Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-11-29
From The 81. Augustine Herald. Oct Ia
ESCAPE FROM THE INDIANS.

Sotporal, now sergeant haywood, ~
Dragons. a New Eng,ander from Surry.
New Hampshire. furnishes us with the
following narrative of his escape from the
massacre at Carloosah hate bic, which we
give nearly 10 bis own words. Nearly all
is corroboraled by other Information, and the
whole is plainly told. The Sergeant is
positive the Indians did follow him, and
that their lowering about without molesling
him was a reality-not a vision.
"On the night Of the 22d of July, five Of
our dragoons were camped at Punta Rassa,
and the remainder IL in number, in a large
hospital tent. ten miles up the river, nearly
halfa mile from the suffers store. Colo.
mel Harney's tent was close by. Charley
Brown and his wife were also camped near.
with Sandy Perryman. Sampson was at
the suffers. where he was acting as interpre-
ter. On the morning ofthe 23d, just at day
break. awakened by a whoop and rife shots.
we rushed from the tent, at the other end
Of which the Indians were entering, break
ing all before them. None ofus were injur-
ed, because we were lying down. and the
Indians had fred TOO high; we had our rifles,
but owing 10 the neglect Of a ~non-commis-
stoned officer. no nmmunition.& being there
fore unable to make a defence took TO the riv-
ler-the Indians iollowingto The bank. from
whence they fired. but the waterl being
shallow. we had waded a good distance, and
by dropping down. onlytwo Of us were woun-
ded, though the balls fell like hail and scat
tered the water all round. We then procee-
ded down the river, keeping OUT OF rifle
range, but could not cross. as there were
Indians on the other side. and some Of the
party that first attacked us walked down
the beach opposite 10 us. As we closed in a
little in approaching a point, (the water be-
coming deeper, and some could not swim)
we saw that some of the Indians were old
acquaintances, who had been about our
tents more friendly than we wanted. when at
Key Biscayne.
zone Of them who spoke English. called
out to Sergeant BigeIow. Sergeant. come
ashore and bring your men we are friends.
and will not hur; you" Believing there
was sore intended ireachery. | opposed
going. but the Sergeant and eight others
went. and were friendly received, l saw
one Indian walking by the arm with Ser
gent Simmons, who has moi since been heard
from. The remainder OF the men continued
down, and on rounding the point were taken
on board a small sloop boat. which had
dropped down when The attack commenced.
One wounded man and myself remained be.
hind, as the others landed and Get out with
the Indians on their return to the camp-we
were called upon to follow. which we pre-
tended 10. but kept in the water. and when
the party was passing over some rising
ground which hid them, cut for the woods.
| We passed one draeoon pierced BY three
balls, and his bowels ripped ont, and heard
rected, we supposed. on the remainder
1 Besides Mr.. DaIiam and those in his employ
am certain nobody was killed except
those who were enliced back by the Indi,
ans with proteslations of friendship.
"The wounded man and | separated. and
ran into a swamp and set down in water
knee deep all day, and at night went on
! into the pine barren TO sleep. The mex
day I attempted to walk towards the coast
4 hoping some vessel ia passing might see
me, but my feet were terribly sore. FOR hav
ing no shoes they had been cut badly while
in the water by oyster shells. Ia the after.
moon I heard a whoop, and seeing two
Indians near me with rifles, ran for a small
misunderstanding across this | came 10 q
fire, by the side OF which was a negro, tha|
[ am certain was Sampson. Then turned
and run into some tall grass, in hope OF get
Ting to a larger hammock opposite. but the
1.-Two Indians cut me of, turning mt toward:
a sand beach, when the sufferings Of ms
!, feet becoming UNDESIRABLE. l tore of part o
my shirt and wound il round them. and
then went through the night walking or
this beach, the Indians still continuing neal
nae. until about IL o'clock next day. wher
| fell down on the sand completely exhaus
led,-Shorily aler, the two Indians that ]
first saw, came up 10 some trees close by
and were joined by others. expected they
would shoot me. but said to them, "why dc
| you wish to hurt me whenever any Of you
come to our camps we treat you well. and
when we take you prisoners, we never
harm your By this time l became dizzy
and fell senseIess, where I lay unconscious
for a long time. though the sun was broil'
ing hot. VI
"When 1 came to myself again the In
Idians were gone. and | saw no more OIL
them. I attributed my delivery 70 Sampson,
who liked me. and | think must have pre-
vailed on the Indians not TO murder me,
for | know no other reason. then went
lon till | came to a river, down which ]