The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-05-25

December, lS37--near the place where ne
met Jumper, and the next morning, the 2lst
of December, having ordered Captain Parks !
to Join him and take command of the Della
wares, and having despatched Jumper, in
charge of some Shawnees, to Fort Gardiner
and thence 10 Fort Frazier, continued his
march southwardly. Three friendly Semi
noles were sent forward, before the line OF
march was taken up, to gain intelligence as
to the position of the enemy. About noon
of the same day Colonel Taylor sent for
ward one battalion of Gentry's Regiment,
under command cf 1t Colonel Price, with
orders TO pick up any stragglers that might
fall in his way, to ecamp two or three miles
in advance OF the main force, to act with
great circumspecton and to communicate
promptly any occurrence that might tahe
place in his vicinity important for the COM
mander-in -chef to know.
About 10 O'Clock Of the evening Of the
2lst Of December, 1887, Colonel Taylor
received note from 1t. Colonel Price, sta
Ting that the three Seminoles sent forward in
the morning, had returned-lhat they had
been at the place where Alligator had en-
camped, IL or fifteen miles in his 1t. Col.
Prce's) advance-that Alligator had left
that place with part of his family four
days before under the pretext Of separating
his relations from the Mickasukies, prepa-
ratory to his surrendering with them, and
that there were several families YET remain
ing at Alligator's camp who wished to give
themselves up, and who would remain
there till the Americans should take them,
unless they were forcibly carried off that
might by the Mickasukies, who were en-
camped at no great distance from them.
In consequence Of this intelligence, after
directing 1t Colonel Davenport to follow
him early on The next morning (the 22d)
with the infantry, little after midnight Of
the 2lst Of December, Colonel Taylor put
! himself at the head of the mounted men
who were with him, and joined 1t. Colo
mel Price. Thus reinforced, the advance
proceeded on, crossed lstopoga outlet, and
soon after daylight Colonel Taylor took
possession OF the encampment Of Alligator,
where he found the inmates, who had not
been disturbed They consisted Of an old
man and two young men, and several wo-
f men and children, amounting in all to ~
individuals. The.old man informed Colo
mel Taylor that Alligator was very anxious
to separate his people from the Mickasu-
kies, who were encamped on the opposite
side Of the Kissimmee, distant twenty
miles, where they would fight the Ameri-
cans This old man was forthwith sent to
cere in his professions, he must meet Colo
} mel Taylor the next day at the Kissimmee
where the trail, which the Americans were
} marching on, crossed, and where they
) should halt. As soon as the infantry came
: up, Colonel Taylor moved up to the point
just designated, which he reached late on
the evening Of the 22d Of December, and
; where he encamped. About IL o'clock,
the-same evening, the old Indian returned,
bringing very equivocal message from
| Alligator, whom he said, he met acciden-
/ tally, and communicating the information
that the Mickasukies were still encamped
where they had been tarrying for some
days, and that they were determined to
fight the Americans.
j Colonel Taylor at once determined on in
i dulging them as soon as practicable.
i 10 be continued