Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-27


The 'Cld Dominion has reason to be proud OF tins
wnrk rich in the of learning sound in lis cFl-
,icisns and elevated in its motality The January
number comes to with abatement of these high
merits and if its circulation is commensurate II should
he found in the paour Of every mansinn IN the country
as OF forming The tastes, hxIng the principles
and enlinhtcnng the Judgments of tho unlnsruced IN
the great truths Of morals and criticism, III their anca
lion 10 Litera,urr.-C Charleston Pa!riot.
The Southern Literary Messenger }0r January snsa!ns
its we'll established repual"n, so far as we are enabled
10 Judge from a very hasty glance through It's pages:
One of lis papers part first Of the life and character Of
Francis Lord Bacon is sufficient stamp intrinsic value
on the number.-.N. \. Gazette
THE BATTLE IN FLORIDA.
The following is probably as clear an account of the
last battle in Florida will be published in any quarter
from The .ratiOnai G0=eue.)
friend has handed the following letter from al of
cer Of the sixth Regiment S. lnfnn,ry, giving
mcurntn particulars Of The late disastrous engagement
in Florida:
fUrl Gurdncr, on The kissimmcc, !
December 30, Ic:H. !
On the 2Ist instant. we struck our tents and took
IN the line of march down the kIssmmee on the West
side little East Of South struck that river again
in distance Of abnut fifty three miles, and commenced
stockadc &c with view Of establishing depot
Hearing that Sam Jones with the MIcasukes, was not
far OIL we left small command 10 go on with the
works. and went in search Of him. Alter Journey OF
about 30 miles iunnd him on Okee Ochlee Lake, on
the 25Ih instant. cypress swamp ifonted BY slnugh
almost impossible, but il necessary 10 cross 1t to
reach HIM This slough was almost half a mile wide,
and in going through II we were frequently IN mud TO
our waists. A disposition for battle was soon made
my self being The reserve and the troops marched
forward and when they were within about ~ Or lO0
yards OF the CYPRESS swamp, the Indians commenced
furious attack the troops, however, continued the
march and till the souG passed. our loss was con-
siderable; the fire most fierce for about an hour, the
Indians three times returning 10 the attack Oh being dri.
ven the third time by Colonel Foster, they gave way,
leaving their drad rather part Of them, on The
| r. ,,,I1 off,
and down the lake AZ fast as they could, abandoning
much Of their plumber; nothing was heard Of them the
night and day following. From the howlings of their
dogs in the swamp up TO the time of our departure,
would seem they did not return 10 their camp during our
! stay.
i've remained to The second day after the battle, pre-
pairing filters for the wounded buryng the dead. and
ranging the country round about We collected upwards
OF three hundred cattle, and eighty or hundred ponrs
which we brought away with U.s. these things however,
cost US some Of bravesl officers and soldiers There
follows list of officers killed and wounded, already pub
ishrd j u killed and 10 wounded Some say 5. some
10 Indians found dead on the field it may be pre-
suned that some they carried Off after their custom;
have but little doub. their loss fully great ou:s
| in proportion to numbers.
We had in battle upwards of 600 men, the Indian
f,rce of course is not known; it is varous!y estimated
from 2t 800; the smallest number. think, nearest
TO fact. The affair took place somewhat earlier than
they cxpectcd for they had been amusing US with the
promise tina, they would come in but after being press
ed they were rather slow some did come, and no doubt
Others would have followed Of the SemnolPs but the
Mcasukics bad positively declined The Indians say
Sespt a Ssm e se have IN our r
about 10 Indians and negroes, principally and
children, and old men six of the number prisoners.
My conclusions are, that we have distressed the
INV so much that il will hasten the end. Flo.
rda certainly is the poorest country that pco
pie contcndcd for the U. States and the Indians will
get shell each, while the vagabonds hanging on its
skirts will eat the oyster The battle, omitted say
| was Goupht on the 2Jih of December
Tue EVERGLADES FLORIDA The few persons
who have penetrated into the neghborhood Of this
rion have represented the climate most delightful
but from Of actual observation, could not speak
confidently Of The SOIL although from the appearance Of
surrounding vegetation, portion Of ii, at least must be
rich Whenever the aborigines shall he forced from
their Businesses, eventually they mus, be- the enter
prsng spirit Of connlrrnlrn will very discover
the sections best adapted 10 cultivation, and the bar
rem or unproducve everglades will be mnde 10 blossom
! like garden II is the general impression that these
everglades uninhahabe during the summer months,
by reason of their being overlooked by The abundant
rains of That season; but if it should prove that these in
undations caused increased BY distractions 10 the
natural OF the rivers outlets 10 the
lakes American industry will remove those distractions.
We have lately pcrused letter from an officer of The
army Florida, dated al Fort Brooke, the latter part of
December and much pleased witl the descIip-
ton given Of his journey 10 the everglades, that we have
obtained pclmssiun 10 make extract theelrun. The
writer says:
"1he country this side of kissinmee is generally
pine barren. On the kssimmee, the land is rich and
| bcauliiu-and when the live oak groves, lakes
and creeks, with banks lined by brakes, like
oriental unges, Tor tie first time, appreciated Bar
trans glowing description Of Florida 1t is, indeed
a paradise for Savages, and will some day be cons
dered the garden Ut America. On The banks of the
kssmn.ce, and the numerous lakes which discharg"
their water into it, there will be COTTON rice, and sugar
plantations rich were those of ST. Domingo. On
this side Of these rich lands, there high sand hills
with lakes and ponds Of good wafer their very
mits-dcghllul spots for summer residences, in
the aluvun should prove unhealthy during the summer
season.
~ remained in Colonel Taylors camp several days.
and made excursions in every direction The famous
and underlined everglades commence in that quarter
At this the appearance of the everglades is like
that of 5oundless field Of wheat in the yellow or
brown. species Of grass, about five feet upwards
in height, covers the earth, and extends below the
horizon The country is perfectly level, and tho Winds
which arc always blowing the grass like trou.
bIed sea. Near Fort Gardiner, which is seventy miles
due from here, there are Strips Of hammock land
and when the surface rises liltle of pine barren
but the Indians that in the lower part of the
rtory the prairie land stretches the horizon all round
YOU except here and there few spots Of wood, called
| islands
ave observed numerous trails winding through these
prares, Hi.ok po, as they are termed by the Semi
noes; and shall have difficulty in tracing the In
dams through such country, nothing but brda
travel without leaving plain trail '-.4rmy and Macy
| Chronicle.
FROM TEXAS.
By the. Constitution steam packet, 40 hours 10 The
Mississippi from Galveston, the New Orleans papers
have dates 10 the Tlh inst. News from Antonio TO the
9TH brought by MIR. Moore, editor of the Houston Tele
pra ph confirms the last intelligence that the Mexican
Invading Army called, only in pursuit, Of some
mafaudinr Indians and 10 protect some Mexican herds
men, who were driving in their cattle from The Rio
Grande.