New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-05-20
rhe rudl.n war n Florida.

We find in the Key Of the Gulf, the following bref
and comprehensive review of the operations against
the Florida Seminoles, up TO the withdrawal of Gen.
Harvey. After stating that the number OF men and
boys capable of bearing arms does not exceed ITO, th
women far outnumbering the nes the
When Gen. Harney commenced operations about
the LIST Of January last, the Indians were in bands OF
six or eight families, and scattered over the whole
southern portion of the peninsular BE st once called
into the field his force of Florida volunteers who thor
oughly secured the entire country from Tampa Bay,
Fort Capron and the Ca-oos ahatchee, while regu-
rnents thoroughly explored The Big Cypress Eleven
companies, in three hundred boats, examined the
Islands and coasts from Key Large, on the Atlantic,
Charlotte Harbor on the Gulf, with all the estuaes
and streams and the entire Everglades
/. Open boats of ten tuns were transported upon
wheels across the country, and launched upon th8
0ekochobee to supply the militaryposts and the de
pot of provisions established upon its borders TINS
sheet of water is nayigahle for boats drawing ten
feet. The Kis-snrmee and Lake EstOp0ga and thelr
shores were secured by two boat companies. Regu-
lars and volunteers were kept constantly scouting,
and exhibited noble rivalry in the service the hare
ships Of which may be somewhat understood from IT,
fact that the boat expedition performed CONTINUOUS
scout Of fifty miles in the glades, hauling their boats
over the entire distance, while another officer con-
Quoted his command without guides Or maps, from
the coast behind Marco inlet near Cape Romano, over
land to Fort Myers. -.sS-,s
We have examined the map of the routes, and Ia
bors Of these troops during the three months OF their
operations and we can confidently assert that an
equal amount Of labor, and udicious labor, too, has
never before been performed in one campaign by any
troops, however numerous. Indian haunts, so inlrl
cate and unapproachable as to have hitherto eiuded
discovery, hannts in which their families and corn
fields have securely existed, have been penetrated
and thirty villages and encampments, With numerous
fields and gardens OF grain and vegetables have been
destroyed. Harney organized weekly mail between
Fort Myers and every post in the Indian country ana
| on the coasts. E9Fazl eaE
But FIVE Of the enemy have been killed, and three
women and two children captured but they have
been pressed in every quarter OF the Peninsula and
have only eluded capture by separating and fleeing
before our active scouts, from one temporary hiding
place to another. lsi1lgEyg lssz 5 Eli1DsE
The captves report that the Indians have been un-
able to live single hour in security, or to plant since
our operations commenced and that ten OF their men
have been killed and many others wounded. 1-.f3
| We are convinced tDat the Indians are now IN
condition to be operated upon by the oyertures q
Jumper and his warriors, who looked for at Tam
pa !; but be this it may, it s impossible that they
can hold out for any length of time against such
4 efforts as have been made to catch them. ~
II viii these operations be continued The with
drawal of Gen. Harney deyoves the command 10
Florida upon Col Looms, an experienced officer who
has already served here under Gen. Jessup. The ces
sation OF military operations against the Indians dug
ing the summer months has hitherto been the great
evil of all attempts to remove them. It has taught
them to hold out vigorously for few months with
the certainty that summer would rid them OF thelr
enemies and enable them to hunt, fish, plant, trade
recreant white for powder, and prepare for the
next campaign. Every such cessation is eontn-
uance of their lease and becomes the veriest chifs
play. -r