Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1837-01-26
EsDYaE Ia'UsG.
MILITARY COURT OF INQUIRY.
{. Correspondence of Me Bihim"re Patriot.

BIlu-Gtn. ATKINSON, yv.,,;,tes
Brighten. Brady,
Capt. S. Cooper. .Inagc !fdr"c"te.
Continuation Of procccAn9S IN re'aii"H To tie tnh,"re 81
the Seminole ard CTrk Campaigns, conducted cy &C.
HfHiS Gaines and SfCH.
On the r~e-asspmblinr Of the Court this morning, Ma
jor-Grncrai Gaines observed, that be had a ie" NOR"
questions to propose TO the witness, Captain liit"hc"rk)
in reference 10 his {Gen Cs) COURSE Of conduct while
in Florida. and with permission of tie Court lie would
proceed. Assailrd. ns he bad been, in such a diversity o.
ways, il would be d,Ifiru vi; 20 trace al the various charges
through the labyrinth Of testimony before The Court,
and lie would rather risk his reputation and honor np1n
the evidence of q few witnesses who were near at
hand, than wade through The May pnssa gcs in search
Of minor accusations. The Court will. Of Course, IN
the rrbuttal Of The grayct ~cEarges, discover lie I'M
probability of Truth la hose Of Il lees leinnus character
'Ilr Court are well aware that | did rot seek this in.
Vrsiigat;uu-iL was forced upon me, and nnw that | AN
b"iorr them. AN determined 10 lake such an cxp"sl'
teen ct l!r grievances TndrT which my character has
been gfrGiinT Tor Il year past. as viii !urcve! ST., at resi-
HE riIuprralyr and siancrring tongues pf my enemies
The oni: treasure ! have 70 leave NJ children, is a rep
utalion earned oy many years OF hard experience in thr
service ol my country, and as shall remain dat n SHIRT
time ic"@r in tie Amy. wish that name to be trans
mittrd To Them untarn!sn"d
Ey Gen. G0jntS-'N hat reason was there for xpcct-
ing Cen. Scott at Camp l.ard:'
.!aSccr-"Ihe tx prctatron was founded upon iE!Orma-
ton derived from Gen. Clhch at Fort King"
By Con. Gaiars-"DIa Gen Gaines express any other
rcasons for his ~ prcting Gen. Scott 10 arrive a. Camp
lzard with iticr and SupplIrs:'
.tHSLECr-"J IL" confidence OF Gen. Galncs t!2l Gen.
Scott would cutnr 10 Camp lizard on the OulthlacOochrc
WAS "lihont reservation. lie appeared 10 have unGoubt.
ing belief Of General Scots being at Foit Dranc, and
often spoke 81 hs duty to come down under The cIIcuIa.
stances III the most positive terms. His language OH the
subject was very strong, 10 wit: "lhat he must cume
down-!r will he GtEgrnctdH he DOES not come d"wn--
he will o;her wise commit suicide upon his military repn
t:lIon: ~ language o! a very similar import.
- Gin urlr occasion took ihr liberty Of suggesting TO
Cen. Garnrs the cXpcGlcncy Of preparing lit!c:, To Hove
The wounded III the event OF Gen. Scott not joining US,
and he declined Gu,IurIzing me 10 give the order, rA.
planning hluis"lt bY the Use Of language like that ! iavC
states! IN rr:rIciicr 20 Grn. Scot 5 coming 10 Camp IL.
ard. in all the Conversations had with Cen. Gaines
nj the UuillilacUUchre. III regard to force coming there,
Gen Scott wGs the officer spoken oi as c"rnHianI!rg at
lull Dianr. aud do mol ieincnhrr 4 single instance
wherein ANY doubt was suggested IS 10 hs being liIrIr.
In ilauy CONVERSATIONS wIlI Gr:I Ga:nrs. he dwell with
mUCi! %rnpIas!s upon the great Importance and dnty at
officers complying with TIER engagements affecting
movements III Tie field, rsprcially N AL encmy 5 cnun-
Try. tie c~nis!urTr! Gtn ScUlt u"drr all enaanCn.. 1T
to Gc al FoTl Draac."
BIZ Gta. L0incS.-'ihc witness is requested 10 d..
scribe Tie h.n!nock Oh the Ou!:hiacooc!rr. near 10
GAIA? lizard. and state al what time said position was
trGi!t.rd.'
.in.wcr-'The Hammock bordering the river very
ncar!1 united in front OF the Caump. Fran this point
above and bvinw !hry gained very rapidly i'll widt!, and
we're c&trcrnciy dense, especially Ia IN: east or above thr
Catp where The lamn"ck EXTENDS considerably bGc"
from the river, but al Il distance OF several hundred yards
isi.r the Camp. The RIVER Itself has not the b,nd rs
represented IN the map hold, the cure Icing much
lunatr. a slight brraotwprk was made around Tie
Ca:n? on the aiwim"on oi the 2oiii Of Feb. according 10
CUSTOM
Iii Gcaerni Gnincs.-s How mary Indians does the
wiinvss supp,sc could be srcrc;cd III those html!"cG*:
between 2jO and CD yards from Tie Camp wIt!t"u! o&.rg
seen from it,
.ln<rer.-:An indefinite rumtcr, as the hainusDcass
were very drnsr. and | bci:"ve tiry nIlsit hay" cum
tanned perhaps three times 'hc "l'oic strength Of The
nat!un.'
General Ga. ncs explained The reasons f0r bis adapting:
lie position liz did: which lie SAID was III con>t "a nee Of
lis being tie most favorable place iur crossing, uhd less
swanpy than further back from Tie river
EYi ha Lon:t.-" Do you know any thing Of the rra-
sors winch induced General Gaines H. gp Ia floriaa If.
ter receiving the letter Ui The AdjulaEl. General al Pen.
sacnla. On Tie 9th of that month";
.ImsmCr.-"Onr of The ii! st remarks in the intcivic" |
had with Gen. Gaines after receiving that letter, lac sad
he beli" we'd it 10 b. his Solemn daty 10 g. On. think
lie spoke Of suHc pledge made, believe To the vniun-
tccrs but he alluded! rm"re particularly to his letter To
Gen. C!inch, promising him Ills and and co-"ptraiIon--
| IiiEk all tarsc points were matters ut cuureIsu;i"m
at the very inst, aud were never de"iaIcd from. luuk
the lI4rrty ot urging the General not 10 abandon the TX.
petition at Pensacola, as believed that his presence
WAS necessary 10 tic sufficient organization OF the
tvnrs. 1t was my EcleI that his abandoning The
troops would BE- nearly equivalent to rendering TIE
cxp' dition i;nit!c<s. ] placed great stress upon 'hr
effect Of The reputation acquired by General Gains
during lhr war with Great britain: aad upon has knew
Icdyc and experience as 4 soldier. do not wish 10 IN.
ply q. convey an idea In The court. that the officers who
were lH!iiy CiItCIy suDiTLtilile W L OiintS, Nclc III
officers Ut rIeul merit, but neither one vi Them pUssess-
ed all the requisites, united IN G"n. Gaines !r securing
SUCCESS 10 tie cauul;alan. The cart will understand mr
as referring to the mVral influence Of Ills reputation and
character Us 4 cuinuandCr.
ia tic CUmt.-"N hat MAS the amount OF lOTce GTcIght
BY Gen. Cllnch TO the aid Of General Gaines at Canp
| lizard =
.Iaxwtr.-"lIe brought about 50O-Art;I!.ry, infantry
and volunteers, iaciuGin! unc lrpop ui mounted men.
By The CDusi-"Wou!d that force, united with !hc
coninand Of Gen. Gaines, have been sufficient 10 hrrt
the enemy successfully and pursue him to his businesses
with i crliitnl cS pcctatiun Of SUCCESS
.3nswcr.-' state as my opinion that the facility
which le lndians seem tp possess Tor crossing the RI.
yer, rendered il Indispensable Ia have had L irrcc suiii-
cicml u occupy both sides Of the river at The same TIM"
10 operate with effect against them. To sustain tins
opinion. will refer the Court to late Opcrai!uIs On the
Oui,!iacooclcr about the end Of March, when a mucl,
larger tc!cc caimc into contact with a body OF Indians
more or less NUMEROUS, bsing 81 The same side ol the
river with them, pursued them several miles, but did not
take or suhhGc thrE!. The more recent operations against
those Indians may serve in throw much IIrhi upon lhe
subject, as in no Instance does 1t appear liilL tile pursuit
of tIrm has been successiul.'
BIZ The tOui.-" Do yen hrlIerc that the Indians were
sincere IN proposing 4 truce Z
.lssrer-"l believe they wcIc perfectly sincere. |
will remark III reference 10 that question, that There Was
nothing in the manner or matter ut this interview "h:ctl
| had wI,h the Indians on the O,uthlacnucls- To- give me
the smallest suspicion q! their sincerity. There seem.
Ct! to be- a peculiar sadness over Them as, IT tnuugiliui
of the mlslorlunes Of their tribe. indicating thai further
hos,Ii!tics on their part was hopeless. l thought them
sinccie, and all who were PRESENT entirely concuTred
with me, and am the more inclined to continue in that
belief Iroil several considerations.
"Al:hough wars among Indian tribes are sometimes
Of very long duration, it Is seldom that active warllke
movements among them continue Tor any length of
! lime. With tribes al war there may be years OF cessa-
ton of hu@;illlics, when 4 war party, as it is called, Is
got up with considerable ioIinallty, with a 1, asi and Il
dance. The party will then make what thy call Il
strike at The enemy-leturn from The expedition and, i
successful. celebrate their success with j scalp dance
But this kind of war cannot be carried on against Tie
whites. as in Il war with them the Indians are conlPti'
ed to cmbudy themselves, which makes ii dittlc"h WI
them To obtain supplies 4 ammunition, PROVISIONS aao