ay ordered a charge,
which was executed by Captains Benham and Blount, commanding Alabama
volunteers, and the Indians were driven from their covert into a pine
woods.

On March 28th, three days after the time mentioned in the orders, this
command was in position at Camp Broadnax, near Chicuchatty, in
pursuance of General Scott's orders. The country over which they had
marched was hilly, and in many places there were dense forests which
retarded their movements, though the late period at which Colonel
Lindsay received his orders would have prevented his arrival at the
time specified in them. No censure can be attributed to General Scott
for the delay, as it was impossible under the circumstances for him to
have matured his plans earlier.

General Eustis, commanding the left wing, arrived at St. Augustine on
February 15th, and at once established a chain of posts at intervals
of from ten to twenty miles, extending along the Atlantic coast as
far south as the Mosquito Inlet, in order to drive off the bands of
depredators and to give protection to the plantations. Colonel
Goodwyn's mounted South Carolina volunteers having arrived on March
9th, the several detachments of the left wing, with the exception of
Colonel Pierce M. Butler's battalion and two companies of artillery
under Major Reynold M. Kirby, were put in motion for Volusia, where
they arrived on March 21st after encountering great difficulties,
being compelled to cut the road nearly the whole distance. On the 22d
they began crossing the St. John's River. When the vanguard,
consisting of two companies under Captains Adams and T.S. Tripp, had
reached the opposite shore they were attacked by about fifty Indians
who were concealed in a hammock. Being re-enforced by George Henry and
Hibler's companies, they charged the enemy and drove him. Two
companies of mounted men were crossed above with a view of cutting off
the retreat of the Indians, but they were too late. The loss in this
battle was three killed and nine wounded. On the 24th, Lieutenant
Ripley A. Arnold, with twenty-seven mounted men, was sent in quest of
Colonel Butler and his command, who had not joined the main command,
he having marched in the direction of New Smyrna. This detachment fell
in with a party of twelve or fifteen Indians who gave battle. Two of
the Indians were killed, and Lieutenant Arnold, having his horse shot,
ordered a retreat, for which he was severely censured. The whole force
of Gene