Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-26
DOMESTIC.

FROM FLORIDA.
We publish to-day some interesting letters ana re-
ports of the movements in Florida. The account gwen
bv Cant Rains of his fight with 4 very superior force,
Will be read with great interest. Officers and men APP
pear 10 have behaved with the utmost gallantry; and the
GOODNESS and i~ntrepidlty displayed by Capt. Rams HIM
self are worthy of all praise.
The military operations in the Territory are conduct
ed with great vigor, Notwithstanding the season, and
will, il is understood, be persevered in throughout The
summer.
HEAD QUARTERS ARMY OF THE SorTII,
Fort King, May 30, $40.
Sir: | have the honor TO enclose, for the information
of the Department., Capt. Rains report, just received,
of his affair with the Indians Oh the 18th oil April,
and Capt. Bonneville's report OF the destruction OF an
Indian town, &c, on the 18th instant.
lcannot speak too highly Of Capt. Rains fight, cN-
and the h h9ESaff E1aTe iSe m g 6fiitsfs s shdi mem en-" judgment
have the honor 10 refer the Department to Captain
Bonncviie's report Of to-day, in which it will be seen
surrounded by marshes, hammocks, and distant from
here only fifteen miles, was entirely destroyed, with a
fine field of corn, and much Indian property, valuable
only, however, 10 themselves. From the appearance
of the village, II has existed for some years, and been 4
great resort for Indians going North and South, and
from whence they could sally at any moment, and in
a few hours destroy small scouting parties, and inter
ccpt wagon trains. Captain Bonneville estimate Of
the number OF warriors, is, think, too small; there are
many of them, no doubt, out in the bands which are
constantly CblIIiiiiLNlhG u'IISbuAiDHS' ny hlF'A' cu''
would no doubt, have been captured, had not the
growth, scrub palmetto, through which the men had 10
cross, given a noise which hcralded the approach of our
troops. Capt. Bonneville deserves great credit, not
only for this affair, but for the zeal aud good conduct
which he has exhibited on all occasions.
The troops are constantly scouting IN large bodies.
1t. Col. Ricys command IS now on the WIih!acoo-
chce. Cap,s. Bonneville and Kerr are also out, with
their commands in pursuit of some Indians. 1t. Vol.
Harvey will shortly proceed South seventy or eighty
miles.
As soon as the militia are mustered in, or a portion
of them, | shall proceed to withdraw an equal number
Of regular troops from Middle Florida, TO establish the
line of posts as directed by the War Department.
| hope by constant movements not ONLY TO withdraw
the enemy from the settlements, but 10 repay some OF
the ills which they have bestowed upon US.
am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obcdirnt servant,
w. X. ARMlSTEAD,
Byigadicr- General Commanding
.7rmy Of Tie South.
Rr. Gen r. Jones,
.4dutont. General, Washington, 4. {.
ToRr King, (E. F)(
May %, 1910.
Sir: Owing to the state OF my health, still precarl-
Gus, as you are well aware, | have not been able until
now of making the following report, which have the
honor to submit;
my company were waylaid, and, assassin-like, shot
down in sight Of this post. The murdercrs, secure IN
their heetncss, and with the start they had, rendered
the pursuit Of no avail. They went in a direction
South, about two miles, where is a small hammock and
water, the latter no where else 10 be found in that d.
rcction for miles around.
War parties of the Indians must pass the above Tor
wafer from the South, who have sinister designs against
this post: So at this place | put 4 small box As an engine
Of destruction, containing a bomb howitzer shell, some
Gunpowder fragments of old iron, etc, with a shirt of
one of the above murdered mon upon the top, 50 nXed
that the removal oft would explode the whole, destroy
the operator, and give the alarm of the approach Of the
enemy TO this post.
a few evenings subsequent at Tattoo, the machine
was set off; the military ran TO the spot, but no enemy
was found: a hard ram followed in a little time which
was calculated to ohlitcrate every trace-subsequcntly,
however, was induced from all appearances 10 be-
leve, ii mad given the enemy a premonitory caution.
The shell, &c, was renewed, but IN another shape,
and again exploded about the same hour OF the night
on the 9th Of April. The military again rushed to the
spot, bu, in the darkness Of the night, no Indians were
found, while no doubt the hammock was full.
heard a whoop, as usually given By the enemy,
while passing in rear of a thicket, with some Dragons
under Lieut.. Newton to intercept fngitives: but the cry
was thought to proceed from one of the infantry who
were securing the bushes under Lieut.. Scott, who, as
since asccrtained, also heard the same some distance
before them.
On the morning of the 2Sth following, with sixteen
men, being all the disposable force at the post | pro-
ceeded to the hammock again, which is aboutlO0 yards
wide, and l40 feet in length surrounded with an open
pine woods, and swept it with my men III extended or
der. The hammock is quite full Of low, thick palmet-
toes, which afford good hiding places, and impenetra-
bic, almost, except by crawling. So, after this diligent
search, we passed through the water at the farthest end,
and found no enemy; but two cur dogs we had along
began TO bark in the densest of the thicket at a rabbit,
as one of my command answered me, upon inquiry.
The dogs running now to the opposite side of the
pond, about5 or 6 yards wide, into the bushes, barking
furiously, again excited my suspicion, and | ordered
the men to ascertain the cause, and was proceeding my
self to ascend the bank, about six feet high, for the
ame purpose, when the men in front shouted "Indi-
MS, raised their guns, and fired simultaneously with
he enemy, who were concealed PROSTATE in the under
growth.
My men rushed back past me, when finding that we