Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-08-27


Again it becomes our melancholy duty
10 record the cold blooded buchery OF men
women aud children. by the sanguinary
Semiuolcs. Again has tho lrcachcr0u,
savages bathedtheir tomahawks and seal p.
ing knives IIilt deep in human blood, burn,
ing houses and destroying property. and
been allowed deliberately to retire in Sc.
curity to their fasincssscs. to prepare lor
another attack on the defcncclcss inhabit-
ants of Florida, whenever favorable
opportunity shall offer. These scenes may,
and probably will be reiterated time and
again, unless some more energetic meas
ures are adopted 10 drive them from the
Territory, or The inhabitants flee from their
homes and country, leaving the Indians
in undisputed possession.
The intelligence OF this most disastrous
occurrence was brought to this port, by
Capt Kenyon, of the schr. Victoria. ar
rived at Quarantine yesterday, from Key
West. lie states that wrecking vessel
arrived at Key West, from Indian Key;
7lli inst, with few of the survivors, who
slated that a number OF Indians in their
canoes. attacked lu'lian Key, on The night
of the 9th inst. and after numbering part
Of the inhabitants, and filling their canoes
with plumber, burnt the whole settlement.
consisting of about 80 houses, dwellings
and stores. The lmliaus remained until
noon on the following day, when they left
for the main. The survivors were con-
ccalcd during this time under wharf
and left Immediately after the indians de-
parted for Key West. Our infurmant,not
having converscd with any Of the survi-
vors. is unable to give lis more detailed
account. 1t was stolcl AT Key West, that
some two or three OF the inhabitants Of
Indian Key had made their escape i'll one
OF the Indian canoes, aud arrived al Tea
Table hey, in The immediate vicinity.
The following letter from our attentive
correspondent a, Key West, gives some
additional particulars OF this horrible mas
Sacrc:
KEY WEST, August, 1910.
Dear Sirs-Wc were alarmed on the
morning of the Sth Instant, by the arrival
here of great part of the inhabitants "l
Key Vacas. They had left their homes
in consequence Of the arrival ota small
boat, with some negroes from Indian Key,
on the morning Of the 7lI, who reported
that number of indians had landed on
Indian Key, Immediately after the moon
had gone down; they think from 100 10
$50 in number, that morning. and had
murdered all its inhabitants, and burnt
their. houses. a party from this. immc-
tliatcly went on board Of the wrecking
sloop Fevlia, and started. They had not
proceeded many miles. when they en-
countercd the wreckiuS schooner General
Washington, direct from Indian Key,
whose captain informed them, that il was
unnecessary for them to proceed any fur
their, as all the houses. except QUE, owned
and occupied by Mr.. Charles Howe, In
spcctor of Customs, were dcstoycd-and
that the Indians had left the Island about
10 o'clock, a. ~, Of lie 7th, taking away
all lhd, they wanted, in the boats belong
ing to the Key. 1t appears so soon as The
alarm was given by tho yc'ls Of the In.
dians, Mr.. Houscnan aud wife, and M.
Howe, wife, anil five children. were sue
cessfuI in making their escape, and went |
to Tca-Tablc Key, whicIlis about one
mile aud hall. Dr.. Perrnc, wife and
three children, remained in their house for
a short time, when the Doctor wcnl TO the
Cupalo an;l spoke 10 The Iniians in Span.
ish-but it is 'hen supposed they then shot
him for he was not aSaln seen. His la
dy, with her two daughters and son, re-
treated to the Turtle Crawl, near the house,
watched their opportunity, and while the
Indians were plundcring, started in Il boat
for an old hulk. lying about two hundred
yards from The Key, where they remained
until day iSht, when they were taken
away by a boat from Tca-Table Key
Mr.. John Motto, master Of the wrcckims
sloop Key West, with his wife, Two chill
dren, anrl mother. retired, for the purpose
Of securing them in the privy; but poor un
fortunate people, they were soon dragged
out, aud Mr.. Motto and wife were shot
the mother escaping 10 The water, by which
she was savcd-,hey then dashed out the
brains oflw infants against The ruchs. and
lef, them with the corpses Of the parents
As the house of DIR. Perrine was burnt, his
body must have been consumed in it. A
lad, about IL years, brother Of Mrs. Z.
Smith, hid himself in The cisern of Mr..
IIouscman's house--with Il carpenter
named Blocks the latter was saved, but
much burnt: the lad perished in the flames.
The only other person Oh the Key, at he
time Of the attack, hurt, was Mr.. Oti,, a
carpenter-hc was wounded by rifle ball
which has been extracted. and Inc is do
ing we'll At Tea Table Key. the We're
about II invalds. in charge ofa Doctor
OF the L. S. A. The rest of the drtach.
meat o: Marines, urder command nf Lciul.
Sloan, had left abou, is hours betule, in
the United States schooner Haze, for
Cape Romano, to join the expedition of
boats in the everglades, under command
of Lieut.. Cong. Mclaughlin. Nevcrlhe-
less, the Doctor, so soon as he hearl OF
the attack, with five of his invaids, and