Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-10-23

Z with uanSaGtlOn IN which he was personally anu
prominently an actor, avails himself Of the occs-
sion thus offered to present. in the joined paper
which appears in the National Iateigsncsr, narra-
tive of that interesting event in the history OF the
Florida War"
STATEMENT BIZ MAJOR GEEERAL JEsUP.
A matter has been recently brought into discus
sion with which my name was connected some tWen-
ty years ego, and, though explained at the time,
seems not even now to be well understood II has
been published in nei gbboring print, on the auth
ority Of distinguished professional and public
man that the Seminole Indian warrior Osceola, Who,
by the murder of Gen. Thompson aud BY other At
rOcites, began the Seminole var, F" captured By
treaebery and fraud" and that, 'lgheH dying N has
hopeless captivity his busrsst Tegrst thai history
agould priUs hu of The homer Of Dan1g the battle Of
EahLaeoOehss." Had the gentleman who penned
the paragraph referred to "a part Of which is quot
ed abOVs) been better acquainted with the de ails
Of the transaction, he would have been aware that
the late Gen. Clineh the battle Of WithlacoOo
hee and that there is some doubt whether Osceola
was in the battle st all With that portion Of the
story, however, have no further concern than a
desire to vindeaie the truth Of history and thereP
utation Of departed friend.
But the other part of the story, containing the
charge that 0sesoIa Was egptursd by trsachsTy and
fraud" concerns me slOae: AID, If true, would not
only be damBiBg to me, but he stain upon the char
in command Of the sOutherR army in 1887, l. as The
representative Of the government ordered the seiz-
ure aud retention Of that warrior.
Osceola had come into Fort Peyton, few miles
from St Augustine, not my invitation, nor that
Of any other officer but he with his warriors, had
accompanied smesssnger Of Emathla, King Phiiip,)
the principal chief Of all the Seminole bands and
near the river st. Johns, who had been captured
some time before aud who had been allowed to COM
municate with his people his assurance that they,
or the greater part o. them, would come IN aud ae-
/ com pany him 10 the West OsceOla, no doubt, IN.
tended 10 return should he fail in the object that
really brought hin in, which was to capture the
\ place and release the prisoners.
In conference which held with the Seminole
chiefs at their own request but few weeks before,
| I had assured them that l would hold no further
conference with them, except TO receive from them
the notice Of their readiness TO fulfil their Obligs
lions under She treaty at Paynes Landing and Of
their capitulation with me at Fort Dade; but
sured them that when prepared TO fulfil those obli-
cations would receive them and provide fer their
removal 10 the new eOuuiry assigned to them west
Of the Mississippi; and if any ssperate parties or
bands should decide to in before the body Of
the natioa were ready to move, would receive and
! prOtec them.
The chiefs expressed come apprehension that in
coming in to me they might be attacked BY my scout
ing parties and their people be scattered To ena
bic ihem to join me without danger of attack from
| those parties provided them with . quantity of
| white cotton cloth to be used IS flags IN eOmmuni
eating with any Of those parties they might fall in
with and with my outpOsls; but the flags were TO be
used for other purpose and the chiefs were dis
| tinstly and positively told that none Of them
their people attempt to come in sgain, but to
! remain. When Philips messenger, his son Cos
cooebe left st. Augustine to communicate with his
people on the ST. Johns there we're but few troops
at the post. On meeting with Osceola be Informed
| them that he could, with hundred warriors take
1 - i - F,fh nh
arrived to have taken the place had the force not
/ been increased; but, before they came in, had
/ thrown in large reinforeements / had become ae-
ouainted with their designs through Indian negroes
| some of whom remained with the Indians and pos
/ sessed the confidence Of the chiefs but whom had
! in constant pay and from whom received informa-
ton Of ell that took place about to take place
\ among them. When Osceola found there was no
| chance of taking st. Augustine, nor of releasing
/ the prisoners he determined TO return, as | was in
/ formed by the Indian negroes about him. But be,
| With all who accom- panied him, had come in with
the distinct und srssnding that they were not to
turn He was prisoner who had violated his parole;
he had killed one Of my messengers IN time Of truce,
L when going under the sanetity Of flag with mes
/ sage to chiefs ia his neigh5oThood; and he would
have killed second messenger but for The energst
ic interference Of Appiacca (Sam JONES' the blic~
casuky chiefnow in Florids, who interPosed, saved
] him. and sent him back 10 At Tampa Bay; he had
| also violated the last truce made By me with the
chiefs BY either Of these acts he had forfeited
his life by the lawsand usagss Of war recognized
by civilized nations.
Had allowed myself to be triaed with, and my
solemn assurances TO the chiefs that none we're to
come in but 10 remain TO be falsifed should have
received as l would have deserved, their soorn and
contempt 1t was my duty 20 the country % detain
them and directed that all should be secured and
detained.
under NV command, dated the 9th Of Jolly, 1888
which was called for by resolution Of the Sena'e
and nrinted bv order Of that body, and thus beeams
a psrt Of the documentary history Of the country,
stated all the facts in regard TO the detention Of Os
eeoIa which could then be disclosed without eomprO
| misipg persons in the Iudian county, and under
Indian control and embarrassing my successor in
command but facts were then given sufficient to
the comnlete IN dsrsanding of the merits Of case
For the truth Of thatrep | was then, az am now
both officially and personally responsible The
| promineut facts Of The report stated by Col.
Benton in a speech in the Senate and by Judge IN
/ dervood in the House without contradiction Every
one wbo has resd the Articles Of War is aware that
nv commission was pledged for the truth OF my re-
D6rt in AL its parts. was here ready 70 meet any
invesiigation either before Congress or before a
court Of ny peers; but my report I have reason to
know Was Satisfactory 10 tae government as believe
il was 70 every fair minded and honest man in the
country who read it at the time. ..--s
Oseeola had, by bis repeated violations Of the
usages Of war forfeited his life particularly BY bis
attempt to hsg for hostile purposes at St. Au-
gustiae which made him spy as well By tbe laws
Of natione as By our own Articles Of War. Wheth-
er he should be punished rs spy was at the time
merely question Of policy with me. could have
convicted him but 10 have done so | should have
lost the services Of all who would baye testified
against him. as not one of them could have return
ed to the indian country without the certainty O
being put to death. | could not afford 10 lose tE'
services Of the witnesses in future operations ever
had been inclined to proceed against him erimi
pally. which was not. Had We been at war with
Britain or France however, aud Osoeola been a Brit
ish or Freach general bis fate would have been that
Of Andre But, though sn intelligent and talented
man. he belonged to savage tribe, not supposed tc
be scouanted With the laws Of nations the usagei
Of war; and, in place Of Furnishing him, sent hin