Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-02-04
From lie National IntelIigencceT.=

FROM the AatlObal iHteilkencer.
DIsTREssIEG News FROM FLORIDA -
Yesterdays mail (25th january brought
news. by way of New Orleans, Of the sur
prise and massacre, by lie Seminole In
dams, OF two whole companies Of United
States troops, consisting Of IL men, IN
der the command of Major Dade.
! Major Dade had set cut with his troops
from Tampa Bay 10 Camp King, to join
General Clinch. when on the morning OF
the 2Slh December, at or 8 o'clock, be-
ing the third or fourth day of their march
they were surrounded by large body of
| Indians, supposed TO number from $50 to
1000, aud were cut TO pieces. Only three
men Of The II escaped, badly wounded
TO recount the lameniable history OF the
butcbery Of their fellow soldiers.
| Major Dade was shot off his horse on
| the commencement of the attack. Cap
tains Gardner and Fraser soon after fell
mortaiy wounded, and their scalps we're
taken by the savages. Lieutenants Das
singer. Henderson, Nudge, and Kean, and
| DR. GatIln, Surgeon to the detachment.
were all slain. Lieutenant 1assinger was
wounded on the onset, and was discover
ed by negro IN party OF savages, crawl
ing of 10 place Of conceslment, and tom.
ahawked. So little were those troops aware
OF their danger, that they did not sec an
Indian until many shots had been fired -
They were caught in an ambush, and
dearly paid the penalty of insufficient pre-
caution against surprise.
| Colonel 1wiggs. of the United States
! bat - 81, l..
and started with lsur companies of troops
from New Orleans 10 Tampa Bay. Mai
Bolton was at Tampa Bay with the force
under bis command
The public sympathy will be deep. ex
cited ny this news, even here, at distance
from The scene. 1t may be readily imagin
ed, therefore, that the People Of the parts
OF the country adjacent viii come, as
strongly as they can, 10 the aid Of the
troops and people. now in imminent dan.
ger, IN Florida. For this purpose, pub
iie meeting was 10 be held at Mobile on
the 9Th instant.
he above massacre took place, the
reader will see, on the 29th Of Decem Der.
The battle between General Clinch and
The Indians took place on the 3Oth. The
distance between the two scenes Of action
being not greater than could have been
travelled IN the intervening time, there is
reason to believe that tie Indians whom
General Cnch was engaged with were
those which destroyed the command Of
MAJOR Dade. TIE following is the latest
information we have direct from Florida,
under date Of the 18th Instant
The Editor Oft ST. Augustine Her
aid has learnt from an officer who had ar.
rived at ST. Augustine from Camp King,
That IT was the general impression that an
understanding existed between the Creeks
and Seminoles.
a public meeting bad been held at St
Augustine 10 consider the dangers which
threatened that city and the adjacent
country, al which various resolutions were
passed connected with the defence of the
Territory, and, among the number. one in
which the thaoks Of the citizens Of St. Au.
gnstiae are rendered 10 the citizens of
Charleston, for the prompt conduct of the
latter in afiording reliefto the lofmer."