The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1841-09-17
EHE WING e REGISTE.ls.
Terms-s5 = AIvanee.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
East pAgc1eoUIA. AUg. Ig4i.

East PAscAGoUIA, AUG. /, 1871.
Attack b sepenty Semiaoles on the Light
HoassGsI ey.B iscagne of Cape Florida.
BraUe defence by an old DeteraB sea
man Of tie late War URheard of sssf-
fering. - Captain Armstrong, u. States
Macy. Key West. - kqrIeston. - Gen
Jackson.-Mr Pringle.--Mr. Pickens,
Of South Caroliaa.-R eUard of Pat
riot Of the last War.-Tte poor Fisher.
man.
To the Editor Of the YasoO City Whig:
hand you enclosed the statement
of John W. B. Thompson for publication.
Elt is written in as nearly his own words as
could put it down, and with view(by bis
consenD of publication. Thompson was
born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, ane b
now So years old. He fought on boardSur
navy during the last war, and was badly
wounded in the shoulder al the glorious
battle Of Pittsburgh on Lake Champlain,
9th September 1914. He is an intelligent
man, and is now living.the life of a recluse
on the banks of this Bay. came upoA
him during my mornings ramble, seated on
anold log under live oak tree. with a
book in his hand, dressed in a check shirt
and duck trowsers, both patched so often
that you could not we'll make out the Origi-
nal color of the stuff he wore.
! 1t was so strange a sight to see man ia
his garb reading; that ! went up to him aud
after some conversation drew from him his
history. You NAV remember to have seen
some account Of The burning ofthe Light
House on -Biscayne off Cape Florida by
the Semiuoles in July l636,-publshed
first in one the Charleston papers.
Since Daniel Boon, do not believe
there has lived a more extraordinary man
than this.
i He has been upwards of twenty years II
Florida and a history of the cruises Of hi;
lsmall vessel, the "WilIiam or, Little Billy
with boy named Mack ( to whom he refers
i'm the statement below would form 70
nance Of the widest nature. lie nov
lives by fishing andis reduced TO the ut
most verge of poverty, yet he is cheerful il
conversation, when once he forms an &C
quainlance and is treated with due respect
/ made him a small donation which he ex
pended in buyinga pair of shoes and SOM
Fishing tackle. went to see him ever
Idav for a week but never could get him /
laccompanv me to the Hotel He is a ma
labout 6 feet high with spare and sinewe
form, very deep chest, fine open counle
nance, light blue eyes, and light hair, sprink
led with gray.
Perhaps if you will publish the enclose
ist H. e sorr,iob to him in -
! lieffrom government.
I Cetainly if the government has any Fl
vors tobestow, his claims are entitled to ne
i itice, not as favor but as being due TO
! veteran who has lost his little all, and sper
|. his life in the service of his country.
! But lei him tell his own tale, beginin
4 with the
) Attack on the Light House.
v ssThere stood an old man-his hairs were whit
n But his veteran arm was full of might;
.fl So CALAMITY bore he the brunt of the fray,
The dead before him on that day
g. Ina seml-circle lay;
/ Still he combatted unwounded,
y. Though retreating, nnsurounded."
4 Siege Of COrintt.
4 All in a hot and copper sky,
= The bloody sun at noon,
s- Right up above the Light House stood,
Is No bigger than the mooni'
= The Ancient Mariner.
is Il was about four months after had 90
n lunder contractto keep the Light Hou
le At the Key off Cape Florida. The form
r. keeper had abandoned il in alarm, for /
Seminoles had been committing vario
ve depredations al along shore.
III vas 10 receive one thousand dollars
d, year and furnish the additional aid Of
black man Carrier who was my only comps
ion, and generally did The work of COZ
and was a. very good, one all except the c
q fae, and that he nevercould get right, son
times i was toasted too much, soniimes
~ little, But Garter knee all about fish q
oysters, aud made capita bread /
Z tie promise oi soma men 10 assist as guai
= Ito the Light blouse but they never con
Well. IS was saying, 4 was about {
months after IenleFed On the duties
81 Light House keeper that smelt The cof
pagchino ID tle house. bat IS Is he ST
dwelling attached % the Ligh Honse VIII
81 we used now e. q kitchen. preferinu
lodge "a me Light House, because iii i
more secure, and Gid not ike 10 n
much % ny neighbors lhe Ssmiuoless
you see knew that The old Chief lab San
Alobama was one okthe leaders II lbe
lms pqssaets'