Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-01-31

remember single instance wherein all!
dou5; was suggested as to Eis; being there.
In many conversations with Gen. Games
hc dwcit with much emphasis upon the
rrca: Importance and duty Of officers COM
plyiny with Their engagements a1tcsmS
movements in the field, especially IN an enc
mv's country. He considered Gen. Scot
to be IN Ter an engagement 70 be at Fort
Dranc."
Hv the Court-Do you know any thing
Of III. reasons which induced Gen: oaiheS
to 90 to Florida. after receiving the letter
of the AdIrant General at Pensacola Oh
! the Oh of that month!
Answer-Onc OF the first remarks III the
interview had with Gen. Gaines after re-
ceiving that letter, he said he believed it to
be his solemn duty to 60. think he spoke
some pledge made, | believe to the vouu-
teers; bu; he alluded more particularly 10
his letter 10 Gen. Cinch, promising Mm his
aid and cooperation. ! think al! these
points were matters of conversation at the
very first, and were never devla:cd from. |
took the liberty of urging the General not
to abandon the expedition at Pensacola, as
| believed that his presence was necessary
TO the efficient organization Of the troops.
1t was nv belief that his Abandoning the
troops would be nearly equivalent to rem;
dering the expedition truitlcss. placed
great Stress upon the effect ofthe reputation
acquired by Gen. Gaines during the war
with Great Britain, and upon his knowledge
and experience as soldier. do not wish
10 imply or convey an idea to the Court,
that the officers who were Immediately sub
ordinate 10 Gen. Gaines were not officers
of great merit, but neither one Of them pos.
sessed all the requisites, united in General
Gaines. for securing success to the cam
paign. The Court will understand nc as
referring 10 the moral influence Of his rep
u.ation and character as q commander.
By the Court-What was the amount OF
force brought by Gen. Clinch to the aid of
Gen. Games at Camp lizard
Answer-Hc brought abou: five hundred
-arullcry, infantry and volunteers, lnclu.
ding one troop of mounted men.
By the Court-Do you believe that the
Indians were sincere in proposing truce
.Answer-I believe they were perfectly
sincere. will remark in reference TO that
question, that there was nothing in the man.
ner or matter ofthe interview which had
wi the Indians on the Ouithlacoochce, 20
give me the smallest suspicion of then sim
ceri.y. There seemed to be n peculiar
sadness over them as if thoughtful Of the
mislortnnes of their tribe, indicating that
further hos:ilitics on their part was hopeless.
thought them sincere, and all who were
present entirely concurred with me, and |
am the more inclined to continue in that
belief from several considerations.
Although wars among Indian tribes are
sometimes of very long duration, it is sell
dom that warlike movements among them
continue for any length oftime. With tribes
at war there may be years of cessation Of
hostltics, when war party, as it is called,
is got up with considerable formality, with q
feast and a war dance. The party will then
make wha; they call strike at the enemy
return from the expedition, and, if sue
ccsstul, celebrate their success with scalp
dance. But this kind Of war cannot be
carried on against the whites as, in war
with them the Indians are compelled TO en-
body themselves, which makes it difficult
for them to obtain supplies of ammunition,
provision and clothing. In Florida the
enemy had been so embodied for a length
Of time. They had some special causes for
q war which had at this time, in part, been
removed, especially by the conduct of Ose-
ola Tor Powell near to Fort King. and the
language used by him in council-"l am
satisfied" Preferred to the removal of one
of those causes.
have heard of o;her similar instances.
The Indians had been successful in Destroy
ing Major Dade and his command, and they
had killed many more than they had lost.
Gen. Gaines having taken position in their
neighborhood which they had found it lm-
possible TO move, they must have seen that
they could not in future have procured from
above supply of provisions consisting Of
cattle, which they had before drawn from
thcnce. The opinion among them that
this position was likely to be permanent was
calculated 10 break down their spirit. |
have always believed also, that the Indians
were informed ofthe movement of General
Clinch from Fort Drane on the 9th Of
March, and they therefore saw additional
reasons 10 suppose that they could not main-
tam themselves in the country, under the
circumstances, and in taking Council on the
evening of the 9th they concluded to make
ovcrtures Of peace. have never doubted
that they would have accepted terms such
as would have been worthy Of this great na-
ton 10 dictate to them, had there been au-
thority there to conclude peace. There
was not in the council held with the In
dians any thing said about the terms of
Deacc-they made no proDostiOn to me