Connecticut western news., 1876-01-07
THE TERRIBLE SURF RISE.
The Story Retold of Osceola's Slaughter i'm
 the Seminole War.

THE TERRIBLE SURF RISE.
 The Story Retold of Osceola's Slaughter i'm
 the Seminole War.
 On the twenty y-eighth of December. 1885, says writer in HGrper's, General Thompson and a lieutenant left Fort King, near the present site of the town of Ocala, south of Silver Spring, Flori- da, for an afternoon stroll. They were walking along, chatting and smoking, going toward the sutlef's store, wher suddenly, all unsuspicious of danger they received in their breasts the fire oi Osceola's band, who were hidden in the thicket near by. General Thompson fell dead, pierced with twenty four balls Lieutenant Smith with thirteen. This massacre may be called the opening ot the long Florida war. The little garrison in the fort, hearing the firing, prepared hastily for defense. They congratulated themselves upon the re-enforcements they were hourly expecting-two com panies of troops from Fort Brooke Tampa.
 That very day, the twenty eighth these two expected companies. under the command of Major Francis L.. Dale of the Fourth infantry, were marching northward along the road which led from Brooke to King, when, as they were ad vancing carelessly and in perfect secu rity, they were attacked by large body of Indians posted in the thickets not thirty yards from the road. Major Dade and the advance guard fell dead at the first fire; indeed, half of the command were killed. The remaining officers ral- lied their men, fred blindly back into the thicket, and fought desperately for an hour, when the Indians retired for a consultation. With the energy of des- perate purpose the forlorn band began to build breastwork of logs, but before it was knee-high-that poor little unfin- ished breastwork that mutely told us such story of despair Indians re- turned over the ridge with yell, and recommended firing, having almost cer- tain aim, so near were they, and gradu- ally closing in around the little fortifca. tion, until, when all had fallen, they en- tered it in triumph.
 An eyewitness, negro who had fol lowed the Indians, told us that as they entered, handsome young officer dress ed in blue frock coat, the only man who was not either dead or mortally wounded, stepped forward to meet them, and offered his sword in token of surren- der; but the Indian to whom he offered it shot him dead on the spot. This young officer was Lieutenant Basinger. Another poor fellow, one of the officers, with both arms broken early in the fight, had sat, so the negro said, propped against the tree, with his head bent, and lminding nothing that went on around him, until at last stray shot killed him and third, with one arm disabled, had continued to fire until he, too, was killed. After taking the arms and some of the clothing from the troops, the Indians went of to meet the band o1 Osceola, who had the same day accom- plished, the massacre at Fort King. camp that night.
 + On the twentieth of February follow. ing General Gaines passed over the same road on his way from Brooke te King, and came upon the scene of the massacre. was with him, and we found the advance guard lying where they fell with the bodies of Major Dade and Gap tain Fraser, the oxen attached to the cart, with the yoke still on them as il asleep and there stood the forlorn lit tie breastwork, thickly studded witl balls, aud within it our men, kneelinf pr lying upon their breasts just as they were when they fired their last shot. IT the dry air of the Florida winter they were but little changed we recognized all the poor dear fellows, and buried them, with, moistened eyes the detach ment moved round the little breastworl to slow music, and the cannon which the Indians had thrown into the swamp wal recovered and placed vertically at ths head of the mound. But shall nevel forget the sight of the men lying there in their blue clothing, so still ant silent, under the lovely Florida sky After the war was over they were rein tered in the military cemetery at St Augustine, where there is a handsom, monument to their memory.