Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-31
The Sturu Teller.
SEMINOLE BL00D-HOUNDS.
BY E. S. ELLIS.

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country, against an organized military
expedition, was never more completely
exemplified than in the war which
we waged against the Seminoles o.
Florida.
A comparative handful of savages
in the forests, swamps and everglades
of this peninsula, were enabled to
hold out against the skill and bravery
of our best officers and disciplined
soldiers, and to defy our government
for years, until in the end a compro'
mise was effected, and we thereby adj
nlitted our own defeat.
Every means that human ingenuity
could devise was resorted to in order
to bring these mendacious redskins to
terms, but in vain. Some Of the mill
tary leaders finally conceived the bril-
liant idea of following them into their
retreats in the everglades by means OF
blood hounds. Accordingly large mum.
bers were brought into the country
and soon put upon the trail. The
dogs did we'll, speedily overhauling the
Seminoles, who secured all that came
within reach, trained them, and then
used them to hunt the invaders. This
was turning the tables with a ven
geance.
Among the numerous hunters and
scouts who were employed by the
American generals were two by the
names of O'Kennan and Wilmington,
who accompanied the first organized
force sent into the country by our
government. These men were engag'
ed all through the war, and when peace
at length came they were so pleased
with the country that they concluded
to take up their residence there.
Neither had any family, and took
with them only couple of dogs OF
the blood hound species. They pene'
trated quite distance into the interior
against the advice Of their friends
and erected themselves a small cabiu
upon the banks of a creek, where
they lived a sort of hermit-like exist
ence that suited their tastes exactly
The stream, which ran by their door
was studded with fish, and the sur
rounding woods abounded with game
so that nothing was lacking to make
their lives just what two such con-
genial spirits desired it to be.
When their ammunition run low
they descended the creek in their dug
out, 20 miles, to Fort Mclaughlin
where thay had no difficulty in secur'
ing all the ammunition they wanted
When weary of hunting, they fshed
and when tired of both, they did moth.
ing. Thus matters progressed until
an interruption of the most terrible
kind came.
1t is probable that neither of the
hunters would have been disturbed
had not their identity, by some means
or other, become known to the Semi
noles. The latter managed to learn
of the prominent part these two men
had taken against them in the war
just closed, and although peace had
been declared by themselves, they de-
termined to make an exception in
their case, and repay them for the in
juries they had inflicted.
The warning came to the hunters in
a manner which could not be mistaken
On returning from visit to Fort Nc,
Laughlin one afternoon, they found
their cabin burned to the gro ound, and
their two dogs lying near, their heads
cloven by tomahawks. The prints OF
numerous moccasined feet were not
necessary to tell them who their visi'
tors had been. They surveyed the
ruins for sometime, when O'kennan
said:
"It's fortunate we took trip down
the river today"
"Indeed it is, they didn't take the
trouble to let US know they were COM
ing"
"And not having found US here
they will be pretty certain to come
back after u.s."
"It looks as though they objected
to our settling in this part Of the
country"
"And it only remains for us to move
ourselves"
"Or stay and get moved by them. ,
laughed Wilmington. "Thats what II
all means"
"What is.to be done ?" asked Oxen
nan, seriously. 81 had hopes that we
had found a place at last where we
could settle down for the rest of oul
lives"
His companion shook his head.
sit won't do; we must leave. 1t's
a good thing that we had this warning
1 have no doubt that they are some
where near at hand"
Both men looked around as though
they expected to see a horde of dusky
demons rush from the woods upon
them; but all was still as the grave
They glanced up and down the creek,
but saw no signs of life, except a
flock of birds which whirled screaming
overhead.
at is now pretty late in the after
noon," added O'Kennan. awe have
both seen enough of the Seminoles to
understand their style of doing bust
ness. They will be back here at night
fall on purpose to see u.s."
"You are right; let us leave as
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