The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-05-21
1.-THE SEMINoLE,S REPLY"
"Reminiscences of u GAiIant Soldier
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There are many old Army officers in the South
VII" feel deep interest In what about to write
In regard to gallant s0diar who has recently died at
Uoulton Maine. | refer to Lieut.. Col. George W.
Paitsn OF the Second Infantry, who was retired In
1864 for disab lity resulting from long and faithful
service, and from wound ad exposure in the time of
emy, OF which Col. fatten waSa member, was Lieut..
William T.. Basinger OF Georgia, who stood second
eminent diylnes-Rev. Drs. Francis Ninton, (Gen.
Wm N. Pendleton, and A. 4. Bedsoe-and such dis
tinguished soldiers rs dens. John b. Magruder, Il,
IL. X. Whitley, LloydJ. Beall, Meriwether l.. CLARK
Il. q. buchanan. and col. T. l.. Alexander, Nearly
all Of these officers served in Florida, Lieut. Basinger
bravsly meeting his death with Dades command in
the fearful slaughter Of December rs 1870 BY refer
ence To my bound volume of the Army anil Nary
chr00icle Of 1887, find that Lieut.. patten served
nearly five years IN the Florida campaigns, and Won
merlfed dstlnction for his conduct IN action. Although
of small stature and modest demeanor he was AS brave
was displayed by him in the Mexican war, and while
brayoly stormng the heights of Cerro Gordo he lost
his left hand. ! remember well, although but a boy
them how proudly We welcomed the modest little hero
home, and how grateful felt for the brevet OF ma
bestowed upon our gallant captain
had often acclaimed In school his thrilling poem,
'"The Seminoe's Reply, ~ and wondered how such q
delicate, mild hammered gentleman of poetic culture
could have been such brave Indian fighter In the
Everglades of Florida, aud such hero the plains
of Mexico. Col. Pattan wrote mony poems of more
than ordinary merit, some Of which VIII be long pre-
grown ont Of 1.-The SeminOle's Reply" the most
spirited of all his martial lyrics. As happen to have
In my possession copy OF this poem 1t orig
inally published In the New York american, of 1887
win copy It here for the benefit OF the Florida
of the Morning Neios, many of whom, perhaps have
never seen the poem In any form.
Blaze with your serrIed columns,
Will not bend the knee
The shackleS ne or again shall bind
The arm that HOD il free;
I've mail Il 1t with the thunder
When the tempest mutter'd low;
And where 1t falls, ye yet may dread
The lightning OF Its blow.
I've scared We In the city,
I've scalped ye on tho plain
Go, count your chosen where they fell
Beneath my leQden rain
| scOrn your proifered treaty,
The pale face defy;
Revenge is STAMPED upon my spear
And 'bIoodh my battle cry.
Some strike for hope of booty
Some 10 defend their AL
battle for the Joy have,
10 see the white man fail,
! love among tho wounded
To hear his dying moan.
And catch, while chanting at his Side
The music of his groan.
Ye'ye trail'd me through the forest
Ne'vo track ID me ~ or the stream,
And struggling through the Everglades,
But, stand as should the warrior,
With his rife and his spear;
Tho scalp Of vengeance still is red,
Aud warns yo-' Come not hers.n
Think ye to find my homestead
] gave 10 10 the hfe.
My tawny household do ye seek a.?
am a chldesd sire,
But should ye crave life's nourishment,
Enough have and good
iHpe al hate It's all my bread,
Yet Hight Is not my food
lotle yo with my bOSOm--
sc0rn ye with mine eye
And IN taunt ye with my latest breath,
And fight ye I'LL die.
ne er Will ask We quarter,
And ne er will bo your slayei
But I'll swim the sea of slaughter,
TIL l sink beneath Its wave.
The poem is prefaced with this paragraph, cred
ited 10 Southern papers 'Ihe attack on Fort Mel
Ion was made It is supposed by Philip and his gang
The action must have taken place before the informa
ton OF the truce could have been received by the In
dams who made the attack. Few readers viii
ognze the NTH Verse; as II was early eliminated from
the poe beibg OF greatly inferior merit 10 the other
vigorous btan2as. The reference In this verse To a
''chidless sire grow out of the fac that not few
OF the more savage SeminOes destroyed their children
whenever they became hindrance TO active
against thu whites. Tho editor of the army ana
Ndpy ChrOHicie OF April lsd7, In copying the poem
from the imerioI said; There Is greater spirit
and fidelity In the daneatOns OF the Indians hate
the white man In the annexed lines - soon after this
poem was written, however, jumper, Alligator.
fohnlat0uchy and other Seminole chiefs In u
Gen. Jasup, al Fort Daie, and made treaty But
II was not kept, and h0sttles were renewed -MIj.
sidney Hartsf in Haplnadh, a., MOrHiag