The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-11-13
A BLOODY "REMINISCENCES.

which Major Dadc, with l 10 men, were de-
stroyed there in 1886. They had been de.
tailed to force their way through from Fort
King to Tampa:
"Notlling of importance occurred till the
eighth day. On the morning Of that day
they resumed the march from their last en-
campment, (about one mile and half from
this place. and were about cutting down
some very high grass, when n most deadly
and destructive fire was opened on them
by an unseen enemy, which struck down
every man of tho advance guard. Major
Dadc and Capt. Frazer now went forward
to ascertain the cause Of the firing, when
they too were shot down, and the command
dcvolved on Gardner, who had his right
thigh shattered. lie kept his post until he
was shot dead. The rear guard under
command Of Lieut.. Henderson, now got
ready the six FOUNDER, and sent such thun-
dcrng discharges of grape into the grass
Qor rs yet they had not seen foe) that
the enemy were driven back nearly half
mile, and Licut Bassinger, with party of
men, commenced the cutting of logs for
the purpose of making Il brcastwork for de-
fence. This is still standing. They were
not, however, allowed much time, and had
only raised their work about two feet when
the Indians, under Micanopy: came down
on them from another point. and in less
than twenty minutes, the work of dca,l,
WIS SO rapid that every officer but Bassn-
ger was either killed or mortaly wounded,
aud only seven men left unhurt. Lieut..
Keys was Shot in the head, and exclaimed,
"Oh, God ! am n dead man ~ seated
himself at the foot of a tree, where lie re-
manned until his head was split open Ivy
the tomalawk of savage. DIR. Catlin,
who had both legs shattered, was dragged
into IL little work, and, scizing douLlc-L bar
relied gun, said, II have two barrels for
them yet;" but, poor fellow he soon ceased
to use them, as a ball from a rifle entered
his heart, killing him on the spot. Lieut..
Bassngcr now emerged from the works to
| pick up what guns he could, and rs lie was
about to return he was shot down, will, his
two legs and one arm shattered. lie, how
ever, reached tile enclosure with few guns,
ams, for near half an hour, he and three
privates kept back the savagcs. At last
all were entirely disabled but himself and
private Clark. The fire having slackenct!,
the Indians now approached, and contcntcd
themselves with riiling tile bodies Of the
slain. B:.ssingcr and Clark all the time
feigning to DC dead.
Having taken everything Of value they
could find, the Indians now retired, when
Clark and Bassingcr consulted on what was
to bc done but alas scarcely M hour
had elapsed when negroes, half breeds and
few Indians, returned and commenced
mutiating the bodies of the sluin in most
barbarous manner.
Lieut.. Bassiagcr, on seeing this, raised
himself up, and, appealing to a huge negro,
who spoke English, begged them to spare
his life for tic sake of his wife; but An
hundred axes were Immediately raised on
linn, and Clark says they literally cut him
to pieces. Clark remained quiet ill they
had left, and although with eleven wounds,
waited till night, whom lie set ont on lis re-
turn to Fort King. This place he finally
reached, and is now in New York, pension
ed by the government on the pitIful sum of
eight dollars per month.
Such, gentlemen, was tho massacre of
Dade aud his i'll starred command. have
examined the Whole ground for one mile
round, and cannot imagine more suitable
spot for an ambuscade than the one tile In
dans selected. About two months after
the massacre, detachment, under the COM
mand OF Major Bonneville, visited the spot
and buried the dead, the officers in one
grave, the soldiers in another. The off,
GERS grave is now entirely under water
nothing Of it can be seen but board at
the heard Of the grave.