The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

Florida, man remarkable for his knowledge of Indian character as well as for his tact In their management; hoping that he might influence Osceoia
 to a more reasonable course, to re- | assemble the chiefs and have an under
 standing that would secure the re-
 moval of the tribe. Thompson was an irascible man, but held himself well in hand and treated Osceola with the utmost consideration and friendship; until. on one occasion,
 finding Osceola entirely unreasonable and tmmovable, his temper got the bet , ter Of him, and before a council of Indians. he shook his. finger at him 1 and called him ''mulatto rascaY and
 threatened to put him in irons. He regretted that circumstance greatly and did much to make amends. He | apologized in some way to Osceola and sometime after. passing through Char leston bought rifle. had it beautiful ly inlaid with silver and presented it to the Indian as an act of friendship. | He also secured the services of Charles O'Mathlin, a half breed, re- markab1e for his eloQuence and per- | suasive powers. to combat the influ- ! ence of Osceola. The combat became hot and furious. Osceola fearing the power of OMathlin and Thompson, | ended speech, in the midst of coun- ell of chiefs. by raising his rifle over head and swearing that he would put a ball through the heart of O'Mathlin be- 1 fore the sun went down. And he kept his word. About that time General Thompson visited the home of a relative in St. Augustine (the mother of the writer). and on his departure, she warned him to be careful and beware of the treach- cry of the Indians. His reply was, that he had not better friend on earth than Osceola. very short time after that. General Thompson and his friends were dining at the settlers tent several hundred yards from Fort King, on the oclawaha river. There were nine officers at the table and Osceola with a band of Indians crept up behind the party and murdered five of them; four made their escape Osceola fired at Thompson with the rifle the latter had given him. Thomp- son fell dead with fifteen bullets in his body.
 When Osceola was prisoner in Fort Marion at St. Augustine and also when at Fort Moultrie. he repeatedly told Dr. Frederick Weedon, (his physician and the father of the writer), that the only act of his life he regretted, was the killing of my friend Thompson Whether he really felt remorse or whether he said 1t because he knew that General Thompson was a relative of the doctors wife, Is question.
 The persistence with which this sav- age opposed the Governments scheme of Indian migration seems the only basis of his greatness.
 DADE'S MASSACRE.
 If 1t is true that an Indian in his war paint Is the embodiment of fool |ishement, then, Osceola was stupendous- ly foolish, for there was nothing in sight for the refractory Seminole but great suffering and ultimate defeat. Osceola was not great in battle or wise in council. Indeed 1t Is well establish- ed that he was in few battles. Dade's Massacre, so called, the best planned affair during the war, was executed and probably planned by Jumper" Osceola was many miles away at Fort King for 1t was the same day that Thompson was killed.
 In December 1885, Major Dade with a command of one hundred and ten men. left Fort Brook, Tampa, for Fort Drain on the Cclawaha, Dade was not the regular commander of that force. But that officer being sick, Dade vol unteered to take command until they reached Fort Drain. In passing swamps and other places where h. dians would be likely to hide for an ambuscade, the command was thor oughly on the alert against a sudden attack: but, in the open pine woods they did not expect an attack: conse- quently relaxed their vigilance. This fact no doubt presented itself to the cunning Jumper" for he concealed his warriors behind pine trees and In the wire grass in the open pine woods, just where he was not expected to be, by Dade. and just as he expected, Dade was caught off his guard At the first fire of the Indians many of Dade's men were killed-maybe one half of them. Those left made the best resist nnce they could. but in a very short time all was over. Two. men. only, es- caped and returned to Fort Brook. After the war closed the bones of this unfortunate command were brought to St. Augustine in wagons and inferred in the military cemetery in the south ern part of the town, Three pyramids of unequal size mark the place of burial.