Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-05-30
PURSUED BY BLOODHOUNDS
An Experience of the Semi
mole War Recalled.
CONNOR ANDWOODMAN ON TRAIL
The Fierce Beasts Turn on
the White Hunters.
One Of the Results Of General Tayior's
Efforts to Track Osceoia in the Flor
ridian swamps-Msssacrs Of Major Dade
and HIS Troops.
New York Sun.

death at Jacksonville, Fla, Of Louis
Fatio, a full.blooded negro, al the age
of 05 years. He was the only survivor |
of the Dade massacre in the Seminole
war. He served as guide on that ILL
fated expedition, ard the belief was
general that lie betrayed Dade to the
Indians, who for that reason spared Ills |
life. This charge the negro strenuously |
denied, claiming that he escaped by fall |
ing on his face and pretending to be |
dead AT any rate, he ard dne soldier |
alone escaped alive among seypn officers
and ITO men who started the day before
Christmas, 1885, for Fort KING, prelimi'
nary TO marching against the Seminoles.
The massacre occurred four days later.
After two.thirds of the men bad fallen
their ammunition gave out, and every
one was slain excepting two
Within the present month Two other
persons who took part in the Seminole
war died in Texas. They we're Hugh
Conner and John ]. Woodman. Several
curious facts regarding them ere that
they were precisely the same age, both
were natives of Alabama, died within
three days of each other, and were
associated in peculiar experience
during the Seminole war.
The resistance shown by the Semi
noies to the United States troops was
remarkable. A mere handful Of war.
riors played all around the army. They
inst hid their families with such skill
that for years no trained scout could
| gain the slightest trace Of them. Osceola,
whose father was white man and
| whose mother was half breed, took
part in the Dade massacre. and on the
same day attacked the house where
Gen. Thompson and party of friends
where dining within 200 yards OF Fort
King. The weather was warm, the
windows we're raised, and at the first
yolley thompson and four of his friends
were killed, who were afterwards
alped. Exposed posts were captured,
till ut one time 1t looked as if Florida
would be oyerrun. Among those sent
to Florida were Armistead, Taylor,
Scott and Jcsup, and all failed one
after the other.
Finally, Gen. Jesup, with the ap.
proval Of old Rough and Ready and the
administration, imported 50 blood
hounds from Cuba, with five opaniards
to manage them. THIS act raised u
storm of Indignation through the coun-
try, although Gen. Taylor declared that
the dogs were to be used in tracking
the Indians and not in rending them.
But the protest was unnecessary, for
the bloodhounds proved the --LATEST sort
of failure. They had been taught to
trail Africans, but they turned up their
noses when urged to take the track of
an Indian and would not stir. They
knew nothing of such game, and could
not be induced to make its acquaintance.
The two men, Common and Woodman,
' were among the strongest advocates Of
the use OF blOodhounds. They insisted
as others did, that it was the real solu-
ton OF the matter, and that it would
bring the Seminoles to terms They
reasoned that since most Of their
enemies were Of mixed blood the differ.
ence was 50 slight between their trail
I and that of an Indian that the dog:
" would soon overcome their reluctance
COnnor, WoOdman, and another
= soldier named Warwick took an Interest
+ in the training Of the animals, and wer,
q allowed to make venture with them
{ Leaving camp, the three tEamped al
. entire afternoon and penetrated far int
NllN llHi buAlEuo JLAblI lllGl Sll AIN IL "
q talk over the situation. By this tint
i the conviction had come upon them tina
V they had done an imprudent thing
They We're miles from their own camp
" in the midst of hostile country, wher
no animal was 50 cunning as the lu
dians. The dogs were continually troi
= ting back and forth, here aud there
% smiling the ground, occasionally bayin(
and disappearing in the wood Tor fe'
D. minutes US ii they had taken scent
" was due to the excitement caused
70 these repeated acts that the men Above
n themselves 10 be drawn much furtne
CT into the solitude than they wnuid hay
o at any other time.
We Suddenly the largest Of the thrt
~ dogs, a fierce, Dlack.muzzled creatuT
who was tr0tting back and forth, bayt
iii a peculiar way. His companions,
some distance, raised their heads, lookt
Oh at hlm an instant, and then ran to wne
Is he had started on some sort OF trail
= That means business" Temarkt
he Warwlck; there's no toullug this time
no The three remained seated for Il bri
a while, listening to the Uaying of h
nd hounds, aud then rose to follow thel
he 1t was the custom Of the Spaniards
pe nold the animals IN leash aud to Ke
~ them company when trailing fugitiN
Ia but these dogs We're wholly unConlin
I'M and had disappeared like flash fro
MS view The rumpling Of the leaves, I
imprint Of the paws in the swan
for places, and the FAINT, lar.Oif cries VIII
m occasionally reached their cars &C
IN WINGED tho men that they could Ike
within call of the brutes, VINO wou
soon bring their game to bay.
Suddenly all sounds Of the dog ceast
The silence laStea for half an no
IL. much TO the mystilicaliou Of the soidle
A, They thought that il the hounds b
Ter brought any one TO bay they wol
III, continue their cries. There was f
,os that the Indians had killed them,
m. they had done in some other iustanc
II. Finally, since the afternoon was we
ant ing away and the men were so far FIR
ne. camp, they decided to give up the p
- suit, and leaving the dogs to Intensely
make all haste back TO camp. They |
., travelled less than mile when, to ii
,ue amaZement, the hounds were heard b
va ing behind them. IHc cries were c
49,. tinuous, and showed that they were
'ut lowing their former masters.
NC by thunder" exclaimed Warwi
stopping short, they're trailing us y
'ey There could be no doubt OF it.
al some way, by some magic never und
stood, the Seminoles, VINO had been i
- chased by the dogs, had made frie
with them, turned about and Were ii
= in full cry after the three white men,
brutes tiercer, il possible than in
III first instance. And this Was not
RS. only time that very thing happened
lite ing the war
pill Night was closing In when the fl