The weekly true Democrat., 1908-01-10
The SEFSREOLE
RDLAN WAR
Hnei snis ana RssainisesAass % That
Hlsiozie PssiSa, IatsrsStiASly De-
egsbea - esoFfs W. HoaaFy.

MIstozie Rssis1, IatsrestlASly De-
egibea ~ esoE1s W. HoaSry.
Tbs latter part Of December. 1855,
Lisstenant Hartsud, Of the United
Stales regular army, with 8 or 10 sol
den, was on a tour Of inspection Oh
the borders Of the Big Cyress, near
the place called Camp Rogers and east
of he OkOl0wacOOchee. He had gone
as far east as BilliestOwn, bat found q
abandoned BY the indiana, with evi-
donees that something must be wrong,
Whefeupon he abOut-faced and Travelled
back several miles and struck camp for
the night, having one or two slX-mule
.teams with him. The camp was in an
ODen prairie with only lusters Of cabbage
pain and cypress ponds. Every thing
seemed duiet during the night and in
tie early morning having had breakfast
while the teamsters were haTnessing
TIE mules the attack was made. Dur
inrt The night the Indians had advanced
as near the camp as they dared 70 with,
out discovery, but as daylight daWned
fullY-hke 9 clap OF thunder from q
Z clear slzy, 50 or 60 Indians opened nre
on them. It Is needless TO say, that
confusion and CONSERVATION ruled and
the wonder Is that any escaped. Lieu
tenant Hartsuh was In his tent INTO
which the Indians poured heavy hre
rushing madly into the camp. Hartsut
had one or two Of Colts eight-lnch re-
vOlvers which be had ready. Although
wounded in two places, as the Indians
rushed into the camp he began pouring
lead into their yellow hides that seemed
10 quell their desperation ard they
backed away from the tent, permitting
him TO escape through the rear and
reach q nearby cypress pond; also, two
soiilers escaped in q contrary direction
and mceeeded in reaching Fort Myers,
aOn1e 90 or 90 miles away, but saw
Hartsuh hObbhng of TO the cypress
Doad. where he remained without food
or attention until relief arrived three or
four jays later. The garrison at Fort
Myers dispatched q relief squad inn
ns3iately upon the report of the two
soldiers that escaped. They camped
for the night at Fort Simon Drum
about four on Ave miles from the place
Of massacre, and at guard mount the
following morning Hartsuf heard the
drum and discharged two chambers Of
hia revolver. The relief party heard
thRn and continued their march, and
when nearer Hartsuf repeated the sig
nal. which brought relief 70 his side, 80
usuch needed and on which his life de-
pended He was q man Of fine mill
tary bearing and so recovered that he
tgna given q squad of wagons where he
rentred valuable services later.
= Uoon The arrival Of the relief corps
tbs fannp showed that q terrible stFug-
gIe ansued between the soldiers and In
GiauB, Some Of their clothing were
tern b shreds and evidences OF a ter
rihlk struggle 20 avoid capture or sur
render. AZ 20 the damagee done the
Indians we never knew, but probably
Hartgnif's good aim put some Of them
"a The war path. We cannot now re- |
eaIl TIE number Of soldiers massacred. |
Only three Of the party escaped. The |
Indians killed the mules aud burned the
wagons.
Ths was the beginning Of the Semi !
nOIe Indian war Of lS56.57, closing in |
early spring of 1853. There are many |
thrilling incidents associated with that |
war. no where 10 be found In Florida |
history and soon the last survivor Of |
that war will have answered the last |
rOll-eah,
Whidden & Payne conducted a store |
~ miles below Fort Meade, at the |
mouth Of Payne's creek at ChOkOnicla, |
FOR the late firm Of Kennedy & Darling, |
of Tampa. This store was exclusively |
for the Indian trade. There were five |
on six young bucks who were Of the /
baRer sort and seditiOus roaming and
shulkinR around, they had all the day
been camped near the store, doing some
trading. One William Mccullough, who
had the rough and tumble fight with
the Indian Ia the battle near Tillis', with
wife and infant, lived with Whidden &
payne. Hie wife suspected something
ssroag and had an early supper 10 avoid
any loubla after dark, but while at the
trpte table the Indiana snealed up and
osenad Gre, killing both Whidden and
fnynt, Mccullough spsan8 for his gun
oV6r the door IN q rack, ordering the
IE1itns away. His wife tried 20 shut
~ deer, but be piiahea SsT out, follow
ng htF both, with infant, made their
81 - 9. bridge across the creek, few
iIlfr11 yards sway. The Indians re-
oadtd and followed, hriag again and
sout ding each slightly in one thigh,
lut hey crossed the bridge, and a. tho
road ns1de q turn they were kidden from
yisu by the bushes when they secreted
haulY Ives in q rRvine. The Indians
ud tnem IN pursuit, and not seeing
- fhay rsturnod 10 the store and |
1ntTd a. Mccullough, with his charge,
Iet ok thrOagh the woods In q bee line
Tor - Alana settlements 30 milea (