open forest. General Gaines was AFRAID
| TO meet the enemy in battle; he dared not march
out to attack the enemy when crossing lie With
lacoochee. aud while his forces were divided by That
stream. Abandoning all hope OF victory, he de-
Ponds not on his own talent courage the brave
rs Of his men, but the humanity and spirit Ut Cen
Cnch to his army from utter destruction Here
defeat, and humiiiation more dsgraceiui to our
arms thousand times, than the dreadful slaughter o!
Dlies two companies failing under the unexpected fire
Of superior numbers Whether the enemy before whom
| General Gaines qualed, was superior to his army IN
! numbers, is very doubtful His dscbedIence 10 the
orders Of the Secretary of War. the improvdence of his
expedition from Tampa his tindity belorc the enemy,
.nl the talsehood o his boasts that he had conquered
that cnemy, all calculated 10 imprint an I'M urlous
Stigma the character Of the American army.
Notwithstanding vast superiority over tile SEMI
nocs the operations in Florida were attended with great
difficulties. General Scott appointed 10 the com
mauG in January, believe in HE latter part Vi that
month. He arrived at the South in The ear part Of
February. The Indians had Ut that time broken up al
most every settlement in the peninsula, south Of Au
CUISINE, and extending their ravages 1t was ne
cessary Immediately TO check their desolatng progress
For this purpose General Scott made rcqu:sillon Of
men on the States of South Carolina Georgia. and Ala
blma. The promptly lufG.s!lcd; but how were
they to be subssted Not bushel of corn nor sIleaf Of
fodder, whsp of hay could be procured near The seat
vi war. Supplies OF provisions collected with great
CELEBRITY, principally from n. Yor., and transported to
conveuiru: points the ST. Narys, and The ST. Johns
Bat before the arrival Of our forces in Florida the In
dams had retired To the hlnmncks ofttc Wacoochee
and not blow could be struck without marching
Il hundred mics into the interior of the county
Without previous time for preparation, it was impossible
to provide competent train Of wagons for the trans
poTation of provisions; ana the road passing through
numerous swamps was almost Impossible. The feeble
horses could draw hall loads in The wagons. If
| General Scott had Immediately marched with such
ta!n, negectng To establish depots OF provisions in ad
vance vi the army, his and horses must have pc
| rSncu wilderness, before
! found an Indian force I" light Willie lac mIs ussuuous
y engaged in the humble, but necessary preliminary,
Of transporting provisions 10 Fort King, for the subss
ercc of his army, when it should commence operations
the public were impat!entiy expecting splendid
achievement OF arms, and the commanding General was
censured for tardlness and inacon. By The 2Oh Of
February large quantity of provisions had been
mulaed at Fort King, within two days march Vi tho
ammocks in which The Indians had concentrated their
forces But this supply consumed by the ha!tia-
nisllcd troops conducted by General Gaines, without
concert 10 that post. At that late PERIOD The slow and
toilsome wort. Of 6lng his magazines, with his small
and feeble train Of wagons. over hundred miles Of road
much Of it almost up:ssaLlc morass, was again COM
| menced by General Scott.
The division LEFT by General Gaines at Fort King in.
stead Of receiving its supplies at Tampa was to be
subsisted from the provisions transported with mach
difficulty into the interior, while waiting in camp for
the period of active operations. At length about the
2th of March, General Scott believed that he had COL
lected supplies at Fort King sufficiently abundant TO
toze his march against the ency: perhaps liz yield
ed 10 the plOlc o1 Ills uelaY In days
the head IF division Of the army, lie was III the
heart of the country occupied by the ncmy while the
other two divisions, under Generals Lindsey and Eustis
approaching the point by those routes
which belle we'd that the savages woull retreat But
scarcity Of provisions the great difficulty which tad here
tutore delayed the opclallons controlled the movements
OF the army and deprived it Of every opportunity Of vic
tory and conquest AT lie approach OF General Scott,
the Semino!cS retired into the ham,nocks Of The Witha
coochce and the smokes Of their fires seen rising
from the dense Forest al great distance from the army
But the supplies barely sufficient 10 sustain the
men during rapid march 10 Tampa: and the General
could not cmploy few days in pursuing The enemy,
wi'hou, incurrug the hazard Of the destruction OF The
army by famine. Unable To strike blow General Scott,
with the main body OF his aIay, leaving the Indians be-
hind, matched Directly Oh lu his supplies at Tampa post
ing Major Cooper. with The Georgian battalion of vol
uncer infantry, in The heart Of the enelnys couutry
This force too small for Offensive operations but it
temy maintained lis post during the absence Of the
army.
And thus ondcd, in utter flilure, campaign in which
brilliant and decisive victories had been expected.
There 10 opportunity of preparing for the next
of active operations. We hope that strong depns
will be established at wrlselected points in the interior;
and thst supplies amply sufficient for such force
may be required will be collected in due lime. COM
peent train Of baggage wagons should be in readiness
and inc roads which il is probable that the prov.
aud rnunnents of must be transported should
be made firm, where it is practicable. The Seminoles
must lie subdued cost what il may and the should
not be allowed To !nger tor want Of prudence and
gy on the part Of our government.
INiHeagerii!s Federal L,niya
LETTER FROM TEXAS.
Correspondence oj' tie fredericksburg .7rcaa.
HARRIsBURe, lrsxaS) March 81.
Nj last letter believe was written from Groces Re-
treat Since then the Government has removed 10 this
place. The Journey occupied two long und tiresole