The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-16

"reminiscences Of The spmInols Warrior.
Treaty AssRShInRtion,

JACKSONVILLE, tla'i correspondent oil
the Pittsburgh Commercial G0:els writes;
William KeudriCk, Of tbs city, is G9 years
Of age, and was born and raised in Florida,
His birthplace was on the suwauee river,
within mile Of where the great Indian
chief oeCeols was born and lived. He
contends that thu great chief whipped for
years the United States government in
every battle he fought during the Florida
war. HeregaTds 0sCeoa as the equal, il
not the superior, of Napoleon, or any
other Of the great generals Of his day, in
strategy and prowess,
He was hall.breed. His father was
man from Georgia by the name Of Powell.
The great chief was known by the name
Of Powell until the day Of the meeting at
Fort King for the purpose Of signing the
treaty with Thompson, the United States
Commissioner, to transfer their lands and
move to Indian Territory. When the
great chief, or king, Of the tribe had sign.
ed the treaty, followed by all the Bubchieis,
Powell was asked to Giilx his name, as be
was regarded Rs subChiei, or an Indian
OF distlnction, for his proves in the hunt,
"a well US his bravery and influence with
the tribe, and his hne personal appear
4nCe. When called by tho Commissioner
Powell stepped forward, took the pen,
threw 1t to the ground, drew his hunting
knife, and plunged ii into the heart OF the
great chief OF the nation, aud then, turn
ing IN the twiukllng Of an eye, buried ii
in the heart Of the United States Commits
sioler.
The sub'chiefs were as greatly surprised
at O5ceolas act as were lie United States
authorities present. Powell had takon the
preCaution 10 have In striking distance
several hundred Of the braVest warriors OF
the tribe, who, upon a signal, made their
appearance, aud ss he walked out OF the
tent Ia which the treaty was being signed
he mutilated 1t with the same knife thai
he had taken the lives OF the two princI.
pal actors in projecting the treaty. His
braves met him and subsequently, de.
clsred him OaceOla, the great chief Of the
Seminoles.
KsndriCk told nae that at this time
OsCeola was only % yearB Of age. He con.
tends that tho Indian has always been
misrepressnted; that, instead OF beng the
savage beast he has always been repre-.
sented to be-, he was always kind TO his
prisoners, and prevented 10 the extent he
could tue sCalping and mutilaiion Of the
dead and the making Cl war on women
and children. AS an evidence OF his
friendly disposition to the whites, Mr..
KsndriCk says that after he had assassin
ated the two principal actors in tho sign.
ing oil the treaty he would not permit his
warriors to modest the garrison Of United
States troops, who were wholly in his
power, but said to them on his departure:
Leave mo and my people To the Wills OF
my country, and You will never have to
complain Of OsCeoa and his people; but,
II you attempt to hunt US down anu cap.
ture us BY force, We will fight you to the
bitter end"
Another evidence OF the humanity OF
0sCeOla was shown in the massacre Of
Maj, Dade and his command. Dade was
sent with detachment from Fort Kiup
against the Indians, and to open Commri.
nication bstween Fort King and Tampa,
on the Gulf coast lie was a man greatly
loved by OsCeola, as they had often been
on the hunt together. 0sCeola attempted
TO evade the contest, even to the extent OF
srousing the suspicion Of his loyalty to
the tribe. When he ordered the attack on
the detachment commanded by Mai Dade,
In the commencement OF the battle, he
raised his gun and said 10 one Of his chiefs:
II am now going to kill one Of my best
friendp, and man love-"
At the crack Of his rifle Maj. Dade fell
dead and OsCeola threw down bis gun and
never hTed another shot during the re.
msinder OF the engagement.
Another evidence Of his disposition to
conduct q civilized warfare was the fact
that when the last United States soldier
was shot down, and none proposed to sur.
render, the carnage ceased, and not
soldier was scalped, and It is also a fact
undisputed that several days after the en-.
gagement, when detachment from Fort
King went 10 the battlefield to bury the
dead, not q body had been mutilated, and,
further, that 81, 900 in gold and silver was
removed from the pockets OF the dead.
Where will one find like occurrence OF
any BATTLEFIELD In our recent civil WARP II
Is said that 0sCeola became alarmed at
the close Of the battle And retreated rapid.
ly, but II is on record that he did not leave
the battlefield until he disposed OF all the
implements Of war and transportation,
sinking the wagons and nnon.Carriages
In q qIiCksand lake near the battlefield, go
that II they had time for this work they
certainly had time to BOlap and rifle the
pockets Of the dead on the battlefield.
Mr.. HendriCk aftitmB that the capture oil
0sCeola under the white flag and his in.
generation In prison at sullivan's island
will ever remain dark spot on the
esCutCheon Of tho United States. After
bis capture Osceola said TO his CAptors that
he had during the war In Florida tried to
conduct It upon the principles Of civilized
warfare. He said that lie had never made
war upon women and children, but said
"Now you have made me prisoner, adj.
wise you 10 look out for the safety Of your
women and children"