The Exiles of Florida: or, The crimes committed by our government against the Maroons, who fled from South Carolina and other slave states, seeking protection under Spanish laws.Giddings, Joshua R. (Joshua Reed)
Philosophy
The Exiles of Florida: or, The crimes committed by our government against the Maroons, who fled from South Carolina and other slave states, seeking protection under Spanish laws.
Giddings, Joshua R. (Joshua Reed)
Maroons; Seminole War, 1st, 1817-1818; Seminole War, 2nd, 1835-1842
It would appear that some difficulty arose with the Choctaw and Delaware
warriors, who had expected to receive higher wages than the law allowed
for serving in the army. Such had been done with the Creeks, and
undoubtedly had been promised the Choctaws and Delawares. To quiet these
discontents, General Jessup wrote Colonel Davenport, on the seventh of
November, saying, "I regret the circumstance to which you refer. The
importance of fulfilling all our engagements with the Indians with the
most scrupulous good faith, is unquestionable. To dismiss them now,
might not only cost us another campaign, but may cause us difficulties
on our western border. We must retain them at all hazards. I wish you to
assure them, that _our laws_ do not authorize the payment of the sum
_stipulated_; but that the enemy has a large property, consisting of
ponies, cattle and _negroes_, and that I will pay them for all the
cattle they take, and they will be paid _fifty dollars for every negro_.
* * * Represent to them also, that our country is just, and if they will
serve well, I will take their chiefs to Washington, and represent their
case to the Great Council (Congress), and I have no doubt they will get
all that has been promised them." He also wrote Captain Armstrong of the
Choctaw agency, and Captain Bonneville, commanding the Choctaw warriors,
encouraging the Indians to faithful effort in order to obtain negroes.
Some of the Georgia volunteers appeared anxious to know definitely the
terms on which they were to expose their lives in these slave-catching
forays; and a letter was addressed to Brigadier General C. H. Nelson,
commanding the Georgia volunteers, by J. A. Chambers, aid to General
Jessup, saying, "We have not the order book with us at this moment; but
the General directs me to say, that all Indian property captured belongs
to the capturers."
On the same day, General Hernandez of the Florida militia, found means
to secure King Phillip, an aged chief, who lived some distance south of
San Augustine, with eleven others of his tribe. It may be regarded as
somewhat unfortunate, that history has failed to give us the particulars
of this capture. The subsequent conduct of General Hernandez may lead
the reader to look back upon this incident of the war with some desire
to know the manner of King Phillip's capture; to understand whether it
was peaceful or hostile; and whether any, and how many, white men, and
how many Indians and Exiles, fell in the conflict? But we must pass over
these particulars, as we have no authentic account concerning them.
General Jessup, when called on to report to the Secretary of War as to
violations of the flag of truce, merely remarks, incidentally, that King
Phillip and his companions were captured by General Hernandez.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account