Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-11-25
THE SEMINOLE WAR.

The want Of any thing like regular com.
muncation with the seat OF war, keeps US
in the most painful state Of suspense in re-
gard to the operations of the army. II
must be admitted, that the numerous oh.
stacles which are known to stand in the
way Of successful and speedy termination
of the campaign, are calculated to inspire
fearful forebodngs Of its results; and acct
dent besides, has, we fear. done much to
Illustrate the well arranged plans of Gov.
Cal! for supplying the troops in the field
with provisions. We have heard that
considerable supplies were ordered early
in the campaign to be sent from st. Marks.
TO the Suwanee, and they did not reach
their destination until weeks after, accord
ing to the most liberal calculation, they
should have arrived. 1t is said too, that
great quantity of corn and other provisions
intended for the army, was deposited in a
store. house at st. Marks: the house, which
was built over the water, fell down with
the weight which it contained, and the
whole Of its contents were ruined. Then
seain the large steamboat Convoy. contain
ing very full cargo Of provisions, destined
for Tampa Bay, sprung a leak, near this
port, and put in here in sinking condition
nearly her whole cargo was damaged, and
much Of it entirely ruined; and last Of
all is the loss Of the Lieut.. lizard on the bar
ofthe Withacoochee.
1t ia believed that the character, condi.
ton and resources OF the Florida Indians
are but little understood. except by those
who have actually witnessed their mode Of
warfare. The campaign made by General
Jackson sgainst the Florida Indians, IS
years ago. when they were stronger than
they are now, is often quoted to prove that
the subjugation of the Seminoles is no such
difficult matter as it is thought but it
should be remembered that their condition
was quite different from what it i, at pres
ent. They were then banded together in
small tribes Every petty chief bad bis
town; the guides had no difficulty in con.
Quoting Gen. Jackson directly TO them.
in detail. Beside, they were not all I'M
friendly to the whites. But now they all
fight az one man. History scarcely fur
nishes a parallel for the fidelity which these
people have show 10 one another. We
hear of no single instance of treachery or
detection among them. Since the war be
RdU, HUI oU6 VI tuo uUotuta nus CutUc Out
from among his brethren. They have no
towns to defend. and their women and
children protect themselves by fight. The
climate is their friend too. Summer, which
brings disease and death to their pursuers,
has no terrors for them, and they are stran.
gers to the rigors Of winter. They have
nearly 90, 1000 square miles in which to hide
themselves. and the most satisfactory intel.
ligence as to where they we're yesterday
affords not the least reason to believe tina,
they may not be fifty miles from there to.
morrow; while if they choose, the whole
tribe may, in many places, lie within Zoe
yards Of the whole army Of the whites
During the last campaign it is said there
were many instances Of this while the
whites we're stunning the drowsy cal
of night" with the chopping of trees
the building Of fires, and the cracking o
cart whips, and all sorts Of noises; mucl
upon the same reason, we suppose, thai
caused the fellow to whistle at the yer!
top of his lungs to keep away the ghost
when he was passing church yard.
In this county, We are too remote from
the Indians to have experienced, or eveI
felt the least apprehension Of, the actua
disasters ofthe war; but it has neverthe
less pressed sorey upon US. Out Of les
= than three hundred men liable to do militia
~ duty, we now have eighty in the field
ri Pensacola Gar.