The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-04-19
..i I'EERE DADDEI DIED
Florida Everglades a Region Of
Much Interest.
WILD MEN AND GAME THERE.
Vow the Gallant Major, After Escap.
Ing One Plot, Was Led Into q
Murderous Ambush by His BE-
~ Treacherous Guide.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
WasKngton.-The matter Of the
! reclamation of the Florida Everglades
recently has been the subject OF dis
| cussion in congress. Moreover, there
has been something savoring OF sharp
trouble for the agricultural depart
ment in the affair.
Not long ago in these dispatches
something was said about a bill OF
Representative Sparkman's of Florida
for the appropriation of $4,000 to erect
a monument to Maj. Francis L. Dade,
who was killed in the Everglades
when he was the leader OF an expedi-
ton against Osceola and his Sem
inoles Something Of the Everglades,
| past and present, and the story OF the
killing of Major Dade and his COM
mand seems to be timely now that the
subject of the reclamation of this Flor
ida land has been pointed up so sharp
| ly in congress.
Not all the darkness and the ro-
nance of the Everglades passed with
the ending of the long wars with the
! their stronghold. Semi-wild men live
in the recesses OF the glades today,
and tragedies still frequently mark
| the land. Game in abundance still
finds place from the hunter in the
jungles, and at least two species OF
birds, the Carolina paroquet and the
great ivory-billed woodpecker, ex-
t1nct in all other parts of the United
States, have managed there to keep
their race from determination.
Defiance of oseeoIa.
The older tragedies of the Ever
glades, dark as they were, hold tho
most interest It was on the edge of
the jungle country that Osceola, the
Seminole, when asked to sign treaty
with the whites by which the land
| was to be given up, drew his knife.
struck its blade through the document
of transfer. and said: There is my
signature"
It has been said that 1t takes only
one drop Of REQ blood to make an
American Indian. The Everglades
One of the witnesses OF Osceola's act
was soldier OF the army in whose
veins there was slight admiXture OF
Indian blood. He was SO, stirred with,
admiration for Osceola's deed that he
swore to himself that later he would
aid the Seminole's cause. -,
Maj. Francis l.. Dade led an expedi-
tion into the Everglades against o.
ceola and his band. The soldier with
the drop OF Indian blood in his veins
was chosen by Dade as guide. The
man lea the command straight to an
ambush, which was discovered fortu-
nately just in time to save Dade and
his men from humiliation.
There was a drumhead court-mar-
tial, and the guide was sentenced to
be shot at sunrise. His last request
was granted He removed from his
person the uniform OF the United
States army and put on ieggings and
hunting shirt of deer skin. He paint
ed his face and said that he was ready
to die, and as the shots OF the execu-
ton squad were fired his voice rang
with the death song Of the Seminoles.
Massacre of Dade's Command.
Major Dade and his command es.
capped death on the day OF the guides
treachery only to meet it later in the
fastness of the Everglades. With one
company of the famous old Fourth in
fantry, and with the men OF the two
light batteries of artillery, Dade
marched into a part of the Everglades
where the country was comparative
~ open, to give battle to a Seminole
chief name Mtcanopy The guide OF
this expedition was a negro named
Lewis, and, like the former guide he
was a traitor Lewis had sent word
to Micanopy, telling the Seminole the
trail by which he was to lead the
whites.
Major Dade and his command
reached a glade skfrted by palmettos.
The troops were in open order, march
ing carelessly along. Behind every
palmetto lay q Seminole The Indians
outnumbered the soldiers three to one
The firing distance was less than for
ty yards when Micanopy shouted 4
signal and every Indian rifle spoke.
One-half of the unsuspecting troopers
fell at the first discharge. Dade was
killed. r.. ~
The soldiers had light field piece
with them, and by the use of can
mister they scattered the savages and
afterward they managed to build q
barricade of logs. The Seminoles cir
cled to the rear and picked OH the
whites one by one. When the last
man had fallen the Indians closed in
and despoiled the dead. One man,
sorely wounded, awoke to conscious
ness after the Seminoles had left ana
found himself the sole survivor OF
three companies OF regulars. He man.
aged to reach Fort King with the
story of the Everglade fight that has
passed into history as "Dade's Mas.
sacre." rG .@
Some Sanity Left.