hlacoochee river,
the Indians watched their opportunity, and, when a portion only of the
troops had gained the opposite side, commenced an attack, which was
vigorously and successfully resisted; the Indians, in little more than
an hour, were beaten off. The battle was, however, severe, and the
Americans sustained a loss of sixty-three killed and wounded. The
Indian force is supposed to have amounted to seven hundred men.

But independently of these conflicts with the militia and regulars, the
ravages of the Indians over the whole country are stated to have been
most fearful. Women and children were murdered, and the hearth made
desolate in every portion of the country. In the more settled parts
near St Augustine, the sugar-cane plantations, with the expensive works
attached to them, were destroyed, and in many cases the slaves who were
on the plantations were either carried off, or, voluntarily joining the
Indians, increased the strength of the enemy. More than a hundred
estates were thus laid waste, the average loss upon each estate being
computed, independently of the loss of the negroes, at fifty thousand
dollars.

The intelligence of this havoc, and the massacre of Major Dade and his
whole party, soon reached the neighbouring States, and a requisition for
assistance made by General Clinch, was promptly responded to. Meetings
were organised at Augusta, Savannah, Darien, and Charleston, and in a
few days nearly two thousand volunteers were ready to march to the
theatre of war. Indeed, the cause now became the cause of all the
slave-holding States, and was taken up with the usual energy of the
Americans.

In Louisiana the same spirit was shewn. General Gaines was at that time
on a tour of inspection, and had received orders to take charge of the
troops assembling on the Mexican frontier; but, at the request of the
volunteers, he took the command of _them_ until he could receive further
orders from Washington. The assistance of the American naval forces
were demanded and obtained, and General Gaines having received
intelligence that Fort Brooke was invested by the Indians, sent an
express to General Clinch at Fort King, to say that he would join him
with his forces to relieve the post. The Seminole Indians who had
agreed to the treaty, remained firm to their word, and took up arms
against their brethren, and a large force was now marching from all
directions to the succour of the whites. I ought here to ob