through the back. Both their horses had been shot, but luckily carried their riders two hundred yards or more, Mr. Simmonds’ horse fell on him, but in the death plunge left him at liberty. Mr. Sunderland’s horse had fallen, thrown his rider and made for his stable, but dropped dead before he reached it. Mr. Stewart, the fourth of the party was found dead and scalped; some of his clothes had been stripped off, and his body and face were covered with wounds from bullets and knives. The savages had dragged him fifty yards from the road and left him beside a tree, but a faithful dog had remained close to him, and when the poor creature saw the troops, it ran out and conducted them to its unfortunate master. The body was carried into the Fort, a shocking spectacle. The bullet was extracted from Mr. Simmonds’ shoulder without doing any injury, but Mr. Sunderland lost his right arm. The operation was performed next day, at his own request; he bore it with the resolution of a man and a Soldier. Next day a scouting party marched out and scoured the adjacent hammocks, but we saw nothing except the tracks and fires of the Indians.

April 4th.—Colonel Lindsay and Major Reed, returned with their respective commands, much distressed for want of provisions. On their march from Fort Brooke, they had lost one private of Capt. H. S. Marks’ company, raised partly in New Orleans, partly in Mobile. He was killed and scalped six miles from the Fort. Capt. H. S. Marks who, by the by, has used his company scandalously, had been left to garrison Fort Alabama, and the Colonel proceeded in search of the enemy. At one day’s march from the Fort, he met them and skirmished for three or four days; he also burnt several villages and had a few men killed and wounded; some of his friendly Indians killed and scalped an old Chief named Kifixo:—He had on a coat pierced with fourteen bullet holes and nearly covered with old clotted blood. It was taken from one of Major Dade’s soldiers. The Colonel’s tardy motions by no means suited the bold disposition of Major Reed. The men too, accused the Colonel of avoiding the larger hammocks, where the enemy would naturally conceal themselves; whereas, the Major was for charging through them. Major Reed appears perfectly qualified for this species of warfare. He was constantly at the head of his men; and the first to face any danger. He was present at the battle of Ouithlacouchy, under Gen. Clinch where he was wounded in the hip and had his horse shot under him. Had all the officers been like him, the manes of Major Dades’ murdered Soldiers might have been long since satisfied. The report of Gen Scott’s cannon on the Ouithlacouchy were heard by Colonel Lindsay’s army, and Major Reed advised an immediate advance to his assistance, but the Colonel’s timidity or imbecility would not allow it, in consequence of which the gallant Major declared he would neither camp with him, march with him, nor follow him, and he kept his word.

Fort Alabama had been meanwhile attacked and gallantly defended by Capt. H. S. Marks’ Company. Capt. M. Costa second man here. The Indians kept up a fire with little intermission for more than two hours, some of them climbing the trees and thence pouring in their volleys, one of them in particular had sheltered himself behind a thick bough and was fired at repeatedly, at each unsuccessful shot he shook his leg at the Fort, and was heard to crow like a rooster. He was, however, brought down by a rifle; and fell about thirty feet. Another contrived to conceal himself behind a tree, within one hundred yards of the Fort, and fired a few shots, but he soon attracted the notice of all eyes, and whenever his arm or any part of his clothing appeared, more bullets whistled by him, than would have let out the lives of half his tribe. At length he made a tremendous bound and escaped. It was supposed that he was wounded, as he fell three times, but he appeared like the giant of old, to gain new vigour from each contact with the earth. The tree behind which he stood and the logs of which the fort was built, were completely covered with ball holes; after two hours firing, the Indians retired, carrying with them their dead and wounded.

April 4th.—Colonel Lindsay and Major Reed, returned to Fort Brook and camped, giving each other a wide berth. On the following day Gen. Eustace arrived with a large body of horse from Georgia and South Carolina. Gen. Scott also arrived with the army which had marched out under Gen. Gaines. He encamped on the other side the river, for the sake of water, and our friends soon gratified our curiosity, by giving us an account of their campaign. They had marched on the 13th Feb. from Tampa under command of Gen. Gaines. There were about seven hundred Volunteers from Louisiana, and four hundred Regulars, each man was supplied with ten days provisions; one half was carried in the knapsacks, the other on the pack-horses. There were no field pieces, no baggage waggons, and there were no means provided for carrying the sick or wounded. At some miles distance, they passed by the ruined plantations of Mr. Simmonds and others, who had either been murdered or had barely escaped with their lives to Fort Brooke. They encamped one night near the Alafaiah (yellow fire) river, where they received a boatload of provisions from Fort Brooke, sent back several of the sick. On the 17th, they forded the Hillsboro’ river, the bridge having been burnt down by the enemy, to prevent any communication with Fort King; this was the case with all the other bridges. The greatest credit is due to Colonel Twiggs and Major Montfort, for the very efficient personal assistance they rendered in the passage of the rivers. 18th.—They burned an Indian Village, having first obtained from it a large quantity of Corn, Rice and Cooking Utensils. They crossed the Ouithlacouchy, on the 19th, and spent the night round Major Dade’s last camp; on the morning of the 20th, they marched on, and soon reached the scene of his unfortunate massacre. Here a spectacle never to be forgotten, was presented to their eyes; the bodies of more than one hundred men lay within and around the breastwork, shot, most of them, through the head, many gashed and brutally mangled; they appeared not to have been disturbed since the battle, or rather the massacre; the oxen lay within the breastwork, still yoked together as they had been shot down, one soldier lay dead in the cart, the gun-carriage and horse waggon had been burned, and the piece itself carried off and concealed. The army halted and buried the whole command with the honours of war. On the persons of the dead were found several hundred dollars, which was handed over to the Commanding Officer to be conveyed to their widows and orphan children. The arms and ammunition had been carried off by the enemy. The field piece was afterwards discovered sunk in a pond a few hundred yards distant. It was raised and placed at the head of the Officer’s grave. After this melancholy duty, they crossed the Ouithlacouchy, and on the 23d, reached Camp King, much fatigued and in great want of provisions. Fort King was garrisoned by sixty Regulars, who had only heard of Major Dade’s massacre a few days before. Gen. Gaines encamped on a hill close to the Fort, and on the following morning despatched the pack horses and three companies of Regulars for provisions, to Fort Drane, twenty-four miles distant. They returned with scarce eight days provisions; these were issued, and orders given to prepare for a march.

27th—The army again moved on with one baggage waggon, one six pounder, and two carts. They marched ten miles and halted for the night. Next morning the bugles sounded forward, and at one o’clock, P. M., they again sounded for a halt. The army was now within three miles of the Ouithlacouchy, and close to General Clinch’s battle ground. The previous night had been very wet, and the halt