James Barr

A Correct and Authentic Narrative of the Indian War in Florida James Barr

A Correct and Authentic Narrative of the Indian War in Florida with Description of Maj. Dade's Massacre, and an Account of the Extreme Suffering, for Want of Provisions, of the Army-Having Been Obliged to Eat Horses' and Dogs' Flesh, &c. &c. is an interesting narrative of Capt. James Barr concerning the Second Seminole War in Florida. This interesting narrative is evidently based on Barr's field diary, as at times he gives a day-by-day account. The description of the massacre of Major Dade and his contingent was told to him by one of the three survivors who, literally, crawled back to Fort Brook. EXCERPT FROM A Correct and Authentic Narrative of the Indian War in Florida with Description of Maj. Dade's Massacre, and an Account of the Extreme Suffering, for Want of Provisions, of the Army-Having Been Obliged to Eat Horses' and Dogs' Flesh, &c. &c. IN the beginning of January, 1836, the inhabitants of New Orleans received tidings from Florida of a very alarming and distressing nature. An able and brave, but unscrupulous chieftain, named Powell, had been for some time suspected of harboring designs to prevent the removal of the Seminole Indians, beyond the Mississippi, according to treaty. For this or some such cause, Powell was arrested and thrown into double irons, at Fort King, by General Thompson, the Indian agent. He was soon released: the head chief of the tribe, Attemottely, (I know not if I spell his name properly) pledging himself that Powell should raise no disturbances. Powell repaid him with the blackest ingratitude: he was no sooner free from his confinement, than he with a party of his warriors, killed Attemottely, who was in favor of fulfilling the terms of the treaty, and thus obtained for himself the consequence he now enjoys in the nation. Soon after this, Dalton, the carrier of the mail from Tampa Bay to Fort King, was murdered, and his body found in the woods a few miles from Fort Brooke. Next came the murder of the Indian agent, General Thompson, and several of the officers of Fort King. This was soon followed by the massacre of Major Dade's command, and the engagement of General Clinch, on the Ouithlacouchy. The houses of the inhabitants were also burned, their plantations destroyed, their property plundered, and they themselves, were, in many instances murdered. On receipt of these tidings, the citizens of New Orleans held a meeting, at which it was unanimously resolved to raise a regiment in defence of their suffering friends in Florida.