, 1842-04-23
From tie Ne1o Era.
Our Army.-The Florida War.

wal, that the public seems to have
lost sight of the devotion and gallant
nv uniformly shown by our troop:
when they have met the Red man il
deadly conflict.
Now that the strife of politics il
somewhat abateu-the war, to all in
tents, closed, and some of the actor.
therein, to wit, the gallant Sixth Re
gimentare among US, bringing fresh tt
my mind the deeds, which in a war
fare with civilized foe, would have
covered the actors with imperishable
glory. | propose to review some oI
the scenes Of the long protracted war.
in the hope that the public may be in.
duced TO do u gallant little army
that justice it so richly merits, but
which has been so long denied. To
begin and 90 through, in detail, all
the skirmishes in which our troops
were engaged. would be uninteresting
and improbable. ! shall, the.efore,
only allude 10 one or two battles, the
names of which are familiar to the
public ear-and shall examine them.
with a view TO ascertain whether our
troops conducted themselves with
true courage. and were actuated by a
high sense of duty. or whether they
sought to avoid the struggle, and
conducted themselves like "carpet
knights as some gentlemen of the
army have. with great dignity, cho-
sen to designate our officers.
1t must be recollected, that hunting
Indians. and fighting them, is of all
dutiest, the most thankless. If they,
with their more intimate knowledge
of the country, and without the in
cumbrance of provisions and KNAPP
sacks. with which our troops cannot
dispense, flee before their pursuers. SO
fast that they cannot be overtaken
very soon, straightway the public &C
cuse our troops of a want of energy.
When, jaded and almost discouraged,
they overtake the enemy, and chas.
tise him, the public look upon it as a
matter of course-and if perchance,
after hard fighting, the troops should
be repulsed. they are signally and eff
fectually disgraced-so that. which
ever horn Of the dilemma, you hang
them upon, their situation is most
unenviable.
The first conflict which occurred
in Florida. where our troops had an
opportunity 10 test their courage
and discipline, was on the With
lacooche, where Gen. Glinch com.
handed. That stream WIS crossed
10 the face Of a superior foe, and tn.
troops were formed on the opposite
bank with the GOODNESS and deliber-
alton of a sunshine parade. In this
instance, as in all other instances. Of
Indian battles OF which | recuIlect.
the Red man choose his position. and
it became the duty of the troops to
rout him from his strong hold. With
twice three times the number Of the
assailants, the Indians had the strength
Of position-an advantage of great
magnitude; yet did the troops ad-
vance to the struggle with the de-
termination TO conquer or die. Three
times did the Calling fire of the Tndi-
ans cause the courageous little band
of troops to reel and falter, and as
often did the gallant Clinch rally them
and cheer them on, and finally. after
being greatly reduced in numbers. the
heroic troops, led on by as gallant a
set Of officers as ever barred their
breast for their country's honor, rout-
ed the enemy with the bayonet.-
The force remaining uninjured, was
barely large enough to protect the
wounded, and clinch was unable to
pursue the enemy, and secure the
fruits of his hard earned victory.
| pass over some brilliant feats,
and come TO the battle of o Ike cho.
bee, as being more important, and
more wildly impressed on my mind
than any other, saw the action Just
mentioned. Here our troops met an
concealed in tree tops and
behind their bodies, with a morass in
nearly waist deep. A position {
which the Indians were confident {
IF cutting off, utterly, the main body .
IF the Florida army. From this S
position, they sent al invitation to '
Zen. Tyler to come and fight them. !
The challenge was promptly and ca
,erly accepted. The troops arrived /
n front of the morass and of the en- S
position, after a fatiguing and
larrassing march. With as little de. !
ay as possible, they were formed for
and advanced steadily through
he morrss, waist deep in mud, under
murderous fire from the Indians, ,
who uara ~concaalad ia H. ~ "