The Lake County star., 1876-08-03

ungovernable burst of passion, and re.
calling his warning to st. Clair, said:
ITO suffer that army to be cut to
pieces, sacked, butchered, tomahawked
by surprise, the very thing l guarded
him against 70
When all the facts came to be known
Congress exculpated st. Clair from the
blame of the disaster, and Washington
again extended him his confidence and
friendship; but public sentiment was
not 80 easily appeased, and it was long
time before the brave soldier regained
the place he once held in popular esteem.
In 1845 the population of Florida
consisted of $4,000 whites, 10000 slaves
and about 1000 hostile Seminoles. The
latter had committed many depredations
on the settlers, and considerable body
of troops was concentrated in the Terri
tory, under General Clinch, in order to
punish them. On Christmas eve, 1885,
two companies of infantry, numbering
one hundred and eight officers and men,
were dispatched from Tampa Bay, and a
field piece, under Major Dade, for Fort
King, and, after pursuing their march
until the 28th of December, they found
themselves, at about eight o'clock in the
morning of that day, suddenly sur
rounded by about one thousand Indians.
They were caught in an ambush, and so
little were those troops aware of their
danger that they did not see Seminole
until after many shots were fred. The
first volley of the enemy was very tde-
structive. Every man of the advance
guard fell dead, and among them Dade,
who dropped from his horse a corpse.
The command now devolved upon Cap
tain Gardner, and the soldiers proceeded
to throw up breastworks, but before they
could raise them high enough for efficient
protection the Indians attacked them
again. Gardner fell mortally wounded
and his scalp was taken by the Indians.
The Americans brought their feld-piece
into play, but the breastwork not being
high enough, every man who attempted
to work it was shot down. Ali the
officers and more than two-thirds of the
men had now fallen, when the survivors
found all their ammunition expended.
The Indians perceiving this rushed in,
and, with the exception of two men, who,
though severely wounded, contrived to
conceal themselves, and ultimately to
make their escape, not one of the whole
detachment was spared. At the very
time of Dade's massacre, Osceola, the
principal Seminole Chief, with small
band of warriors, was prOwling in the
vicinity of Fort King. While General
Thompson, the Government agent for
their removal, and few friends were
dining at store only two hundred and
fifty yards away from the fort, they were
surprised by a sudden discharge of
musketry, and five out of the nine were
killed. The body of Thompson was
found pierced by fifteen bullets. Osceola
and his party rushed in, scalped the
dead and retreated before they could be
fired uron by the garrison. The same
band took part in the closing scenes of
Dade's massacre on the same day.
In 1858 there had been for some time
an exhibition of an insubordinate and
hostile spirit among the Indian tribes of
Washington and Oregon Territories, and
in the spring of that year it broke out
into open hostility. On the I'd of May
Colonel Steptoe, with @, E, and FL COM
panies of the First Dragons and a COM
pany of the Ninth Infantry. with two
mountain howitzers, left Fort Walla
Walla for Callville. After marching
eight days they reached the Pelouse
River, and were about passing into the
country of the SpOkanes, when they
learned that their further progress would
be resisted by force. The Spokanes had
always been regarded as friendly to the
whites. and when the column left Walla
Walla no one thought of having an en-
counter with them. On the morning of
the 10th of May Steptoe suddenly found
himself in the presence of ], 200 Indians
of various tribes-Spokanes, Pelouses,
Ceurd' Alenes, Yakimas, and some
others-all armed, painted, and defiant.
The soldiers moved slowly on until just
about entering ravine that wound along
the base of several hills, which were all
crowned by the excited savages. Per-
ceiving that it was their purpose to at
tack Steptoe turned aside and encamped,
the whole wild, frenzied mass moving
parallel to his men, and by yells, taunts,
and menaccs apparently trying to drive
them to an initiatory act of violence.
Toward night number of chiefs rode up
to talk with Steptoe and inquired what
was his motive for such an intrusion into
their country. They were informed that
the troops were passing on to Callyille
and had no hostile intentions toward the
Spokanes, who had always been friends,
nor toward any other tribes who were
friendly. The chiefs expressed them
selves satisfied, but would not consent to
furnish canoes, without which it was i'm
possible to cross the Spokane. Steptoe
then determined to retrace his steps at
once, and the next morning turned back
toward Walla Walla. He had not reached
three miles when the Indians, who had
gathered on the hills adjoining the line
of march, began an attack on the rear
guard, and Immediately the fight became
general.
The troops labored under the great
disadvantage of having to defend the
pack.train while in action, and in roll
ing country peculiarly favorable to the
savage mode of warfare. The supply of
ammunition was small, and the soldiers
could not be restrained from firing it in
the widest manner. They did, however,
under the leading of their respective
commanders, sustain well the reputation
of the army for some hours, charging
the enemy repeatedly, with gallantry and
success. Twice the Indians gave unmis-
taxable evidence of design TO carry
Steptoe's position by assault, and their
number and courage led to fear serious
consequences from such an attempt on
their part. Captain Taylor and Lieuten-
ant CASTOR, of the First Dragons, had
fallen mortally wounded, and their loss,
with many of their comrades, began to
tell upon the spirit of the soldiers, many
of whom were recruits but recently
having joined, and, what was most
alarming, only two or three rounds of
cartridges remained to some of the men,
and but few to any of them. 1t was
plain that the enemy would give the
troops no rest during the night. After
consultation it was determined to make
q forced march to Snake River, about
eighty-fve miles distant, and secure the
canoes in advance of the Indians, who
had already threatened to do the same