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
About the close of November, "Waxe-Hadjo," a young chief from the
Cypress Swamp, with seventeen warriors and more than thirty women and
children--some ten or twelve of whom were half-breeds, descendants of
Exiles and Seminoles--surrendered, and were sent to Fort Brooke for
emigration.
While everything thus wore the appearance of peace, and all were
regarding the war as near its close, a small settlement of white people,
at a place called Mandarin, twenty-two miles from Jacksonville, was
assailed in open day, and five of the people murdered. This attack was
conducted by a small party of Indians, less than twenty in number, who
had come from the interior, and in a stealthy manner approached this
settlement, committed the murders, and retired before any troops could
be brought to the scene of slaughter.
Near the close of the year, the authorities of Georgia and Florida gave
evidence of their dissatisfaction of the manner in which General Worth
was conducting the war. The militia of neither Florida nor Georgia were
called on to participate in the war. No opportunities were afforded them
of seizing negroes and selling them into slavery; none but the regular
sutlers were permitted to encamp with or near the troops; in short, the
war, as then conducted, afforded them but little profit. General Worth
had encouraged the return of the people to their homes and plantations,
and very few of them now drew rations from the public stores for their
support. He had discharged citizens and their slaves from public
employment, and the war was carried on without permitting the people, or
politicians of Georgia or Florida, to interfere or dictate the manner of
its prosecution.
This proceeding of General Worth greatly excited the people and
Executive of Georgia, who insisted upon furnishing militia to carry on
the war. The Secretary of War referred the matter at once to General
Worth, and a most interesting and amusing correspondence followed
between the Executive of Georgia and the Commanding General. The latter
refusing to call for militia from that State, they were mustered without
his authority, and he was requested by Governor McDonald to withdraw the
United States forces from the Georgia frontiers.
As there was then no enemy near that State, and no danger to the
inhabitants, he removed the troops, and the Georgia militia were ordered
by the Governor to take their place. They did so with the confident
expectation that General Worth would furnish rations and hospital
supplies and arms from the United States stores. But he refused to do
this, and the gallant militia of that State immediately retired to their
homes in order to dine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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