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*The dragoon recruits now in Florida will complete the regiment.

+141 recruits have been ordered to, and doubtless have joined the regiment by this time. #155 recruits have been ordered to, and doubtless have joined the regiment by this time. HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY,

Washington, November, 1839.

ALEX. MACOMB,
Major General Commanding in Chief.

G.

Report of Brevet Brigadier General Taylor, commanding in Florida.

HEAD QUARTERS, ARMY OF THE SOUTH,
Tampa, Florida, July 20, 1839.

GENERAL: Although I have from time to time advised the department of the several operations of the troops under my command in Florida, I deem it advisable and proper to make a concise report at the close of the campaign.

With a view to compel the emigration of the Appalache Indians, who had engaged to leave the country on the 20th October, and who had made some objections to a removal, I left Tampa on or about the 2d of October, for their towns on the Appalachicola river, which I reached on the morning of the 12th, with two companies of mounted men, (one dragoons and one infantry,) the whole under command of Captain E. Backus, 1st infantry, and found on my arrival a portion of the 6th infantry under Major Noel. On the day fixed for their removal, I succeeded without the use of compulsion, in embarking the whole of the Appalache Indians, about two hundred and twenty in number, to their new homes beyond the Mississippi.

After directing Lieut. Colonel Green to leave two companies in this district of country, to observe the movements of the fugitive Creeks, and to locate four companies in the vicinity of Deadman's bay, to open roads, &c. between the gulf of Mexico and the Federal or Bellamy road, I proceeded to Fort Harlee, East Florida, where I had a consultation with Colonels Twiggs, Davenport, and Cross, with regard to future operations.

Colonel Twiges, with ten companies 4th artillery, six companies 2d dragoons, and two of Florida militia, was placed in command of the country within the following limits, viz: from the Santa Fe to the Atlantic, and along the coast as far as New Smyrna, and between the St. Johns and Oklamaha as high as Fort Mellon on the former and Lake Ah a-pop ka on the latter.

Brevet Colonel Davenport, with five companies 1st infantry and one company 2d dragoons, was directed to search for the enemy between the Withlacoochee and Suwanee rivers, especially through the swamps and hammocks bordering on the gulf of Mexico, in the Wahoo swamp, and cove of the Withlacoochee.

The troops in Middle Florida, consisting of teu companies 6th infantry, and one company 2d infantry, were placed under command of Lieutenant Colonel Green.

Major G. Loomis, 2d infantry, who had been stationed with four companies of infantry and one of dragoons, around the Okee fen-okee swamp, was ordered to co operate with General Floyd, who, with a force of mounted Georgians, had been authorized by the department to proceed against the Indians in that quarter, without being placed under my orders.

After making the above arrangements, I left Fort Harlee for Tampa bay, where I had hoped to meet a considerable number of the hostiles, who had given intimation of their intention to emigrate in the fall. A few of them only met me.

I remained at Tampa collecting small parties of Indians, and opening communications with Colonel Davenport, until about the 27th of November, at which time I sent Captain Abercrombie, 1st infantry, with his company

and some friendly Indians, to Fort Deynand, on the Coloosahachee, to ascertain the number, position and views, of the enemy in that quarter.

I then proceeded to Fort Clinch, on the Withlacoochee, where I met Colonels Davenport and Cummings; the latter having but recently arrived at Garey's Ferry, with four companies of his regiment. Colonel Cummings, previously ordered to Tampa, so soon as four companies 3d artillery should join him, was directed to open a good wagon road from Tampa to Fort Mellon, and to establish posts about twenty miles distant from each other, wherever the localities permitted.

These arrangements being made, I proceeded across the country to Deadman's bay, with one company 2d dragoons and was joined on the route by two companies 2d infantry:

I reached the Istenhachee river, on which the post is established, on the 18th December: and found four companies 6th infantry under Major Noel, who had been actively employed in opening roads, erecting defences, storehouses, &c. and who, from his known zeal and activity would doubtless have accomplished more, had his companies been stronger, having an aggregate of twenty-three each:

I put him into immediate motion together with the troops who accompanied me to examine the swamps and hammocks of the Istenhachee, Econfinah and Finholowah rivers. Many signs of small parties of the enemy were discovered, and on the 30th a large camp, supposed to contain about one hundred and twenty people, was discovered in a large hammock between the Econfinah and Finholowah. This was surprised and all the effects taken from it; such however was the dense cover of the enemy that nothing more decisive was accomplished, the enemy making little or no

resistance.

At this time by despatches from Lieutenant Colonel Fanning, 4th artillery, commanding on the Oklawaha, learning that the enemy in considerable force was supposed to be encamped on that river, and urging my presence in that quarter, I turned over the command to Lieutenant Colonel Green with instructions to search for the enemy with the utmost zeal and activity. Upon my arrival at Fort King I communicated with Colonel Fanning who was in the vicinity. From him I learned that the Indians referred to by him had left their camp with the avowed intention of going to Tampa for the purpose of emigration. Having no confidence in their professions, I directed Colonel Twiggs to detach two companies of dragoons to observe their movements. Three companies under Captains Winder and Lloyd J. Beale succeeded in capturing on two different occasions about thirty-three of the enemy. Colonel Twiggs was also instructed to rebuild and reoccupy Fort Pierce on Indian river inlet, Fort Lauderdale on New river and Fort Dallas on the Miami opposite Key Biscayne, for the purpose of harassing the enemy and to give protection to such unfortunate persons as should be shipwrecked along the coast. I was desirous to reoccupy these posts previous to the sickly season.

Colonel Fanning was directed to continue his search on the St. Johns and Oklawaha, until every swamp and hammock was penetrated agreeably to the plan of campaign.

Colonel Davenport having reported that he had completed his examination of the hammocks and swamps between the Suwanee and to within a

short distance of Tampa, through the cove of the Withlacoochee and Wahoo, as far south as the Fort King road, meeting a few Indians in one instance, and with but few signs of their having been in that country, he was ordered to join Major Wilcox, then engaged in opening the road, from Tampa to Fort Mellon, and to aid in completing the same.

Major Wilcox had been placed on this duty by Colonel Cummings then commanding at Tampa.

At the same time Colonel Davenport was directed to look for the enemy on the head waters of the Withlacoochee and Hillsboro, and around Lake Tohopkiliga. The road being completed and the posts established, and the examination made as directed, I proceeded to Fort Mellon.

Ascertaining here that Colonel Fanning with much zeal, perseverance, and labor, had nearly completed his operations on the Oklawaha and St. Johns, and that Major Ashly, 2d dragoons, had examined all the country between the Atlantic and St. Johns from St. Augustine to Smyrna, (which post had been rebuilt and occupied,) meeting no evidence of the enemy's permanent location in that quarter, and Captain Abercrombie, 1st infantry, having reported many Indians in the islands of the Everglades, I resolved to carry an expedition into that region.

Colonel Twiggs was ordered to reinforce Forts Pierce, Lauderdale, and Dallas, with two companies under command of Major Churchill.

Major Ashly with two companies dragoons was ordered to proceed across the country from Fort Kingsbury to Fort Pierce, and to search for the enemy between that post and the Kissimmee, as far south as Lake Okeechobee and the Halpata-Okee.

Colonel Davenport was directed to concentrate his command and that of Major Wilcox at Fort Cummings and proceed to Fort Deynand on the Coloosahachee, where a depot had been established by Captain Bonneville 7th infantry.

I returned to Tampa, when, after completing arrangements I had intended to join Colonel Davenport and proceed immediately to the Everglades. A day or two after my arrival at Tampa, intelligence of a most painful character was received from Middle Florida, that several families had been murdered within a few miles of Tallahassee near the railroad leading to St. Marks, where there was a daily passage of cars, in a part of the country hitherto exempt from the depredations of the enemy. The utmost consternation and alarm prevailed in that country.

Believing it to be my first duty to give protection to the lives and property of the inhabitants, 1 recalled Colonel Davenport and despatched him with two hundred infantry and one company of dragoons, to reinforce Colonel Green, and to assume the direction of affairs in Middle Florida.

About this time I received the sanction of the department to a plan I had previously recommended, after ascertaining that the enemy would not give battle to the regular troops, even in single companies, while, at the same time, every opportunity was seized to wreak his vengeance on the unarmed inhabitants of the country. Under these circumstances, and for these reasons, I resolved to abandon, for a time, the southern expedition.

On the 25th of February, one hundred and ninety six Indians and negroes, who had been collected for emigration, were shipped to Arkansas, and I left Tampa for Fort King, to superintend, in person, the districting of the country, and the establishment of posts between the Oklawaha and Suwanee, on which duty I was constantly employed, besides vis

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