The Treaty of Moultrie Creek negotiated by the United States government in 1823, was to place the Seminoles on a reservation that ran down the middle of the Florida peninsula from just north of present-day Ocala to a line even with the southern end of Tampa Bay. White settlers moving onto public land in violation of the Treaty, slave hunters trespassing onto the reservation, and then the government's decision to remove the Seminoles from their lands infuriated the Seminoles. (Indian Removal Act in 1830,Treaty of Payne's Landing in 1832)

Fort King, and the nearby Indian Agency, was facing hostilities from the Seminoles because of the terms of the Treaty of Payne's Landing. Five of the most important Seminole chiefs, including Micanopy of the Alachua Seminole, did not agree to removal. In retaliation, the U.S. Indian agent, Wiley Thompson, declared that those chiefs were deposed from their positions. Osceola, a defiant young war chief, also rejected the U.S. orders and threatened war unless the Seminoles were left alone. Tensions continued to rise. Two companies of U.S. regulars, under the command of Major Francis Langhorne Dade, were dispatched from Fort Brooke near Tampa to reinforce and resupply the troops at Fort King.

On December 23, 1835, two U.S. companies, 110 men total, which included soldiers from the 2nd Artillery, 3rd Artillery and 4th Infantry Regiments, under the command of Major Francis L. Dade, departed from Fort Brooke, heading up the Fort King military road toward Fort King. For five days they marched, thinking that if they were attacked it would be at a river crossing. Traveling through the pines and palmettos, the Major felt confident and recalled his flanking scouts in order to make better time.

On the morning of December 28, 1835, at around 8:00 a.m., as they were passing through a high hammock with oaks, pines, cabbage palms, and saw palmetto near the shore of a small lake, a shot rang out and Major Dade, who was on horseback, was killed. The shot was fired by Chief Micanopy, who led the Seminoles in the attack. The troops not killed in the first volley, successfully erected a wall of palm trees and fallen pines, and over the next six hours, exchanged gunfire with the Seminoles. Retreat was impossible. The Seminoles had attacked from the west which trapped the soldiers between them and the lake.

Four U.S. soldiers were reported to have survived the attack; Private Edward Decourcey, who had been covered by dead bodies; Private Ransom Clark, who appeared "dead enough"; Private Joseph Sprague and John Thomas, who climbed a tree to escape fire. The next day, Decourcey and Clark headed back towards Fort Brooke. A Seminole pursued them on horseback and Decourcey was killed after they had split up to avoid capture. Clark made it back to Fort Brooke and provided the only narrative from the Army's side of what had occurred. Privates Joseph Sprague and John Thomas, also returned to Fort Brooke and continued serving in the Army. They did not leave a report of the battle.

The eyewitness account by Seminole leader Halpatter Tustenuggee, called Alligator by the white men, is as follows:

"We had been preparing for this more than a year... Just as the day was breaking, we moved out of the swamp into the pine-barren. I counted, by direction of Jumper, one hundred and eighty warriors. Upon approaching the road, each man chose his position on the west side... About nine o'clock in the morning the command approached... So soon as all the soldiers were opposite... Jumper gave the whoop, Micanopy fired the first rifle, the signal agreed upon, when every Indian arose and fired, which laid upon the ground, dead, more than half the white men. The cannon was discharged several times, but the men who loaded it were shot down as soon as the smoke cleared away... As we were returning to the swamp supposing all were dead, an Indian came up and said the white men were building a fort of logs. Jumper and myself, with ten warriors, returned. As we approached, we saw six men behind two logs placed one above another, with the cannon a short distance off... We soon came near, as the balls went over us. They had guns, but no powder, we looked in the boxes afterwards and found they were empty".

On the morning of December 28, 1835, while Micanopy was ambushing Major Dade's Troops, Osceola shot and killed Indian Agent Wiley Thompson as he stepped out of Fort King for an afternoon walk. Osceola and his followers also shot six more outside of Fort King.

General Edmund P. Gaines and 1100 men reached the Dade Massacre battlefield on February 20, 1836. They were the first U.S. soldiers to do so. There they performed the duty of identifying the bodies for burial. The dead were first buried at the site of the massacre by General Gaines and his troops. After the hostilities with the Seminoles ceased in 1842, the remains were disinterred and reburied on the grounds of St. Francis Barracks in St. Augustine National Cemetery. The remains rest under 3 coquina stone pyramids along with the remains of over 1,300 other U.S. soldiers who died in the Second Seminole War.

The Dade Massacre began the Second Seminole War.
[Researched and written by CNP for Genealogy Trails 22 Jun 2021]


Roll of Honor ☆ Dade's Command


Officers
Brevet Major Francis Langhorne Dade  -  4th Regiment Infantry
Capt. Upton Sinclair Fraser  -  Co. B 3rd Artillery
Capt. George W. Gardiner  -  Co. C 2nd Artillery
1st Lt. William Elon Basinger  -  2nd Regiment Artillery
2nd Lt. Robert R. Mudge  -  3rd Regiment Artillery
Brevet 2nd Lt. Richard Henderson  -  2nd Artillery
Brevet 2nd Lt. John L. Keais  -  3rd Artillery
Ass't Surgeon John Slade Gatlin  -  Medical Staff
Company B, 4th Infantry Peter Thomas Pvt. John Barnes Pvt. Donald Campbell Pvt. Enoch Cates Pvt. Martin Cunningham Pvt. John Doughty Pvt. Cornelius Donovan Pvt. William Downes Pvt. Samuel Hall Pvt. Wiley Jones Pvt. John Markham	Company H, 2nd Artillery Pvt. Richard R. Bowen Pvt. Henry Brandon Pvt. John Craig Pvt. John Keirns Pvt. Hugh McMee Pvt. John A Patten Pvt. Reuben Philips Pvt. Thomas Thornton Pvt. Hiram Taylor Pvt. William Wright Pvt. John Stafford
	Company B, 2nd Artillery Pvt. Edward DeCoursey Pvt. Edward Belton Pvt. Michael Kenny Pvt. Anthony Laughlin Pvt. John McWiggin Pvt. James McDonald Pvt. John McCartney Pvt. Hugh Perry Pvt. Patrick Rooney
Company C, 2nd Artillery
1st Sgt. John Hood Sgt. Philip Cooper Sgt. John Lovis Sgt. Thomas Savin Cpl. Michael Ryan Cpl. Nicholas Clark Cpl. James Dunlap William Carney, Musician Charles T Heck, Musician George Howard, Artificer Pvt. William Black Pvt. Richard Bourke Pvt. Rufus Barton Pvt. Owen Boyen Pvt. Thomas Davis Pvt. Robert Green Pvt. Isaac C Grant Pvt. Alphius Gillet Pvt. John Halter Pvt. John Hurley Pvt. William Holmes Pvt. Cornelius Hill Pvt. Aaron Jewell Pvt. Thomas Knarr Pvt. Robert Mulvahal Pvt. William Neely Pvt. William Robertson Pvt. Patrick Rafferty Pvt. John Reilly Pvt. Casper Schneider Pvt. William Taylor Pvt. Isaac Taylor Pvt. Joseph Wilson Pvt. Orville Worcester	Company B, 3rd Artillery Sgt. Benjamin Chapman Sgt. John Vailing Sgt. A.C.W. Farley Cpl. George C Young Cpl. Philander Wells Cpl. Alexander Jones Henry Wagner, Artificer Pvt. George Bertram Pvt. B.C. Carpenter Pvt. Patrick Cumasky Pvt. Samuel E. Dodge Pvt. William Flanagan Pvt. John C. Folk Pvt. George Hurlyhigh Pvt. Jordan Hall Pvt. Samuel Kinkerly Pvt. Jacob Kneeland Pvt. Samuel Lemon Pvt. William Minton Pvt. Donald Monroe Pvt. John Mulcahy Pvt. William D Randalls Pvt. John Schaffer Pvt. Henry Sennam Pvt. Washington Tuck Pvt. Richard Vreeland Pvt. Samuel S. Wright Pvt. John Williams Pvt. Sylvester Welch Pvt. Daniel Weshing Pvt. George York William McGrew, Artificer
Sole Survivors  -  Wounded
Pvt. Ransom Clark Co. B, 2nd Artillery Pvt. Joseph Sprague, Co. B, 3rd Artillery Pvt. John Thomas, Co. B, 2nd Artillery
In Battle of 28th December, 1835 Killed 105 Wounded 3 Aggregate 108 The bodies of those who fell were here interred on February 20, 1836, and on August 15, 1842 were reinterred in the National Cemetery, St. Augustine, Florida
[Transcribed by CNP from the plaque which hangs in the Battlefield Museum at Dade Battlefield Historic Park, Bushnell, Florida. Photo above from photos taken by CNP in 2014, and are just a few of the markers along the trail where these soldiers were ambushed.]

Army and Navy Chronicle; June 1, 1837; Vol. IV, No. 22
St. AUGUSTINE, May 10.—We have information from Tampa to the 4th inst. Preparations are making for the emigration of the Indians as speedily as possible. It however, has been recommended to Gen. Jesup up not to press matters too hard, and we learn that he has concluded to wait until they were all in before he commenced.

The Indians say they were induced to commence the war in consequence of oppression; but they have killed all, except five or six, who have been their oppressors.

They give an account of the massacre of Dade and his fated band. Micanopy killed Major Dade. The Indians in their first attack were beaten off entirely, with great loss, and such was the panic among them, that they could not be made to rally until a reinforcement came up under Alligator, who finished the work of murder which they had began. They stated that had those who remained, instead of building a breast work, continued on their route, they world not have been pursued, or if pursued, could not have been overtaken, as they would have gained three hours start.
[Army and Navy Chronicle, Volumes 4-5; Army and Navy Chronicle, Vol. IV, No. 22; Edited and Published by Benjamin Homans; Washington, June 1, 1837; Page 348. Transcribed by CNP]



Army and Navy Chronicle; June 15, 1837; Vol. IV, No. 24
MISCELLANY.
From the Boston Morning Post.
RANSOM CLARK.
AN OBJECT OF PROMPT CHARITY.─There is now in this city a severely wounded United States soldier, the only survivor of the unfortunate Major Dade's detachment, which was massacred by the Indians in Florida. The detachment consisted of one hundred and seventeen men, and the enemy amounted to at least between nine and ten hundred. The soldier's name is RANSOM CLARK, a native of Livingston, N. York, and now 25 years of age. The following is the Surgeon's certificate for a pension, which is only eight dollars per month, and utterly insufficient for his maintenance:—
"I hereby certify that, by satisfactory evidence and accurate examination, it appears that on the 28th day of December, 1835. at Dade's Battle-Ground, near the Ouithlacoochee, in the Territory of East Florida, Ransom Clark, a private in company "B," of the second regiment of the United States Artillery, while actually in the line of his duty, was severely wounded in the right shoulder, forever depriving him of the use of the right arm—also in the right thigh—in the right arm, above the elbow—also in the right temple, and in the back—and is, therefore, in the opinion of the undersigned, totally disabled from obtaining his subsistence.
"Given at Fort Brooks, East Florida, the twenty-ninth day of April, 1836.
JOHN M. CUYLER."

In addition to the above, we would state that we have had an interview with the unfortunate Clark, at the Exchange, and in the presence of some gentlemen examined the wounds which are referred to in the above certificate. The ball which entered his shoulder still remains in him, having, as often occurs in similar cases, traversed obliquely downwards, to the region of the lungs, where it remains stationary, and must, at no distant day, cause his death.

This last wound be received while lying on his side, and discharging his musket over a small breastwork. The blood spouted from his mouth in a torrent, and he became insensible. He was stripped by the savages, and left for dead. The first proof he had that the ball was in his lungs, was the throwing up, by the agency of an emetic, a piece of his coat, carried in by the ball. All that can now be done for the poor fellow, is to make his descent to the grave as easy and comfortable as it is in the power of patriotic benevolence to render it.

NARRATIVE OF RANSOM CLARK
The sole surviving soldier engaged in Major Dade's battle with Indians, near the Ouithlacoochee, in East Florida, Dee. 28, 1835.—On Monday we took down from the unfortunate Clark's lips the following account of the bloody engagement in which he received his wounds:

"Our detachment, consisting of 117 men, under command of Major Dade, started from Fort Brook, Tampa Bay, on the 23d of December, and arrived at the scene of action about 8 o'clock on the morning of the 28th. It was on the edge of a pond, three miles from the spot where we had bivouacked on the night previous. The pond was surrounded by tall grass brush, and small trees. A moment before we were surprised, Maj. Dade said to us—'We have now got through all danger—keep up good heart, and when we get to Fort King, I'll give you three days for Christmas.'

"At the time we were in a path, or trail, on the border of the pond, and the first notice that we received of the presence of the enemy, was the discharge of a rifle by their Chief, as a signal to commence their attack. The pond was on our right, and the Indians were scattered round, in a semicircle, on our left, in the rear, and in advance—reaching at the two latter points to the edge of the pond; but leaving an opening for our entrance on the path, and a similar opening at the other extremity, for the egress of our advanced guard, which was permitted to pass through without being fired on, and of course unconscious of the ambuscade through which they had marched. At the time of the attack, this guard was about a quarter of a mile in advance, the main body following in columns, two deep. The Chief's rifle was followed by a general discharge from his men, and Major Dade, Captain Fraser, and Lieut. Mudge, together with several non-commissioned officers and privates, were brought down by the first volley. Our rear guard had a six pounder, which, as soon as possible, was hauled up, and brought to bear upon the ground occupied by the unseen enemy, secreted among the grass, brush, and trees. The discharge of the cannon checked, and made them fall back, for about half an hour. About twelve of us advanced, and brought in our wounded and arms, leaving the dead. Among the wounded was Lieut. Mudge, who was speechless. We set him up against a tree, and he was found there two months after, when Gen. Gaines sent a detachment to bury the bodies of our soldiers. All hands then commenced throwing up a triangular breast-work of logs, but just as we had raised it about two feet, the Indians returned, and renewed the engagement. A part of our troops fought within the breast-work, and a part outside. I remained outside till I received a ball in my right arm, and another near my right temple, which came out at the top of my head. I next received a shot in my thigh, which brought me down on my side, and I then got into the breast-work. We gave them forty-nine discharges from the cannon, and while loading for the fiftieth—the last shot we had—our match went out. The Indians chiefly levelled at the men who worked the cannon. In the mean time the main body of our troops kept up a general fire with musketry.

"The loss of the enemy must have been very great, because we never fired until we had fixed upon our men, but the cannon was necessarily fired at random, as only two or three Indians appeared together. When the firing commenced, the advanced guard wheeled, and in returning to the main body were entirely cut up. The battle lasted till about four in the afternoon, and I was about the last one who handled a gun, while lying on my side. At the close, I received a shot in my right shoulder, which passed into my lungs—the blood gushed out of my mouth in a stream, and, dropping my musket, I rolled over on my face. The Indians then entered the breast-work, but found not one man standing to defend it. They secured the arms, ammunition, and the cannon, and despatched such of our fallen soldiers as they supposed still to be alive. Their negroes then came in to strip the dead. I had by this time somewhat revived, and a negro, who observed that I was not dead, took up a musket and shot me in the top of the shoulder, and the ball came out at my back. After firing, he said, 'There, damn you, take that.' He then stripped me of every thing but my shirt.

"The enemy then disappeared to the left of the pond, and, through weakness and apprehension, I remained still till about nine o'clock at night. I then commenced crawling on my knees and left hand. As I was crawling over the dead, I put my hand on one man, who felt different from the rest—he was warm and limber. I roused him up, and found it was De Courcy, an Englishman, and the son of a British officer, resident in Canada. I told him that it was best for us to attempt to travel, as the danger appeared to be over, and we might fall in with some assistance. As he was only wounded in the side and arm, he could walk a little. We got along as well as we could that night—continued on till next noon, when, on a rising ground, we observed an Indian ahead, on horseback, loading his rifle. We agreed that he should go on one side of the road and I on the other. The Indian took after De Courcy, and I heard the discharge of a rifle. This gave me time to crawl into a hammock and hide away. The Indian soon returned with his arms and legs covered with blood, having, no doubt, according to custom, cut De Courcy to pieces after bringing him down with his rifle.

"He came riding through the brush in pursuit of me, and approached within ten feet; but gave up the search. I then resumed my route back to Fort Brooke—crawled and limped through the nights and forenoons, and slept in the brush during the middle of the day, with no other nourishment than cold water. I got to Fort Brooke on the evening of the fifth day; and in five months afterwards was discharged as a pensioner at eight dollars per month. The doctor attributes my not dying of my wounds to the circumstance that I bled a great deal, and did not partake of any solid food during the first five days.

"Two other soldiers, by the name of Thomas and Sprague, also came in afterwards. Although badly wounded, they ascended a tree, and thus escaped the enemy on the evening of battle. They joined another expedition, two months after, but before their wounds were healed, and soon died of them."

Up to the present time, nearly all Clark's pension has been absorbed by the expenses of the medical attendance which his condition this required.
[Army and Navy Chronicle, Volumes 4-5; Army and Navy Chronicle, Vol. IV, No. 24; Edited and Published by Benjamin Homans; Washington, June 15, 1837; Pages 369-370. Transcribed by CNP]



Army and Navy Chronicle; October 12, 1837; Vol. V, No. 15
From the St. Augustine Herald, Sept 21{?smudged}

General Hernandez, with a detachment of troops, marched from Bulowville yesterday. Some days since Tomoka John, one of the Indians recently taken, was despatched with a message from "King Philip" to his family, desiring them to come in. To-day was appointed for them to be at Bulowville. Philip confidently expects that they will come in.

John Thomas,• the last of the survivors of the fated band of the gallant Major Dade, died this morning at the U. S. Hospital in this city, from diseases caused by the wounds received in that melancholy encounter.

Major General Jesup and suite have arrived in this City from Black Creek, via Picolata and Fort Peyton, and taken rooms in the City Hotel.

• Ransom Clark was the name of the only survivor of Dade's massacre; his death has never yet been announced.—Ed.A. & N. C.
[Army and Navy Chronicle, Volumes 4-5; Army and Navy Chronicle, Vol. V, No. 15; Published by A. B. Claxton; Washington, October 12, 1837; Page 236. Transcribed by CNP]


 
The Story of a Forgotten Massacre
(From National Republican)
(Col. Herbert Drane, a Representative in Congress from Florida dropped a remark about the Dade affair in 1835, and his fellow congressman forthwith wanted the details.)

"Never heard of such a massacre."

"That's a new one on me."

"I flattered myself that I had read up on every important battle from the Revolution to the latest Mingo scrap in West Virginia, but don't remember any such name."

"Reckon you must be mixed in your information and mean the Alamo massacre in Texas."

These were some of the comments made in the cloakroom of Congress the other day when Col. Herbert Jackson Drane, representative from Florida, happened to remark that it was his intention to introduce a measure asking the United States government to contribute suitable war relics to use in decorating the Dade massacre battlefield in Florida, recently purchased by the state government.

Importuned by the congressmen, who were settled about the cloakroom for the details of the Dade massacre, Mr. Drane related the following deeply interesting story of one of the bloodiest battles ever staged on the American continent:

"The year 1835 found the Seminole Indians of Florida in a disturbed condition; a few of the chiefs only being favorably disposed to remove to the country west of the Mississippi as the treaty of Payne's Landing had obligated them to do.

"There had been numerous conferences and 'talks' between General Wiley Thompson, the Indian agent, at Fort King, near the present site of the city of Ocala, and the agent had reported to the Washington authorities from time to time of the impending difficulties. The Indians claimed that the first treaty, made at Camp Moultrie, near St. Augustine, should control their affairs and the administration at Washington held for a strict construction of the treaty of Payne's Landing made at a later date.

Jackson's Stand.
"At this time President Andrew Jackson took a firm stand in the controversy, and in a message, dated February 16, 1836, directed to the chiefs and warriors of the Seminole Indians in Florida, used the following expressions:

" 'You know me, and you know I would not deceive nor advise you to do anything that was unjust or injurious. I tell you that you must go and that you will go. You have sold your country. You have not a piece of land as large as a blanket to sit down upon'.

"Those stern words were communicated to the Indians at councils held at Fort King in March and April, 1835, and the situation was fully explained to the principal chiefs and warriors by General Thompson, the agent; General Duncan L. Clinch, then in command in Florida, and experienced army officers.

"During the summer of 1835 but few Indians came to Fort King and the parleys with the Indians having been prolonged it was decided that removal would be deferred until the beginning of 1836. From time to time General Thompson and others had advised that small forces at Fort King and at Fort Brooke, Tampa Bay, would be insufficient and recommended a reinforcement of those posts and particularly of the post at Fort King.

"Orders were given in due time for detachments of the First and Second Artillery, and Fourth Infantry, to move from Key West via Tampa Bay, to Fort King. This command was given to Major Francis L. Dade.

"From Fort Brooke, on Tampa Bay, there was a trail of road known as the Fort King road; the distance between the two posts was about one hundred miles and over the larger streams had been placed crude bridges.

"Late in December, 1835, Major Dade and his troops began their march from Fort Brooke, and for several days nothing was heard from the command. Early in January there came to Fort Brooke a private soldier named Daniel F. Clarke, bearing severe wounds, weak from the loss of blood, and the great hardships he had endured, and barely alive, as he had crawled almost the entire distance from the scene of one of the most bloody massacres in the history of the American army.

Consternation at Fort Brooke.
"Clarke was one of the survivors of the command consisting of one hundred and two privates and non-commissioned officers, and eight officers that had left Fort Brooke on December 24, 1835.

"The news of the massacre brought by Clarke created consternation in the small garrison at Fort Brooke, and steps were taken to protect the post against attack by the savages. A sailing vessel was about to depart for Mobile, and news of the destruction of Dade's command was sent to Washington and to the larger cities and towns along the gulf coast.

"The news of this astounding attack roused the authorities at Washington to the seriousness of the situation. For the first time in the history of our army, almost an entire command of trained soldiers had been exterminated in a daylight attack. Later came news that on the day of the Dade attack, Osceola and a small band had at Fort King ambushed General Thompson and his aide, Lieutenant Smith, as they were taking a stroll near the agency building. The savages then looted the sutler's store for ammunition, liquor and stores, and departed south along the trail to join Micanopy, Alligator, and the band that had earlier in the day wiped out the command of Major Dade.

''Major Dade, the commanding officer of the ill-fated detachment, was a veteran of the war of 1812, a brave and cautious soldier, and was to some extent aware of the unsettled condition of the country through which he had to pass. His detachment traveled with oxen as the principal means of transport of supplies and stores, and necessarily the progress of the command was slow. He was provided with one piece of artillery, a six-pounder, and this was drawn by oxen. From the account of the battle given by Clarke, it appears that Major Dade moved slowly, and with caution along the military road, traces of which may be seen to this day, until he had crossed the forks of the Withlacoochee river, he had sent scouts ahead, and at night made an entrenched camp, or cut trees for breastworks, and used all possible precautions against a night attack.

Dade's Breakfast Pond.
"The evening before the attack he had crossed his last river, and had encamped for the night near a small pond about four miles below or south of the point of attack. On the morning of the 28th he assembled his command near the pond, which is now known as Dade's Breakfast Pond, and addressed them, stating that the most dangerous part of their journey had been passed, and that they were nearing their destination, and by nightfall would probably reach Fort King.

'‘On previous days he had advanced with flankers and an advance guard, but on the morning of the 28th of December, having passed the thick swamps and the morning being somewhat chilly, his vigilance was relaxed, and the command proceeded with a small advance guard, the men wearing their overcoats buttoned, and their ammunition boxes under the outer garments. Major Dade and Captain Fraser closely followed the advance guard, and the men in double file followed.

"About four miles north of the last night camp, and while in the open woods and just west of a small pond, and at a point where the grass was tall and there were many clumps of saw palmetto, the Indians, one hundred and eighty in number, besides a large number of their negro slaves and retainers, had concealed themselves in the grass and in the palmettoes. The command was slowly progressing along the trail, at this point where the attack was, according to the methods of Indian warfare, not to be expected. The cold quiet morning was suddenly startled by a shrill war whoop uttered by the chief Jumper, followed by a single shot fired by Micanopy, and then immediately a sheet of fire from the concealed Indians poured into the startled soldiers. More than half of the command went down at the first volley. The aim of the Indians was well nigh perfect, and the attack had been carefully planned, and discussed by the chiefs.

Captain Fraser.
"Halpatter-Tustenuggee, or Alligator in his narrative of the battle, says that after the first volley, the soldiers were rallied by the few remaining officers, and that the field piece was loaded and fired several times, but the Indians soon shot down the artillery men and the gun was silenced. He says that one officer, a little man, was a very brave man, that he drew his sword and swore great oaths and made every effort to rally his soldiers. From all accounts this officer was Captain Fraser, as it appears that Major Dade was killed during the first volley from the Indians. The soldiers took refuge behind trees, and fought to the last. The firing continued for some time, and then the Indians retired a short distance to replenish their ammunition. An Indian coming up said that there were a few white men left, and that they had thrown up a breastwork of logs. The savages returned to the ground, and placed the survivors under severe fire, and the soldiers' fire was soon silenced for want of ammunition. The Indians sent their negroes into the enclosures and found three white men alive, who after a conversation with the Indians in English were put to death, but not until one soldier, whom Alligator says was a very brave man and who refused to surrender, dashed out the brains of the Indian, and then ran up the road. He was pursued by Indians on horseback and soon shot down. Clarke, who had received seven wounds, corroborates this account and said that he pretended to be dead when the Indians came into the enclosure. A negro slave gave him a push with his foot and said: 'He is dead enough.' Clarke lay feigning death, among his dead comrades until nightfall, and then crawled out of the bloody pen and started on his long and painful journey to Tampa Bay.

"The Indians had taken all the guns and ammunition, so he was unarmed. He shortly fell in with another soldier, and they traveled together, always at night, hiding in the day time. They soon discovered that Indians were on their trail and separated. Clarke said that soon after he heard a volley of shots fired that told of his companion's death.

Indians Astounded.
"That the Indians themselves were astounded and perhaps awed by the fearful slaughter is evident from their actions after the battle. But few of the dead were scalped, or their clothing taken, two things that were invariably done after a successful battle. The officers were not robbed of articles of jewelry or personal adornment. Alligator says that they hastily left the battle ground and returned northward into the swamp, where late at night they were joined by the chief Osceola and his band, fresh from the murder of General Thompson and Lieutenant Smith at Fort King. Osceola had his band loaded with loot from the sutler's store at Fort King, and the two bands celebrated their bloody work until far in the night, many of them drunk on the liquor they had taken from the sutler's store. It is said that Osceola placed the scalp of General Thompson on a pole, and many of the Indians made speeches to the departed spirit of the general.

"For five weeks the bodies of the slain remained exposed to the vultures and elements. General Edmund P. Gaines, who had landed at Tampa Bay, with a considerable force of men, marched against the hostiles and reaching Fort King Trail, advanced to the scene of the massacre, arriving there in February, 1836.

"Captain Ethan Allen Hitchcock, a graduate of West Point, and serving as inspector general of the Gaines command, reports that it was indeed a melancholy scene that greeted the advance of the command. The bodies of the slain were scattered along the trail, the oxen, their yokes still upon them, were lying as though they had fallen asleep. The horses of the officers lying dead and the ground littered with the remains of boxes and packages that had contained the ammunition and supplies of the detachment. Then they came upon the small enclosure where the last stand was made, and there found the skeletons of thirty or more men who were lying in the position they might have occupied during their last fight, their heads to the log breastworks, bodies parallel with each other and arms extended, showing that to the last they had held their weapons directed upon the enemy. They had evidently died fighting to the last. Passing the enclosure other bodies were found, and then came to the place where the advance guard and most of the officers fell. The bodies of all the officers were identified, as many of the officers with General Gaines were friends and associates of those who had fallen. The little army of General Gaines was halted, the bodies of the men gathered and buried in a long trench, the officers in another, and the proper and usual military honors paid to the dead. To this day the outlines of the trenches may be seen, the remains having been removed therefrom many years ago, and taken to the National cemetery at St. Augustine, where they rest under a monument erected to the men and officers of the Florida Indian War. The six-pound gun was found in the pond near by, where it had been thrown by the Indians, and placed in an upright position at the head of the trenches.

Little Change in Spot.
"The officers of the command who perished on that fateful December morning were Major Francis L. Dade, Captain Fraser, Captain Gardiner, Lieutenants Bassenger, Henderson, Mudge, and Keale, and Dr. J. D. Gatlin, surgeon. The bodies of ninety-eight privates and non-commissioned officers were found and interred. Two men of the command in addition to Clarke, reached Tampa Bay after suffering great hardships on their perilous journey.

"There has been little change in the spot in the eighty-six years, the same open pine woods with the clumps of palmettoes similar to the ones behind which the Indians laid in wait. The little pond to the east of the trail is still there and the tall pond grass and the clumps of undergrowth bring to mind the hiding places of the savages. A few oak trees have grown from what is pointed out as the officers' burial trench, nature's monument to those who were slain."

Assuming that the thousands of relatives and descendants of this ill-fated band of American soldiers, who are now living in various sections of the United States, would be glad to see a correct list of these heroes published, I asked Mr. Drane if it would be possible to obtain them. He informed me that he would take pleasure in getting the names from the archives of the war department. Below are the names, as secured by him, of non-commissioned officers and privates killed in the Dade Massacre, December 28, 1835:

Second Regiment Artillery: Edward Belton, Rufus Barton, Henry Brandon, William Carney, musician; James Dunlap, corporal; Isaac Grant, Chas. T. Hicks, musician; John Hurley, Aaron Jewell, Anthony Laughlin, John M. Wiggins, High McGee, Hugh Perry, Patrick Rooney, Patrick Rafferty, Casper Schneider, Hiram Taylor, Orville Worchester, John Keins, John M. McCartney, Robert Mulvahal, William Neeley, Reuben Phillips, William Robertson, Thomas Savin, Isaac Taylor, Joseph Wilson, William Black, Owen Bogen, Philip Cooper, sergeant; Joseph Craig, Thomas Davis, Alpheus Gillet, Geo. Howard, artificer; William Holmes, Michael Kenny, Richard Bourke, Richard Bowen, Nicholas Clarke, corporal; Edward DeCoursey, Robert Green, John Hood, sergeant; John Halter, Cornelius Hill, Thomas Knarr, John Lovi, sergeant; James McDonald, Wm. McGraw, artificer; John A. Patten, Michael Bryan, corporal; John Reilley, William Taylor, Thomas Thornton, William Wright.

Third Regiment Artillery: George Pertram. B. C. Carpenter. John C. Folk. Samuel Kinkerly, William Minton, John Schaffer, John Vailing, sergeant; Henry Wagner, artificer; Sylvester Welch, George York, Benj. Chapman, sergeant; Samuel E. Dodge, George Huleyhigh, Jacob Kneeland, Donald Monroe, Henry Sennam, Richard Vreeland, Samuel S. Wright, Daniel Weshing, Alexander Jones, Patrick Cunasky, William Flannigan, Jordan Hall, Samuel Lemon, John Mulchay, Washington Tuck, Philander Wells, corporal; John Williams, Geo. C. Young, corporal; A. C. W. Farley, sergeant.

Fourth Regiment Infantry: John Barnes, John Doughty, Enoch Yates, John Mackham, Donald Campbell, Cornel Donovan, Samuel Hall, Michael Cunningham, William Downes, William Jones.
[The Lakeland Evening Telegram, July 7, 1921, Page 4. Transcribed by CNP]

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