Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-27
Schooner Ext, oil nnskor i" &. Jaln's Rtir,
April II, 1888
r, N, Fd;toys of the Charleston Courier:

To the Editors Of the Charleston Courier
Ci!YrLEury- On the 2iSt o! March. 30 !nSians we're
taken and lI7 r;rs their powder h"r"s al, iu!' lHsy
were surrounded at ayhreak by General Jesnp army
$50 Of them were by land to Tampa Bay, the re-
mander to New Orleans by vessels Inc schooner
Caspian Captain Swasey, and schooner MedileTfaheah,
Captain Henry took them all board at hey Bl"cdlne,
by the way OF Indian Key, where saw them leave on
the 9TH April, under the command OF LIeutenants
Mock and Sears, of the United States Army, tor key
West / visited them while on board OF the schooner
They are dirty, filthy set of beings having hardly any
thing 10 cover themselves with. All the vessels are
sent away from Fort Bankhead. The schooner Ran
doph Capt Ireland, and schr. Imperial, Capt Rogers
TO Tampa Bay, with their cargoes schrs Folly and ha
ria L. Eseli, discharglng; the schrs hre, Capt Nye;
Oscar CAPT SOuhwick, and Exit, Tor Black Greek
THE Ell, left in company with the Oscar all with
ooes and IT, S Troops. Col. Bankhead, A. ID. J. T.
pickeU Dr. Byrne and Lieut.. Ross, u. ). A were pas
sencers in the Exit, from Fort Bankhrad and hey BIS
came 10 this place. where she lc oth INST on The 4lh
left indian key-no theTe-4i Indians were taken
about the 9th March, by Col. BankheGds command
they will be sent the West soon as arrangements
can he made Three Indians were taken by some Ten
nesseeans out on scouting party, tnry came with a
white flag; one had rifle, the others Mo theIrs one Oh
which was found Two of the Indians have since run
away Fort Dallas the River Miami, has been evacu
ated and The buildings removed to Fort Bankhead, u
Key Bscaine, where the light house stands Captain
Webster commands at Fort Bankhead and it is probable
this post will be Kept up during the 81 summer IT,. p;u
Miami is nearly dry Capt Powell has left Cape Florida
for Key West and other Keys
The Eru left Key Biscainc, Fort Bunkhead, at sun
down Oh the 9Th instant and we'd at anchor ot ST.
Johns Bar at sundown the llih. Lett at Fort BANK
head the steamer Isis, Capt. Craig
Yours, truly, y. Is SlSSON'
have received the following information from an Of
fcer attached to Col Bankheads command:
"Col lSankhead, informed, has been operating
ever since the 10Th of March in the vicinity OF New RI
yer and Cape Florida, with a command OF about 6OO
men, consisting of ten companies OF Artillery battalion
of Tennessee volunteers and the sailors of Lieut. Pow
ellis command
"The Colonel proceeded from Camp I.auderdale (on
New River) on the 24d of March, with force Of about
$50 men, and penetrated the Everglades in boats 10 dis
lance of fifteen miles His directed by large
Indian trail over which it presumed that Sam Jones
and lgalo with party OF al least 30O had recently
passed II seems the Everg ladies' is lake of immense
extent the Of which does not at this dry season,
average than two and hall ieet ana being almost
entirely overgrown with grass OF about seven set
high and studded with numerous little woody islands, 1t
presents to the yew every direcon lnterminable
series of beautiful gLGdcS.
"The difficulties encountered in this march are said to
have surpassed any thing that has yet been met with
even in Fiorida II impossible 10 proceed through
this zion except in boats, the wafer although ave-
raging more than two and hall feet was III many
places deep to reach 10 the necks OF the men, me
hr 81 grass and mud rendered it impossible TO propel
the boats by oars that the only alternative was to push
and drag them along which done with INFINITE laeor,
but without murmur-the men wadng through water,
and in many places struggling through mud above their
hips besides being lmpeded at almost every step, ny
sharp saw grass, which frequently inflicted severe
wounds.
iAfter having proceeded about - miles in the manner
here described the trail perceived to lead To dry
Pine Island. the many little Islands which form the Ev.
erpIades are covered with Cocoa, Plumb and Cypress
trees and swampy, that even the Indians cannot,
reside on them) of about three miles n length, and
quarter of mile in breadth, the North end oil this Is
land covered by de hammock from The centre OF
which several smokes TO rise and as the troops
spuroached some eight ten warriors discovered
about its margin. As night was fast approaching II be-
ing within hour Of sunset and az there still subsIsed
sort of indefinite truce with the Indians, Col. Bank
head thought due both policy and justice, to offer
them the white flag before he made any hostile demon
stralicn Accordingly small party proceeded within
about 2G0 yards Of the hammock, with this emblem OF
peace floating above their heads; Int TO the great sur
prise and indignation Of ALL they had scarcely been Two
minutes al their station when several rife balls were
heard 10 whiz around their ears Of which wounded
the hand of the man who held the flag.
"1he Colonel then lost not moment in dsposing his
men for action; and this he did in manner which was
entirely new 10 the Indians and which doubt, inter
reed with their previous arrangements Instead Of l'l-
lowing the TRAIL and charging the hammock IN 'front.', as
the Indians from all previous experience, had reason 10
expect and for which emergency they, doubtless, were
we'll prepared the Colonel posted in front Of the ham
mock in extended line, to completely cover il, two
Ross while he despied On ppdsr ss OF
(where the water not than two feet deep) Ma
inr Kirby, with four companies of the lst Artillery
of the Sd Artillery and two of Tennessee volunteers
with orders flank the enemy and land part OF his force
in the Of the hammock. On the right of the island
(whe5e the water was too deep to wade Lieut. Powell
was with the boats sailors and two companies Of the
Isl Artillery, with orders to form junction with Major
Kirby. The enemy at first opened fire the boats
they proceeded within gun shot Of the hammock but as
! ibevA he III n
if they attempted to hold their position they would
be completely surrounded, they relreaed with great pre-
cptation and had barely time to escape Mai Kirby and
Lieut. Powell closed in their Night had now fallen
and the grass in which they took refuge a. rded
them such complete conceament that pursuit would
have been useless. The Indians obliged, in their
precpate flight, 10 abandon every thing except their
and children most of whom, it is probable, they
had transported before they fired the white flag
Whole sacks Of conee cooking utensils of every de.
scrpon, powder, lead clothing and about 20 skin
noes were found in their camp. Orders were given 10
pursue the enemy at daylight next morning, but il
discovered after wade of few miles that the trail led
TO another Pine Island Git said that there but three
Pine Islands, altogether, in the Everglades) remote
that it would have been impossible for the troops, now
completely exhausted, and short Of provisions 10
| tinue the pursuit TO so great distance.
1.-The moral effect Of this movement in the Everglades
will doubtless be very great, the whole Seminole
tom their last asylum has been in vaded and they
convinced that that place which they have fire.
quently boosted no white man could CO., no longer al
fords them protection The probability s that they will
again resort to the Everglades for they there
be completely cut off whenever The rises its usual
h'ght-and even as it is, their chance ofescape then is
much less than in the great cypress swamps Of the main
| land.
sin few days after this expedition to the Everglades
AZ Indians surrendered 10 Col Bankhead in the vcini-
ty Of Camp Lauderdale Among them were 13 warriors
who gave up their rifles the rest were women and child
Whether these people were Influenced BY the
ment in the Everglades, is impossible say but the
time and place at which they surrendered, make the in
ference extremely probable"
TALLAHASSEE. April l4-The news Of the capture OF
the Indians by Gen. Jesup is confirmed, verbally by an
express which arrived here yesterday from Black Creek
IDFn halh