Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-01-12
DeSHa HiSI'RC.
FLORIDA WAR.

fairs of the Senate has reported bill from mat com
mee providing for "he armed octuPdt0a ana StHemene
Of Frda ,rhici is nop and mtestcd6y mamGua
hands of hostile IndiaRs The principe It the bill
is 10 gran, land 20 the ters who VIII g" 10 The paris
of Florida indicated, establish stations, ana MAINTAIN
their possession until the county is Pnciheo ana inc
nJisps removed Three hundred and twenty acres OF
land is the quantity proposed 10 be granted, to be seled
by the settlers themselves, each Tor himself according
to priority of settlement. PROVISIONS Tor year, ana
also ammunition TO be furnished TO the settlers VINO 20
beyond the latitude OF the "l'niacoochce we pene'e
that this bill has been reported uFon full consultation
with the Secretary at War, several officers who nave
served in Florida and many inhabitants OF me. Ter
r,ory and that they all concur with the senate coni-
mit,ee in believing that this bill presents the true SALE
expeditions. cheap, and effecual method OF bringing
the Florida disturbances to end. Accompanying the
bill is letter from the Surgeon General, Dr Lawson,
in answer to inquiries from the chairman OF the com
i,,ee in which he presents the most cheering prospect
of the facility Of obtaining good land healthy stations
and plenty Of provisions for The settlers Inc leuer
has been printed 10 accompany The DILL ny order OF 'he
Senate and is herewith presented TO the public and we
take the occasion 10 say that DR.. Lawson views and
information arc entitled The highest confidence, the
hole being given from actual experience and personal
examinations and bottomed upon both military and me-
dical services in the peninsula oi Florida The Dector
having had military command ana served much IN
the Territory and especially in the extreme southern
par, of it, which he well and so interestingly de-
scrbes - Globe.
DOCUMENT
j
and SETTLE nj IF that pnrt Of Florida Thich IS n0o ortr
run and infested by nnarauding bands Of hostile In
SURGEON Generals OFFICE,
December 80. 1888
Sin. Your communication of the 18th instant on the
subject of an armed occupation and settlement OF that
patt of Florida now overun by The Indians have had
the honor 10 receive.
In reply to your several inteTrogaores, GLOW tar 1t
possible 10 find land fit for cultivation for these set.
tiers especially towards the extremity OF the peninsula:
whether healthy positions he had Cor salions and
what are the facilities of raising grain and vegetables.
and of getting fish and game Tor the support OF The set.
Tiers :" beg leave To present to you the following
statement, the result of my knowledge and expert
cncc in relation 10 the matters submitted 10 my consd
Grafton.
There is an extensive range Of country and Of very
good land between the cove of the WithIacoochee
Silver Spring branch al the head Of navigation, the
Ochlawaha, and there many good tracts between
those rivers extending TO the Indian settlement called
Puklkuha where there is another body Of good land
This section Of country is capable OF supporting seVe
raj thousand inhabitants there is plenty OF game in It,
and the rivers and lakes in the vicinity afford fish II
abundance, and, wiiha has the advantage OF waie'
communication by the Withlacoochee with the Gull o.
Mexico, and lhroug The Ocklawaha and the 81 John
river with the Atlantic la addition TO these considers
TONS there are several healthy points in the country
particularly in the vicinity Of Fort King; and here
large settlement should be made il will be the bar
rier between the Indians and the white settlements, and
constitute the base OF operations.
There are some good lands on TaakchoPto, both
nea the head Of the river where IL is called Pense creek
and the lower banks near the head OF Charlotte
Ila1bnr
banks Of The Coloosahatchee particularly in the vic
nifty Of Fort Thompson, at the great crossing Of the
river Fish and game abound, | believe, in this re-
gion. | am not satisfied 10 the hcnthfulness of
this section of the country; but it should be occupied
at all risks as is the line of the nearest practicable
route between the Gulf and the Atlantic side of the
peninsula.
few good tracts be gotten on the shores, and on
The islands within Marcus sound, near Cape Roman.
There is beautiful tract of land Pavilion river,
len or twelve leagues Southeast of Cape Roman, and
parcels Of good land may be found on the banks u"
Shark river, and The shores OF Lake Manlou, ten
leagues still farther East
Al Cape Sable there is beautiful spot for a military
pnsl and depot for colony which should be established
on prairie, running East and by North from that cape
along the towards Cape Florida This prairie runs
Immediately The seashore for thirty FIVE miles, then
turns little North and TO the interior Of The country,
extending perhaps twenty thirty miles in length
1t appears TO be inclined plane, falling impercePt-
bly, from the seashore To The everglades, distance OF
fifteen twenty miles, TO the interior of The county,
FROM what say OF the products of the land the cape
and the islands in the vicinity, am induced TO believe,
tina. the soil Of this prairie will produce in gicat peec
lion grain and vegetables Of every kind with sugar
cane, cotton &c Through The prairie there are hume
cumps ond groves Of trees, which will afford both
fuel and building timber for The settlers The keys and
sand bars in front of the cape make excellent harbor
for steamboats, and sail vessels drawing from six TO ten
feet water The waters along this coast full OF ur-
tie and fish of every kind, and the prairie and woods
around abound in game.
The immediate site of Cape Sable is evidently
healthy as are almost all situations directly on the
board; and | have no doubt that healthy positions
be gotten the prairie, as the climate is delightful
in the summer season. from the prevalence OF the
sea breeze, or trade winds.
There lso good tracts of land New river and
hody m Ind boi hnnt hp
side Of the peninsula; and this last river, on ST
Luce's sound, another settlement should be made
This section Of country being within The influence Of
the atmosphere, should be healthy fish abound in
the rivers and sounds about and game perhaps is plenty
in the country.
The settlement the Gulf eide at Cape Sable, and
The Atlantic side Indian river, with the present
military post at Tampa Bay, small post at Puna Rassa,
a blockhouse at near Cape Florida, and another at
Jupiter inlet with the occasional assistance of
cutter, will command the whole coast, and cut of
the intercourse between The Indians and Spanish fisher
and bUamen from The British isles; while the two
settlements in the interior Of the country, with
military establishment some where on the middle ground
between the Coloosa Hatrhee and Indian river settle
ments, will be in position 10 control the Indians
| have, like yourself, arrived at the conclusion that
the with the Seminole Indians be terminated in
shorter time, and at less cost by armed occupation
Of the country, than by the continuance Of regular
mode of warfare. Our armies have been for years
gagged in hunting up, pursuing, and killing few In
dams in each campaign; md, judging from The
have already had, it will take FIVE years longer
to kill of those that still remain, and determined
TO remain, in the country. The establishment of mill
ary colonies the other hand will change the system
of warfare. Instead of the white men fighting the In
dams in their natural forresses the Indians will have
to out and attack the whites within their lines of
defence, and where the skill and intelligence OF the CT
vllized have its influence. We shall act on the
defensive; and experience teaches that we are better
a, repelng invasion than in making conquest The
Indians will certainly attack our settlements, and in each
conflict and in each succeeding year, will lose more
men than have fallen before heavy columns march.
ing through the country.
This is the way that the Western country was won
from the savages of that region The pioneers 10 the
West pitched their camps and built their bockhouses
through The country and then fought little and worked
little, until The Indians, finding that they could dis.
lodge the white men, pulled up stakes themselves and
retired beyond the Mississippi
nd so will The Seminole India ms act far ,bev c,p,,