The Exiles of Florida Part 22

Sacket, W. W. Snow, Hiram S. Wallbridge, John Wells--12.

_New Jersey_: Charles Skelton, N. T. Stratton--2.

_Vermont_: Thomas W. Bartlett, James Meacham--2.

_Connecticut_: Charles Chapman--1.

_Pennsylvania_: James Allison, John L. Dawson, James Gamble, Galusha A.

Grow, John W. Howe, Thomas M. Howe, Milo M. Dimmick, Thaddeus Stevens--8.

_Ohio_: Nelson Barrere, Joseph Cable, Alfred P. Edgerton, J. M. g.a.y.l.o.r.d, Alex. Harper, Wm. F. Hunter, John Johnson, Eben Newton, Edson B. Olds, Charles Sweetzer--10.

_Indiana_: Samuel Brenton, John G. Davis, Graham N. Fitch, Thomas A.

Hendricks, Daniel Mace--5.

_Illinois_: Wyllis Allen, R. S. Molony--2.

_Wisconsin_: James D. Doty, Solomon Durkee, Ben. C. Eastman--3.

These fifty-two members, with Mr. Cobb, of Alabama, made up the entire opposition to the bill in the House of Representatives. In the Senate there was very little opposition to its pa.s.sage; and after thirteen years, the people of the United States paid for the slaves whom Watson bought on speculation, but of whom he failed to obtain possession. The Northern advocates of the bill justified their support of it more generally upon the principle, that our officers sent the negroes West, and thereby rendered it difficult, if not impossible, for Watson to obtain possession of them; and they insisted that, in refunding to Watson his money, they did not pay him for human flesh, but for the money he had paid out at the instance of federal officers. This vote closed the controversy in regard to General Jessup's contract, to give the Creek warriors such _plunder_ as they might capture from the enemy.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FURTHER DIFFICULTIES IN PROSECUTING THE WAR.

Emigrants under Captain Morrison--Feeling among the Regular Troops--They detest the practice of catching Negroes--Another party Emigrate--Still further Emigration--Situation of the Exiles--Deep depravity of the Administration--General McComb's Treaty--His general order--Peace cheers the Nation--Citizens of Florida return to their homes--Administration congratulates its friends--More murders perpetrated--Planters flee to villages for protection--Ma.s.sacre of Colonel Harney's party--Indians seized at Fort Mellon--Exiles refuse to partic.i.p.ate in those ma.s.sacres--They would make no Treaty--Administration paralyzed--Report of Secretary of War--Its character--Barbarous sentiments of Governor Reid--Resolution of Legislature of Florida in favor of employing blood-hounds--Original object in obtaining them--The effort proves a failure--General Taylor retires from command of Army--Is succeeded by General Armistead.

We now resume our chronological narration of events connected with the Exiles of Florida, during the year 1838.

On the fourteenth of June, Captain Morrison arrived at New Orleans from Tampa Bay in charge of some three hundred Indians and thirty negroes, on their way to the West; he having been a.s.signed to that particular duty.

These Indians and Exiles had most of them come to Fort Jupiter by advice of the Cherokees, and surrendered under the capitulation of March, 1837.

At the time they reached New Orleans, Lieutenant Reynolds was absent with his first emigrating party; and the thirty-one negroes left at New Orleans were at that time in the hands of the Sheriff. Captain Morrison felt it his duty to hasten the emigration of those whom he had in charge, and on the sixteenth, he left that city with his prisoners for the Indian Country without waiting the return of Lieutenant Reynolds. On reaching Fort Gibson, he delivered them over to the officer acting as Seminole Agent for the Western Country, and they soon rejoined their friends who were located on the Cherokee lands.

It may not be improper to state, that, in several of our recent chapters, we have quoted from official doc.u.ments pretty freely, for the reason that many living statesmen, as well as many who have pa.s.sed to their final rest, were deeply involved in those transactions, and we desired to make them speak for themselves as far as the doc.u.ments would enable us to do so. But as we have narrated most of the scenes involving individuals in transactions of such deep moral turpitude, we hope to be more brief in our future history.

When General Taylor a.s.sumed the command of the army, there was a feeling of deep disgust prevalent among the regular troops at the practice of seizing and enslaving the Exiles.

We have already noticed the fact, that the citizens of Florida supposed the war to have been commenced princ.i.p.ally to enable them to get possession of negroes whom they might enslave. Indeed, they appear not to have regarded it as material, that the claimant should have previously owned the negro. If they once obtained control of his person, he was hurried into the interior of Georgia, Alabama, or South Carolina, where he was sold and held as a slave. And the Florida volunteers, while nominally in service, appear to have been far more anxious to catch negroes than to meet the enemy in battle.

This feeling was so general among the people and troops of Florida, that General Call, Governor of the Territory, recommended to the Secretary of War that military expeditions should be fitted out for the purpose of going into the Indian Country, in order to capture negroes, who, when captured, _should be sold, and the avails of such sales applied to defray the expenses of the war_.

It is easy to see that this feeling would lead the regular troops to entertain great contempt for the volunteers of Florida; and a corresponding feeling of hostility would arise on the part of such volunteers toward the regular troops.

These feelings operated upon President Jackson in ordering the withdrawal of General Scott; and General Jessup sought to appease this hostility by obeying the dictates of the slave power. Indeed, whatever appears like a violation of pledged faith, or bears the evidence of treachery on the part of General Jessup, may probably with great justice be attributed to the popular sentiment of the Territory. He had a.s.siduously captured, and delivered over to bondage, hundreds of persons whom he had most solemnly covenanted to "_protect in their persons and property_."

General Taylor discarded this entire policy. His first efforts were to make the Indians and Exiles understand that he sought their emigration to the Western Country, for the advancement of their own interest and happiness. Owing to these circ.u.mstances there was scarcely any blood shed in Florida while he had command. The army was no longer employed to hunt and to chase down women and children, who had been reared in freedom among the hommocks and everglades of that Territory.

There were yet remaining several small bands of Indians upon the Appalachicola River, and in its vicinity. Most of the Exiles who had a few years previously resided with these bands, had been captured by pirates from Georgia, and taken to the interior of that State and sold, as the reader has been already informed. Those of E-con-chattimico's and of Blunt's and of Walker's bands were nearly all kidnapped; but of the number of Exiles who remained with the other remnants of Indian Tribes, resident upon the Appalachicola River, we have no reliable information.

We are left in doubt on this point, as General Taylor drew no distinctions among his prisoners; he neither const.i.tuted himself nor his officers a tribunal for examining the complexion or the pedigree of his captives. He denied the right of any citizen to inspect the people captured by the army under his command, or to interfere in any way with the disposal of his prisoners. He repaired to the Apalachee towns with a small force about the first of October. Neither the Indians nor Exiles made any resistance; nor did they oppose emigration. They readily embarked for New Orleans on their way westward. Their emigration was not delayed in order to give planters an opportunity to examine the negroes.

Under the general term of "Apalachees," two hundred and twenty persons were quietly emigrated to the Western Country; but, as we have already stated, how many of them were negroes, we have no information. These people were also delivered over to the agent, acting for the Western Indians, and settled with their brethren upon the Cherokee lands.

General Taylor now entered upon a new system for prosecuting the war, by establishing posts and manning them, and by a.s.signing to each a particular district of country, over which their scouts and patroles were to extend their daily reconnoisances.

[Sidenote: 1839.]

Small parties of Indians and negroes occasionally came in at different posts, and surrendered under the articles of capitulation of March, 1837; and, on the twenty-fifth of February, one hundred and ninety-six Indians and _negroes_ were embarked at Tampa Bay for the Western Country. But the proportion of negroes, compared with the whole number, is not stated in any official report. General Taylor, in his communications, speaks of them as _prisoners_, and occasionally uses the terms "Indians and negroes".

Thus, in less than a year, General Taylor shipped more than four hundred prisoners for the Western Country without bloodshed. These prisoners were also delivered over to the Indian Agent of the Western Country, and immediately reunited with their brethren already located on the Cherokee lands. There were, at that time, a colony of more than sixteen hundred of these people living upon the territory a.s.signed to the Cherokees.

They were without homes, or a country of their own: whereas the Government had constantly held out to them the a.s.surance that, if they emigrated West, they should have a country a.s.signed to their _separate use_, on which they could repose in safety.

At this point in our history, Mr. Van Buren's administration exhibited its deepest depravity. Since the ratification of the supplemental treaty of 1833, the Executive, through all its officers, had a.s.sured the Indians and Exiles that they should enjoy its full benefits, by having a territory set off to their separate use, where they could live independent of Creek laws. Under these a.s.surances they had received the pledged faith of the nation, that they should be _protected_ by the United States in their persons and property.

With these pledges, and with these expectations, a weak and friendless people had emigrated to that western region; and when thus separated from their friends and country, with the slave-catching vultures of the Creek Nation watching and intending to make them their future victims, the President deliberately refused to abide by either the treaty or the articles of capitulation. He left them unprotected, without homes, and without a country which they could call their own. True, many of them had been betrayed, treacherously seized and compelled to emigrate; but this was done in violation of the existing treaty and pledged faith of the nation, which they were constantly a.s.sured should be faithfully observed; and these circ.u.mstances enhanced the guilt of those who wielded the Executive power to oppress them.

Major General McComb arrived in Florida (May 20) for the purpose of effecting a new treaty with the Seminoles upon the basis of _permitting them to remain in their native land_. The war had been waged with the intent and for the purpose of compelling the Indians to emigrate West and settle with the Creeks, and become subject to the Creek laws. It had continued three years at a vast expenditure of treasure and of national reputation. Many valuable lives had also been sacrificed; and, although some two thousand Indians and Exiles had emigrated West, not one Exile had settled in the Creek Country, or become subject to Creek laws. Some hundreds had been enslaved and sold in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina; but a remnant of that people, numbering some hundreds, yet maintained their liberties against all the machinations and efforts of Government to reenslave them.[122]

The vast expenditure of national treasure had called forth severe animadversion in Congress; while the entire policy of the slave power forbid all explanation of the real cause of this war, and of the objects for which its prosecution was continued.

Thus, while the nation was involved in a most expensive and disastrous contest for the benefit of slavery, the House of Representatives had adopted resolutions for suppressing all discussion and all agitation of questions relating to that inst.i.tution.

General Scott, a veteran officer of our army, had exhausted his utmost science; had put forth all his efforts to conquer this indomitable people; or rather to subdue the love of liberty, the independence of thought and of feeling, which stimulated them to effort; but he had failed. The power of our army, aided by deception, fraud and perfidy, had been tried in vain. General Jessup, the most successful officer who had commanded in Florida, had advised peace upon the precise terms which the allies demanded at the commencement of the war; and General McComb, Commander-in-Chief of the army of the United States, was now commissioned to negotiate peace on those terms. But the first difficulty was to obtain a hearing with the chiefs who remained in Florida, in order to enter upon negotiations touching a pacification. To effect this object, recourse was had to a negro, one of the Exiles who knew General Taylor, and in whom General Taylor confided. At the request of General McComb, this man was dispatched with a friendly message to several chiefs, requesting them to come into the American Camp for the purpose of negotiation. His mission proved successful. A Council of several chiefs, and some forty head men and warriors, was convened at Fort King, on the sixteenth of May, 1839, and the terms of peace agreed upon; but no treaty appears to have been drawn up in form. On the eighteenth of May, General McComb, at Fort King, his head-quarters, issued the following general orders:

"HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES,} _Fort King, Florida_, May 18, 1839. }

"The Major General, commanding in chief, has the satisfaction of announcing to the army in Florida, to the authorities of the Territory, and to the citizens generally, that he has this day terminated the war with the Seminole Indians by an agreement entered into with Chitto-Tustenuggee, princ.i.p.al chief of the Seminoles and successor to Arpeika, commonly called Sam. Jones, brought to this post by Lieutenant Colonel Harney, 2d Dragoons, from the southern part of the peninsula. The terms of the agreement are--that hostilities immediately cease between the parties; that the troops of the United States and the Seminole and Mickasukie chiefs and warriors, now at a distance, be made acquainted with the fact, that peace exists, and that all hostilities are forthwith to cease on both sides--the Seminoles and Mickasukies agreeing to retire into a district of country in Florida, below Pease Creek, the boundaries of which are as follows: viz, beginning at the most southern point of land between Charlotte Harbor and the Sanybel or Cooloosahatchee River, opposite to Sanybel Island; thence into Charlotte Harbor by the southern pa.s.s between Pine Island and that point along the eastern sh.o.r.e of said harbor to Toalkchopko or Pease Creek; thence up said creek to its source; thence easterly to the northern point of Lake Istokopoga; thence along the eastern outlet of said lake, called Istokopoga Creek, to the Kissimee River; thence southerly down the Kissimee to Lake Okeechobee; thence south through said lake to Ecahlahatohee or Shark River; thence down said river westwardly to its mouth; thence along the seash.o.r.e northwardly to the place of beginning; that sixty days be allowed the Indians, north and east of that boundary, to remove their families and effects into said district, where they are to remain until further arrangements are made under the protection of the troops of the United States, who are to see that they are not molested by intruders, citizens or foreigners; and that said Indians do not pa.s.s the limits a.s.signed them, except to visit the posts, which will be hereafter indicated to them. All persons are, therefore, forbidden to enter the district a.s.signed to the Indians without written permission of some commanding officer of a military post."

"By command of the General: ALEXANDER McCOMB,

_Major General Commanding_.

EDMOND SHRIVER,

Captain and A. A. General."

The country now again rejoiced at what the people regarded as the restoration of peace. By the terms agreed upon, the Indians retained as large a territory in proportion to the number left in Florida as was held by them at the commencement of the war.

The people of Florida had originally pet.i.tioned General Jackson for the forcible removal of the Indians, because they would not seize and bring in their fugitive slaves. They had protested against peace upon any terms that should leave the negroes, whom they claimed, in the Indian Country. These citizens of Florida had long since been driven from their homes and firesides by the enemy whom they so much despised; and they now desired peace. The Indians and Exiles were also anxious to cultivate corn and potatoes for the coming winter, and were glad to be able to do so in peace.

Thus, the people of Florida, as they supposed, in perfect safety, returned to their plantations, and resumed their former habits of life.

And the political party in possession of the Government, congratulated themselves and the country upon the fortunate conclusion of a war which had involved them in difficulties that were inexplicable.

But this quiet continued for a short time only. Early in July, travelers and express-riders were killed by small parties of Indians; plantations were attacked and the occupants murdered; buildings burned and crops destroyed; families fled from their homes, leaving all their property, in order to a.s.semble in villages in such numbers as to insure safety to their persons; and the Florida War again raged with acc.u.mulated horrors.