Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-19
MORNING LEADER.
The RxiIcs Of Fiorlda.


press of MessTs. FOLLErF, FosTER & Co, Co
lumbus. Mr. $ II. Fox is agent for the Book.
The Cherokee Delegation had reached the
Indian country. The address Of John Ross
was directed 10 Wild Cat and Osceola, as two
of the principal Seminole chiefs They were
together, and received the talk Of Ross, the
Cherokee chief, assuring them Of the integrity
and honor of the United States. After due con
sideraliOn it was determined that Wild Cat
should comply with the filial obligations due to
his aged father, bearing with him the peace
token Of 0seeola. consisting of a neatly wrought
bead pipe. together with beautiful white
plume, to Le presented to Gen. Hernandez, as
the assurance of 0seeOla's pacific desires Co
Hadjo, another chief bore a similar message
and emblems.
These were received by General Hernandez,
who communicated immediate information
thereof to Gen. Jessnp. They were propositions
for negotiating peace, forwarded at the spe-
cial request and advice of the Cherokee Dele
cation, who were active in their Efforts 10 stop
the effusion Of blood, and restore harmony be-
tween our nation and the SeminOles BY di-
rection Of General Jessup. Hernandez returned
various presents to Osceola by CO-HadiO, say
ing that Gen. Jessup and himself would be glad
to hold conference with them The same as
surances and presents we're given to Wild Cat,
who also became the messenger between Gen.
Jessup and General Hernandez on the one hand,
ard his brethren on the other With the hope
Of effeeting an arrangement beneficial TO his
friend and TO mankind, Wild Cat lett San Au-
gust:ne with the promise 10 return in ten DAYS.
Punctual to the day, he returned with the
very satisfactory assurance, that 0seeola and
one hundred Indians aud as many exiles, were
on their way toward San Augustine, for the
purpose Of entering upon negotiations, With
the intention of hasten.ug their arrival, and
maDifesting an earnest desire for peace, General
Hernandez proceeded with Wild Cat and other
friendly SeminOles. to meet the advancing
chiefs, some twenty miles southwest Of San
Augustine, at place called ' Pelican Greek I"
Here he learned that 0sceOla would Join them
IN the evening. Gen. Hernandez left quanti-
ty Of provisions with them, ami, desiring them
TO select thcir encampment for the next day,
(Oct- 22) somewhere near Fort PeytOn.at which
place he would meet them with a proper escort,
left them, and returned to San Augustine
They accordingly encamped the next day near
Fort Peyton, situated seven miles southwest
from San Augustine. They approached their
encampment with great formality. OsceOla and
other chiefs bearing white flags, expecting 70
meet suitable escort under Gen. Hernandez.
with the well understood intentions Of entering
upon diplomatic negotiations with that grave
dignity for which the Indian is so much distin-
guished: These flags were kept flying in Their
eneamPment through the night and the next
morning.
At ten O'Clock (Oct 29), General Hernandez,
accompanied by his staff and by most of Gener-
al Jessup's staff, in full dress, met them as had
been promised, with the apparent purpose Of
eseorting them to headquarters at San Au-
gus.ine- After the ordinary salutations had
been exchanged, instead Of preparing to march,
General Hernandez, from a written paper
signed by General Jessup, read the following
questions addressed to Oseeols: Are you pre-
pared at once to deliper up The RegrOes taken
from the eitizeAsl Why have you not surren-
dered them already, as promised by Co Hadjo
at Fort King Have the chiefs Of the nation
held council ON this subject -
0seeola exhibited the most perfect astonish-
ment at hearing these questions propounded at
such a moment. He appears, however, IN
stant!y 10 comprehend his situation. Turning
to CO-HadjO, he sud to hin in bis own dialect
You must answer; am ehoked," at the same
time exhibiting unusual emotion for an Indian
chieft
At this moment, by a concerted signal, armed
troops at once surrounded the whole encamP-
ment, gathered rapidly in upon the occupants
made prisoners Of them, and at once disaTmed
them They were then marched to San Angus
tine, and closely imprisoned in the ancient cas-
tie of that city. There was about an equal
number of eTiles captured. at this violation oi
our plighted faith; they were, however, sent to
Tampa Bay for safe keeping.
Wild Cat, having been made the instrument
for betTaying OsceOla and other friends, felt
great Indignation at what he REGARDED as the
peTidy Practieed upon him and his brethren,
and determined 70 escape from his imprisonment
50 soon as an opportunity should offer. But he
was imprisoned in the Castle Of San Augustine,
whose grey walls, lofty turrets, battlemelts and
Catholic chapel, must have presented TO the
young warrior spectacle in striking contrast
with the rude huts in which he vas accustomed
to lodge, in the interior of the Territory. We
prefer letting him iell the story Of his escape.
which we copy from the works Of one who was
then serving in our army.t Said Wild Cat:
I'VE were in a small room, eighteen or twen-
ty feet square. All the light admitted was
through hole (embrasure) abont eighteen feet
from the floor. Through this we must effect
our escape, or remain and die with sickness.
A sentinel was constantly posted at the door.
As we looked at it from our bed, we thought it
heads through, we should have no further or
serious difficulty. To reach the hole was the
first object. In order 10 effect this, VIC from
time to time cut up the forage bags allowed Us
to sleep on, and made them into ropes The
hole l could not reach when upon tie shoulde.
Of my companion; bat while standing upon his
shoulder, worked = knife into a creyice Of The
stone work as far as / could reach and upon
this | raised myself TO the aperture, vixen
found that, with some reduction Of person.
could get through In order to reduce ourselves
as much as possible, we took medicine five days
Under the pretext Of being very sick, we were
permitted to obtain the roots We required For
sumo weeks we watched the moon. in order
thit, on the night Of our attempt, il should be
as dark as possible. AT the proper time we
commenced the medicine, calculating on the
entire disappearance Of the moon.
The keeper of this prison, on the night de-
termined upon 10 make the effort, annoyed US
by frequently coming into the room, and talk
ing and singing. At first we thought Of tying
him and putting his head in bag, 30 thai,
should he cali for assistance, he could not be
heard. We first, however, tried the experiment
of pretending to be asleep. and, when he re-
turned, to pay no regard TO him This accom-
plished our object. He came in and went i'm
medialely out; and we could hear him snore, in
the immediate vicinity of the door. then took
tie rope We had secreted under our bed, and,
on the shoulder Of my cOmrade, raised
myself upon the knife worked into the ereviee |
Of the stone, and succeeded in reaching the en- |
brasure. Here made fast the rope, that my /
friend might fOllowme Ithen passed through /
the hole a sufficient length Of il to reach the /
ground upon the outside (about fifty feet, in the
ditch; I had calculated the distance when going
for roots With much difficulty succeeded in
getting my head through, and the sharp stones
took the skin off my breast and back Putting
my head through first, was obliged 70 90 down