The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-09-23
Gen. Scott in Florida.


held whilst there, we publish the following
letter from Col. Joseph White member Of
CONGRESS at that time from that Territory, to
President Jackson. The prayer of Colonel
White was instantly granted and Gen. Scott
was withdrawn:
FROM Elk. Doc. IL. r., NO. 231-24th CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1886.
SIR-By orders recently issued from the
War Department, it is directed that, should
Mai Gen. Scott leave the headquarters OF
the army in Florida, and retire from that
command, it will devolve on Brigadier Gen
eral Clinch. This order leaves to the discre-
ton of Gen. Scott the period of his depart
ure. 1t is with the greatest pain that feel
myself constrained, by sense Of duty to my
constituents, respectfully to ask that Gen.
Scott be Immediately relieved from the COM
mand. No man has more admiration for
the gallantry of Gen. Scott, than have
From the present attitude of affairs, and
unfortunate and disagreeable occurrences
which have happened in that quarter, the
public interest, as well as the lives, security
and property of the inhabitants, imperiously
require the order have recommended
There is no harmony between him and the
public authorities of the territory; and it is
evident that he is in the highest state of ex-
aeerbated feeling, on account of an atrocious
outrage on all decency and propriety, in burn
ing him in efigy at Tallahassee. This infa-
nous proceeding, which ought to have been
arrested, and punished by tae authorities at
the seat of Government, does not justify
Gen. Scott for the degrading epithets and in
suits he has offered to the whole population
In his published orders, he represents the
conduct of the people of Middle Florida as
infinitely humiliating;" and the people
"wild with fear" possessed of "a disease SC
general and so degrading"
This is not the usual language of major
general commanding on our frontiers, and
should not, uuder any circumstances, be re-
sorted to, whatever may have been the dis
appointments and wounded sensibilities of &
commanding general / ask upon what au
thority he says there were just five Indians,
who have produced that CONSERVATION, panic
and fright, of which he has drawn picture
so derogatory to the whole population? L
is well known that the Indians never show
their whole force; and if five have penetra
ted into the country from the Indian bounda
nv, to within few miles of the seat of gov
eminent, a much larger number will soon fol
low As Gen. Scott did not succeed witt
five thousand men in destroying five Indians
he might have spared the inhabitants he ha
left defenceless such degrading denunciations
AS that, however, is an affair between hin
and the Governor, as to the number of tn,
enemy and the defence of Middle Florida
l shall proceed to what is the object Of thi
communication.
My purpose is most respectfully to reques
an inquiry into the manner of conducting
the late campaign in Florida, and into tn
conduct of the major general commanding
for having gone into summer quarters the las
of April, leaving the country without de
fence, and the inhabitants at the mercy 0
the Indians.
Maj. Gen. Scott had power to call upol
the Governors of South Carolina, Georgi
and Alabama, for any number of men that b
might consider necessary to-p put an end to til
war. Congress by law, had provided ampl
{ means; and whilst he was in command, til
Governor of Florida had no power to call 70
troops. Gen. Scott, after one unsuccessful
campaign, disbanded the whole militia force
but the term of service of portion of it ha
expired, and he has neither called, by draugh
or for volunteers, for any other further mi
itary force. He has, on the contrary, refu'
ed the acceptance of some that was Offered
and has disarmed the militia of East Flor
da
When called upon, now, to furnish ad,
: quate force for the protection of that frontie
: he complains of his limited means; when
! is apparent, from the above statement, th;
| he has power, at any moment, to order an
number from Georgia or South Carolina
He admits that 5000 men are necessary
: subdue these Indians, and that he has br
: l 900 under his command. Now, | ask VIII
9 it is that he has not these 5000 men in th
i field that he deems necessary!
He, and he alone, is responsible for all til
: lives and property of the inhabitants thu
!, may be destroyed for the want of that pr
e lection and security, which every citizen {
S the republic has right to look for from b
: government. Added to this, the feelings
/ the people are outraged by representation
d. calculated to degrade and expose them to rlC
: icule throughout the United States
e These people, you are aware, are sparsel
e settled over an extensive territory IN detaci
/ ed neighborhoods, without any dense popU
n lation to fall back upon or without any for
J. fled places in which to place their wives an
f children for safety If, upon the first SCUM
}. of an alarm, some small neighborhood shout
| 90 in pursuit of even FIVE Indians, they Nigh
d as they did with Gen. Scott's grand arm.
!: dodge out of the way, and fall back upo
s the women and children in the rear 1t
f unnecessary, however, to detain you wit
t. these details; the complaint make is, tn
It Mai. Gen. Scott has left that country wit
It out adequate protection, and has not sufhciel
i force either for offensive or defensive oper
1t tions. He has produced state of feeliT
i that forbids all harmony or concert with Il
:, local authorities or people of the countr
a and the public interest imperiously requi
# his immediate withdrawal
IF | have.the honor to be, with high consi
erations of respect, sir, your most Obcdie
n servant,
a JOS. NJ WHITE.
Ito Andrew jackson,
/. President of the United States.
Of Endorsement on the back of the above lette
W Col Joseph NJ. White of Florida, reques
to the withdrawal of Gen. Scott from the col