einforced
with thirty-nine men from Key West, no time was lost in preparing two
companies for the above service. On the 24th of December 1835, a force
of one hundred men, and eight officers, with a field-piece, under the
command of Major Dade, commenced their march.

On the morning of the 28th, when it had proceeded four miles from the
encampment of the previous night, this force was attacked by the
Indians, whose first volley was very destructive, Major Dade, with
almost every man of the advanced guard, falling dead. The Indians were
repelled by the troops under Captain Gardner, upon whom the command then
devolved, and the Americans proceeded to throw up breastworks; but
before they could raise them high enough for efficient protection, the
Indians attacked them again. The Americans brought their field-piece
into play, but the breastworks not being high enough, the Indians shot
down every man who attempted to work the gun. All the officers, and
more than two-thirds of the American troops had fallen, when the
survivors found that all their ammunition was expended. The Indians,
perceiving this, rushed in, and, with the exception of two men, who,
although severely wounded, contrived to conceal themselves, and
ultimately to make their escape, not one of the whole detachment was
spared.

The force of the Indians is supposed to have been about three hundred
and fifty or four hundred. The contest lasted six hours; and it must be
admitted that nothing could be more gallant than the defence made by the
troops against such a superior force.

On the afternoon of the same day, the Americans had to lament the loss
of General Thompson, the Indian agent at Fort King. Imprudently
strolling out about three hundred yards from the fort, he was attacked
by the Indians, who waited in ambush for him, and, with Lieutenant Smith
and three other people belonging to the fort, was shot dead. This party
of Indians was headed by Asseola, who had warned General Thompson that
the white men should suffer for their treatment of him. His peculiar
and shrill war-yell was given as the Indian party retreated, to let the
whites know to whom they were indebted for the massacre.

General Clinch having been reinforced at Fort Brooke, (where he had two
hundred regular troops,) with five hundred volunteers under the command
of General Call, now moved with the whole force of seven hundred men.

On the 30th of December, as they were passing the Ouit