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D. I.CLINGD'H KF.I’LV To GOV. GAS; .
Hi;ri!nß, Camdkx County tiro.
May 13. 1837.
I have seen in tin; Globe <>!' the 15th nil. n
hind article over the signature ol I-own Cam
purporting to boa defence ol that gentleman
against corum imputations in regard to the
operations in Florida while Secretary <>f War.
in noticing Hue very plausible anil Ihytnmnlir
appeal to the leoling-t of the jienpleof lint
United Slates which 1 led iinpclled to do,
Iruni a no line of justice lo myself os well «s to
my follow countryi non, I .shall coliiie myself
to Much pans of it ns relate lo my evidence
before lb* Court of Inquiry, and the opera
tions in Florida while I commanded m|iliat sec
tion of country. To enable the public to form
a fair and honest opinion on the subjects un
der consideration, I shall exhibit a plain, un
varnished statement of facts contained in let
tors addressed to, and received from the differ
ent bureaus of the Was Department, with a
few bnel leinarksoii Ibenlost imported!evetils
that occurred,from the dale of the order Us
signing me to the command of the troops in
Florida, up to the time I was relieved in that
command by Major (Jencral Scott. The firm
object ol Governor Cass appears to lie to en
list the sympathies of the public, by trying lo
make it appear that he had been attacked and
injured by myself and others, expresses his
unwillingness to remain under the imputations
that I so cavalierly east on him—complains
of hisbemg far from In me, of want of docu
ments, <Cc. &c. I must here beg to state that
] was not an officious or volunteer «l ness be.
fore tin; Court of Inquiry. The summons from
that court found mu on my plantation, sur
rounded by my family ami friends, ami faf
from the noise and bustle of public life nr po
litical excitement. And, if I know mysell,
xv it hunt malice or hate against any one. Ami
if I believed I had been wronged by those m
authority, these wirings had not been obtruded j
•on tho public, nor were they exhibited be- |
tore the Court Nothing transpired wlnlo I
was before the court that authorized Major
General Scull to make the gratuitous remarks
ho did, in relation to part of my evidence,
when summing up Ins dulenco before that tri
bunal, on which Governor Cass seized with
such avidity, and which enabled him to make
several sarcastic flourishes: but unfortunately
.fur him, they were as impotent ami puiniloss
.as his other efforts in that line. .My acquain
tance with Governor Cass is entirely official.
The opinion I expressed before the court in
referrico to Ids want of energy anil military
forecast inThe management ol tho War De
partment, was elicited l>y a question from the
Court, ami had been formed, oiler a close oh
nervation of his official acts generally, and
particularly on the occurrences that li.id taken
place in Florida. This opinion, I believe,
accords with that of nilio-tonllis o( the offi
cers ol the army; and is strongly sustained by
-the opinion of Hie Court in Hie case of Gen
eral Scott, as well ns hy Governor Cuss’s own
showing. If 1 have been mistaken os to the
political dreams and aspirations of Governor
Cass, and should have said any thing that in
jured Ins feelings, 1 regret it, and freely ask
Ins forgiveness; and il this is not satisfactory,
will make any other repartition that an hon
orable unin should ask of iinuilier. Having
previously stated that 1 had no personal ac
quaintance with Governor Cass I am not
condemns of entertaining towards him any
•unkind findings, nor would I willingly, if 1
could, take from linn the smallest, honor he
lias already or he may hereafter acquire in his
public career, nor throw a straw in hispollli
•oal path. I have long held his high literary
attainments in much respect, ami feel con
scious of the many difficulties under which 1
labor in being forced before the public, by a
gentleman ol such acquirements, and surroun
ded as ho is by the glitter ot high official sta
tion, and shielded us lie still appears to feel
himself by the mantle of the late I’resldmit.
I huvu full confidence, however, in the sound
good sense and justice ni my countrymen,and
will abide any decision they may think pro
per lo make on tho facts which J shall en
deavor to lay before them.
For tho belter information of the reader, I
will commence as fur buck ns October, 1834.
On the first of that month there were three
nominal companies of regular troops m
Southeastern Florida, and stationed us fol
lows ; one at Key West, one ul til Augustine,
and one at Fort King. In the course of Hint
month. Captains Russel and Graham, then at
Fort King, nllcr witnessing a largo meeting
ol'theseininoles, and their strong dislike ton
compliance with tho stipulations of the treaty
made at Payne's Landing, wrote to tho Adju
tant General, from which tho following ex
tract is taken :
Camp Kino, (Florida,) Oct. 27,1834. ,
Sir: So far from giving any thing lilts u di
rect, reasonable, or even respectful answer to
the questions thus submitted hy the agent, a
majority ol influential chiefs have openly dis
played a temper and disposition In reference
to their intended removal, that fully satisfies
us that they are fixed m their determination
to disregard the obligations imposed upon
them by Hie said treaty. Believing them to
be wilfully faithless, we feel it n solemn duty
to suggest respectfully to the War Depart
ment the obvious necessity of marshaling a
force in and near the Indian border imuiedi
ately, sufficiently impost ag to uwo these delu
ded duels Into a.proper respect for and sub
mission to their solemn treaty, and thus per
haps prevent disastrous consequences which
may otherwise result from their delusion.—
We therefore respectfu ly submit for the con
sidcralion of the honorable the Secretary of
War, that this post be sirciigtltencd hy the ad
dition ofdbur or five companies, and that as
-many more be stationed at Cantonment
Brooke, Tampa Hay, as early as possible.—
Tins management will afford prelection to
tins post, the while settlers around the Indian
border, and awe liaise deluded people into a
proper respect for iheir treaty with the United
Stoles. J. 11. F. RIJSSKLL,
('iipi V. S Army.
WM M GRAHAM.
Cap/. Fourth Infantry.
To Gon. R. Jones,
Aft Gen, U. S Army, Washington.
In the course of a month or two alter Hie |
date of Hus letter, three nominal companies I
were stmt to Fort Brooke, Tampa Bay. and j
not one to Fort King- In N ovember, 1831, j
order No. 72 was issued, one paragraph of
which directed mo to take command el at! Hie j
troops in Florida, as will be seen by the fol- I
lownig extract:
Order > Adjutant Gencrai/s Office, J
No. “2, j M ashinjf/m, \mi 24, 1837.
“Brevet Brigadier General Clinch, Colonel
ol the 4th inlantry, is tor the present, assigned
to Hie command of all the troops tfnliuncd in
Florida, and will take post, &c.
(Signed) R. JONES,
Adjutant General.
After having assumed the command, pur.
pnant to order No. 72, 1 wrote on the 251 h
December, 1834, to Hie Adjutant General,
and remonstrated against small force
placed under my command, and in reply, was
mfannedjthat my services in,Florida were con
sidered of importance, und that n was uncor
tain to what amount the force might be in- i
creased, which clearly implied Hmi whatever
the number might he augmented to, 1 would 1
still retain tho command. On the 221 Jau. I
nary, 1835 I addressed a letter to the Adjn
tain General, from winch the following is ex- j
traded:
Fort Ki.no, 22J January, 1835. 1
“Sut; 1 w rote to yon a few days since, via
Si. Augustine, but a? the letter may not reach
you as soon as by Hie regular mail route, I
have thought proper lo write you again on a : !
subject which funned part of my lust column-11
ucaiiou. In that communication, 1 staT-J
Hut f i wav the intention el ilmj Government .
Io remove the Seminole Indians weal in the I •
spring, with or without their consent, it would ; i
lie necessary, in my opinion, to send lour ad- t
ditmnal companies to tins post,two to hirt I
Brooke, end two mix pounders lo each post. I
Tho morn I see of Hus tribe ol Indians, the j i
more folly I am convinced, that they have; i
not the least intention of fulfilling their treaty i
stipulations, unless compelled lo do so by a
stronger forte than mere icordt. Their minds
have Keen go completely perverted by a set i i
of interested designing men. Hut no argu
. mcnl or reasoning will havelhe lea'll influence I
with them, except the argument ol force; and
if a sufficient nimlary force lo overcome them, |
is not gent into the nation, they will not be]
removed, and the whole frontier may bo laid
waste hy a combination of the Indians, In
dian negroes, and tho negroes dll tile planta
tions. Il is useless lo rninee this question: it
should he met. and met (irmly, if Hour treaty
is to be carried into effect, - (Hid I do not hesi
tate lo state, add I do so frbin sonic small
knowledge of the Indian character, lhal a
large majority of Hus nation have not the
most distant idea of going weal, and that they
will not do so, unless compelled by a strong
military force. I have therefore felt it my
rimy lo make known lo the Oeneral-iii-Ulnet
my views on tins subject, and to call lor a suf
ficient ntiiilnry forte completely equipped tor
active field service, (and not with thirteen
rounds Os cartridge per man,) so as to enable
me lo assume any altitude nhal the govern
moot may think proper to order me to take,
in relation loiliis Willfully deluded tribe."
From which it will be seen. Hint with a copy
Os Ihe letter of Cnpl’s Russell mid Graham, j
calling (or Inn companies, I urged the neces-1
Ally ol sending six additional companies into
tho coilntry, only four of which were sent,
amounting in all, to not more limn one hun
dred ami sixly men fit for actual field ser
vice—nine companies less than Imdb.en ae
j (nally called (or between October, 1831, and
i January, 1835. I do not mention these
facts with the intention Os inducing the
reader to heluive, that if (he first requisi
tion bud have been folly complied with,
that I should have required the full nnmhe r ol
companies called for in my letter of the 22d
January, bin to prove the unwillingness there
was on (he part of the head of the War De
partment, lo comply with Hie requisition made
from Florida. But Governor (lass tells the
public in the face of these (nets, and lliiilds
much of Ins own defence on Ins own assufilfin
that four companies were sent into Florida
on my requisition of the 22d January, 1835,
ami that I was authorized loculi to my indtlic
company at Key V esl; which I have shown
had been previously jilaccd under my command
by virtue ot Order No. 72 leaving us he sta’es
one company less than I called lor and nine
less than had been actually called tor in Octo
ber, 1831, and January 1835. I believe it is
pretty 'rencrully known by Hie people of the
UnileJ hintes, that Key West forms a part
of Florida. That fact being conceded, and
tlm fact of my having been placed in com
murid of all I lie troops jn Florida, by virtue ol
Order No. 72, being adn.iled, 1 think further
comment on this part of Gov ‘Joss’ appeal is
superfluous.
Governor Cagg tells ns Hint, llio fui'nc in
Florida, in the spring of 1835, was found by
experience to be enough, us it accomplished
its objects, and led to a mutual arrangement.
Before Hie public can pass un honest and clear (
opinion on ibis subject, it will be nucessiiry to
know the object Hie Government wished to t
effect by sending troops into Florida. II it was ,
merely to make an arrangement with the In- ,
dmns lo comply with their Muleiim treaty slip- ,
illations nl a limn beyond that .»hicli had been j
agreed on, I will admit, Unit nller the most ,
untiring zeal and exertions on Hie part of those i
to whom the duty of making that arrangement
hmi been assigned, Hint a number of the Sem
inole Indians did agree lo comply with their
lioiily ut a period moro distant than the one
first agreed on. But if the object of the Gov
ernment in sending a force into Florida was,
us understood at tho time to induce the In
dians to comply with their treaty, it lias been
shown by sad experience, that it wag totally
inademiato to effect that purpose. What es- 1
feet u larger lorec would have hud ut this im
portant crisis in our Indian affairs, 1 will J
leave to the decision of tho public.
Tho following extract from (otters address- ,
ed to the/Tdjntant General dated on tlm Ist ;
and 20lh April, previous to and alter the nr- i
ruiigeni Jills above alluded lo had been enter- j
ed into with tho Indians, will show the dispo- ,
silion made of tho mii hi 11 force under my com
mand for the quiet and prelection of the coun
try, and the latter paragraph of each letter
shows most clearly what wore my views as to
the necessity of nut weakening the force then 1
in Florida. Two vciy urgent requisitions for 1
troops to bo sont. to Florida bad only been
partial y complied with. Would it not, then, 1
whatever I may have thought on tho subject, 1
have been folly lo have made another reqmsi- 1
lion for moro troops !” !
Extract of a letter, dated
"Fort Kino, April 1,1835.
“Should the chiefs come to tho conclusion
to remove quietly, it will bo necessary to i
keep the present force in Florida until they i
remove, ns the only moans of compelling c
them to comply with their engagements."
Extract from aleller, dated
“ Fort Kino, April 20,1835.
1 1 have tho honor further to state, for the \
information of tho General-in-chief, that I (
have made the following disposition of the ,
troops placed under my command: Lieut. Col. ,
Fanning, with four companies, will remain at ,
this post, and during the lew days I may be ,
absent from Florida, will be left in command ,
Brevet Major Zantzniger will continue with 1
his three companies, «l present, at Fort I
! Brooke, in command of the post, and charged
with the protection of that section of country, ,
and with keeping tho Indians within their i
southern boundary. Cnpt. Tlmiston, with
Ins company, Is ordered lo lake post about
twelve miles northwest from Hi s, and near i
the boundary line, whore there are comforta
ble quarter* lor himself and command, and is
charged with keeping the Indians willun their
| northwestern boundary, and with giving pro
i lection to that section ot country. Brevet Ala
j jor Dade will remain at Key West, mid is di
j rertid to gvu protection to tho settlements
I near (’ape Florida, and loorder within llieir
i limits all the Indians that may be found in 1
i that quarter. Captain Drams is ordered to :
| return with Ins company to Fort Marion, and 1
I is directed, to proceed, as soon after Ins ar- '
I rival at that post as practicable, as fur south
as Indian or .Mosquito rivers, whore it. is re- 1
ported there are a large number of Indians,
and lo compel them, and all others he may 1
find between said rivers and a noted trading !
place on S’. Johns called Volusia, to return
within their limits, and is charged with the '
protecti m oftlin country east, ot the St. Johns ]
nvur. The four companies at this post will
act as circumstances may require, and can he ]
made comfortable at very little, or no expense i
to the Government. I cannot close this has-1 s
ty communication, without giving it as my i i
decided opinion that not a soldier should bell
ordered from Florida until after tho removal! \
of the Indians, as the least move towards di-1 i
ininishmgtlie present lofce would ruin every 1 <
thing. I would also respectfully suggest the i>
necessity ol tilling up the companies in Florida t
bv Hid firs! November. The recruits intend
ed for the live companies here, and the com-; ’
I puny at Fort Marion should be sent direct to j 1
i tlm St. Johns, ami landed a: Piculala, where ' !
they could be marched to their respective
posis." i
Governor Cass says, in another part of his J ’
appeal, that there is still higher authority, if, ]
possible, tor his justification. “It is the an.
thorily ot General Clinch himself: he ask-dj I ’
as 11.0 maximum of the lore** which could be t
Mauled, e'a.ou c unpaniea, or five hundred t
and liliy in n. Ho received nine companies, i
or lour hundred and liny men, and authority I
loonier the company from Key IV eat, making '
five hundred men.” Now what are the lacU,
as previously shown by me! II has been 1
shown that on the requisition for ten com pa- '
lues, or fl»o hundred men, I hat three reduced
companion, amounting m all to no* more than
one hundred itlen til fur act!vo advice, were I
sent to Tamps. Hay; and op the requisition
fir six bumpanier.or three hundred men, lour
companies, not exceeding one hundred and
sixty then lit for duty, were rent to Fort
Kuig; live hundred and forty less than was
asked tor m October, 1831, ami January,
1835. and one hundred and forty less than 1
asked (or on the 2Ai January, 1835, agreea
bly to Governor Cass' own estimate of the
strength of companies. I think comment
here is also unnecessary. He says that Gen.
Clinch's ustimaie was lor companies, i ad
mit the lad; hut in estimating tor companies,
had I nut aright to expect that ilie vigilant
and untiring head of the War Department
won d have caused these companies to have
been filled to their maximum strength! That
they were not so tilled, no person had a better
opportunity of knowing ilian himself. As
Governor Cass seems to think the company at
Key West of such importance, and refers to
n woollen, I hope I will he pardoned for again
noticing this part ut his appeal. He says
that General Clinch himself considered a less
force than that lie named, or even a less force
than that placed at tils disposal by tiie Govern
ment, adequate to the objects lie had to attain.
; He did not call to Ins aid the company train
I Key West; and it is very important in this
inquiry lo remark, that while Gen. Clinch
now accuses the Government of neglecting
Ins application for a proper force during the
whole season, the company at Key West,
placed under tils command (he preceding
Feh nary, almost in sight ot Florida, and nut
more than one day's sa I Irani its shores, was
left by him on that island, and never reached
the sphere of his command until the 31st of
December. The order authorizing General
Clinch lo call it to his aid, must have reached
Intfi the beginning at March. During nine
mOiilha, then, deducting the few days neces
sary to communicate his orders to Major
Dade, and for that officer to cross Over to the
main land of Florid*, Gen. Clinch considered
Ins force sufficient, or he was guilty of that
neglect which ho now charges to the Govern
ment. Jtut (still further: Gen. Clinch, in his
letter of the Ist April; 1835, otter stating his
hchcl that an arrangement would be made
which vvhuld ijmet the Indians, and would be
satlsfacWfy to the Government, Says Unit
should the duel's come to the conclusion to
remove quietly, it would hi still necessary to
keep the present force itt Florida. The
cliitTs did consent lo and the then
present force was kept in Florida; nothing
inure then did Gen. Clinch demand.”
I have made this long quotation trt show
to what miserable subterfuges a gentleman of
Gov. Gass’s reputation, ami one tilling the
high station lie now fills, has been compelled
lo resort to in Ins attempt to sustain himself
against the opinion of a private individual,given
in evidence before a Court of Inquiry. I
think I have clearly shown by the extract from
General Order No. 72, that the company at
s' oy West was placed under my command by
that order ; and by tiro extract from my let
ter of ti.e VJlkh April, what disposition was
thus curly of that company and lire ar
duous ami reS(.’ n,, sible duties assigned to it ;
and it is also wet, known that only part oftlie
chiefs consented F’ remove. With these,
facts on file m the Adj.'itunt General’s Office
and, no doubt at the time when bo wrote, at
the control ot Gov. Cass, bow could ho write
and publish to the world, over his nwn signa
ture, an article so much at variant w > l ''
facts, and showing such a want of ini'brtna
tiun as to the relation in which Key Vv r e. s t
stands to Florida,and of the operations car
ried on in that Territory in 1836 1
Gov. Cass says, in October, General Clinch
was authorized to call for two more compa
nies, one from Pensacola, and one from Mo
bile, it lie thought them necessary. The De
partment would have seen by my letters, &c.
that this force would be deemed necessary by
me, and why not at once have given the ne
ci usury orders 1 On the first September, 18-
35, 1 reported the murder of private Dalton.
On the Uth October, 1835,1 wrote a letter lo
the Department from which the following is
extracted.
Extractfrom a teller dated.
St. Auoiistixk, Oct, 9, 1835.
Sin: Tiie time will soon arrive when a large
number of the Seminole Indians have agreed to
remove lo the West.
There are still, however a large number that are
unwilling to remove, and from recent indications
I am induced to believe that force will have to be
used to compel (hem to comply with their treaty
stipulations. When the peculiar nature, extern
and exposed stale of the Indian frontier is taken
into consideration, it will, 1 think, he readily ad
mitted dial the force placed under my command
is inadequate to enforce a compliance with this
treaty, and to give such protection to the frontier
settlements as their apprehension from the In
dians and from another species of population,
induce them lo expect from the Government.
Under this view of the subject, I am induced re
spectfully lo submit a few remarks for the con
sideration of the General-in-chief, and if approved
by him, fir that of the proper department, I
consider the force already in Florida sufficient lo
meet mid control the whole oftlie refaclory Semi
notes if they could be concentrated. Hut when
scattered over a large extent of country, compos
ed of marshes and swamps that are almost im
penetrable to the white man, it is entirely inadc
qualo to give that protection and quiet to the
frontier inhabitants which they export.
•; Frequent applications have already been made
from different sections of the country for protec
tion in ease we should have any difficulty in re
moving the Sominoles; and some of the most res
portable planters fear that there is already a secret
and improper communication carried on between
Ilie refractory Indians, Indian negroes, and some
of the plantation negroes. For the better pro
tection of the frontier settlements, and to stop all
intercourse between the Indians and plantations,
in case any difficulty should aiise in removing
tho Indians, 1 strongly and respectfully urge and
recommend the calling into the service of the
United Slates, lor tho term of two or throe mouths
one hundred and fifty mounted volunteers to bo
stationed at such points as the commanding offi
cers may think best to effect the object in view,
and not to be ordered within the Indian boundary
unless in case of absolute necessity. This force
to be held ready, hut not to called into actual ser
vice until required, and lo be disbanded as soon
as their services could be dispensed with. This
species of force would, in my opinion, owing to
tho nature of the country, be tho most efficient, I
and least expensive, under all the circumstances
of the case, that could lie employed. Ueing well
mounted, ami all of them good Woods-men and
good riders, and well acquainted with every part
ol the country, and many of them deeply interes
ted in its protection, would, give them a decided
advantage over any other species of troops, for
the kind of service they would be required to per
form; and I have no doubt they could be raised
without any drtfiiculty. 1 have the honor further
to request, that one of the revenue cutlers station
ed on the Gull ol Mexico, may bo ordered to
cruise along the coast from Charlotte's Harbor
lo I ampa Hay. between tho Ist es Uecemlterand
Is* ot January next, and lo co-opeiate with Bre
vet Major Dade’s command, in ordering in,
•nd securing if necessary, all the Indians they
may find on that coast, and on their arrival at
Tamp i Ray lo remain subject to the orders of the
officer commanding the troops in Florida. A
small armed vessel of that class would, in my
opinion, aid our operations much, and could be
placed on that kind of duly for a short time,
without the least injury to the revenue.”
On the ‘“-'d October, General Jones writes me
that the one bundled and fitly mounted men,
called for in my letter of Ibefilh October, could
not lie complied with, fur reason* that are already
before the public; but 1 was, in lieu thereof, autli- is
onzed lo order two companies, vix: those at Forts 2
Pike and Wood, (La.) to join roe; which, in ad
dition to tho two previously ordered from Pcnsa- a
cola and Mobile, would make four. In the ah- o
•■■nee of the official reports of those companies, I *
think I may safely say they did net amount to h
one hundred efficient men for duly at that lime, a
I Still Governor Gass tells the public that instead
of one hundred and fifty mounted men, 1 had f
four companies of regulars, amounting to two I:
hundred men, placed undermy orders. So much li
lor the accuracy of this part of the Governors ap- a
peal; but as he has labored very hard to convince
the public, that lie liclievcd in the correctness of r
it himself, it may be as well lo explain lo the rea- 1
dcr, the very circuitous direction given to these t
orders. They were first sent to moot Fort King, 1
(interior of Florida,) between which place ami <
New Orleans Ilie mall was carried once in two c
weeks. On the receipt of the order by me, it was t
aent by the first mail to Forts Pike and Wood ;
but it appears from a report made by Lieutenant I
Grayson, who stands deservedly high for prompt- f
nets, integrity, and talents, that it did not reach t
Fort Wood, before the 4tli of December, and I r
presume the copy sent to Fort Pike was received c
there about the same lime, and that the two com- 1
panics did not arrive at Tampa Hay, until to- I
wards tho last of the month. Here it will bb t
seen that an order issued at the V/ar Department a
on tiie 23d of October, did nut, owing to the cii- t
cuitous direction given lo it, roach its proper des
tination until the 3th of December; whereas, if t
two or six companies, had llilke been promptly 1
ordered from the posts on the Atlantic, they could c
have joined mo in the course of eight or ten days, v
0a the I 7ih of October, 1835,1 wrote A letter to I
the Adjutant General, which was received in u
Washington, Jamlary 31st, (arid the application tl
not granted) front which the following extract is a
takort : *
tCxlracl from a teller, dated.
OcrdilErt 17, 1833. |
“Sin; My first wish is lo carry out tho humane i
and benevolent views of the Government, in rcla- (
■ lion to the Seminole Indians, in the way most f
conductive to their happiness and comfort and |
least expensive lo the nation With these objects ,
constantly in view, I may have rather under cs- (
tiulsited the means necessary lo carry into effect j
tho views and plans of tho Government. By
lerring, however to my letter oftlie 18tb of Jan- ’
nary last you will perceieve that I requested that ,
six companies might be added lo the command (
in Florida, four of whfcli 6'nly were ordered to (
Fort King. In my communication of the Blh ,
instant 1 state, I consider the force already in j
Florida sufficient lo meet ami control the whole
Os the refractory Sominoles if they could he con
centrated, But when scattered over a largo ex
tent of country, composed ol marshes and swamps
that are almost impenetrable lo the while man, it
is entirely inadequate lo give that protection and
quiet to the frontier inhabitants which they ex
pect. Since writing the foregoing 1 have becH
informed by Assistant Surgeon Archer that dear
ly d hundred of thb command now at Fort King
have been more or less sick with n thb last two or
Hired idunths; and although (nany of them are fit
for garrisdn duty, & most of the others are conva
lescent, they cannot bo relied on for active and
. efficient service; I have, therefore, flic honor res- '
pectfully to Request that three additional compa
nies be ordered to Foil King Willi as little dela'y
as practicable, with an ample supply of ball and
buck shot cartridges.”
On tho fifth December I requested four addi
tional companies sent to mo with the least pjs
s'hlu delay, Pot in lieu of the companies ordered
from the Gulf, as asserted by Governor Gass, but
four additional companies completely prepared
to take tho field, &c, us will apjiear by the follow
ing extract;
Extract from a letter, ilHted
Fobt Defiance, (Micanopt,) Dec. U, 1^35.
“ The loss of tho vessel with our supplies has
caused much inconvenience, as it takes a donsid
etable part of our small force to protect the boats
i and wagons engaged in transporting provis
, ions.
“The uncertainty ns lo the lime when the
companies ordered from Louisiana will reach
I Tampa, and tlie'distanec they will have to march
thro ugh a hostile country before they can join my
com man‘ k induces me to request that four addi
tional co.ap.to.m* be ordered to join me with the
least possible delay/ completely prepared to take
tlio field, with a gopd supply of ball and buck
shot cartridges.
“All the information! receive in relation lothe
movements of tho Indians, represent them as be
ing in considerable force, and rau.nifbsltt'ff a de
termination to engage in murder a.?d plunder.
It appears also that they arejoined by the .negroes,
and if they are not promptly put down n't®
spirit may extend lo tho plantations. |
“D. L. CLINCH,
Jlvt. lirig Generrl.
“To Bvt. Brig. Gen.lt. Jovr.s, .drift Gen."
It will lie seen by referring back to the extract
from my letter of the 20lli April, the disposition
made oftlie small force under my command, to
give quiet and protection to tho country; and I
now take great pleasure in saying that no part of
tho American army ever had more arduous and
trying duties assigned than were assigned to this
gallant little command, and no part of it ever ac
quitted themselves more to the honor oflhcirjcoun
try than they did during tho whole of that service.
The company at Key West, instead of remain
ing idle, as stated by Governor Gass, was entire
ly employed in watching over the interest of a
very exposed and important part of Florida. It
ha* been shown that when 1 assumed the com
mand of all the troops in Florida, pursuant lo Or
der No. 72, that there wore six companies in that
Territory; and that previous to that lime ten com
panies had been required, and only three sent.
That immediately alter resuming the command,
that is, on the 32d January, 1833,1 strongly re
commended the sending into Florida six compan
ies; only four of which were sent. In my letters
oftlie Island 12th of April, I show tho disposi
tion made of the troops, and urge that not a man
be withdrawn from Florida. That on the 9th
October, 1835,1 strongly recommended the rais
ing of one hundred and fifty mounted volunteers,
the placing a revenue cutter at my disposal, and
called for three companies of regulat troops. The
two first recommendations were not compli
ed with, but I was authorized in that month to
order four companies from the posts on the Gulf
and that two of these did not arrive at Tampa
Bay until towards the last of December, 1835; [
and when there the four companies did not ex
ceed one hundred efficient men for duty. That i
on the filh December I requested four additional c
companies should bo promptly sent to me, which i
was refused. If the President had not the au i
thority to raise one hundred and fifty mounted i
volunteers, why were not three hundred regulars i
promptly sent from the posts on the Atlantic, in ;
somplianco with the calls made in October, us i
also the four companies, or two hundred men I
culled for on the 9th of December! If prompt and i
energetic measures had licen taken on me part of I
the Secretary of War, the whole number requir- i
eJ (on my own requisitions) could have reached I
me by tho last of December, and would have |
given me a disposable lorce of seven hundred I
i and forly|regulars, instead of two hundred, on the I
31st December, 1835. Still, in the face of these <
tacu, Governor Gun* comes forward and slates, I
“as a matter offset, that General Clinch had a tar i
greater force under his command than he ever I
required,” But here the diplomatist again shows I
his true character. Finding that he had gone t
too for, for the most credulous reader, he qualities i
what he had just asserted as a mutter of fact, by )
saying, “I do not mean that he called them to- s
gether—with that I had no concern; I have only t
lo show that proper measures fdr that purpose t
were taken by the War Department, and I have t
shown that these measures ought to have given t
General Clinch the full complement of regular I
troop* asked for.” But has the Head of the War (
Department nothing to do but to issue his man- i
dates at Washington, whethet practicable or not, 1
and fold his arms, lei the consequences to his 1
country he ever *o disastrous, without holding e
himself at all responsible! I hardly think the c
American people are yet perpared for this itre- t
sponsible doctrine. I will here request the at- I
tention of the reader to the following extract from «
a letter I addressed lo the Adjutant General on I o
36th of December, 1835. ' s
Exteacl from rl teller, dated
fuiir Duane, December 26, 1833. i
Uugtdier General Gall, commanding the Flor- i
ula volunteers, formed a junction with mo on the
21st instant. 11
“ Every military man who knows any thing j c
about this section of country, will agree in the j
opinion that ‘.here is no part of the United Stales ;
»o bard to protect ot defend as the one we shall \
have lo operate in, and my means of every kind :
are on the most counseled and limited scale. 1
“The troops ordered Irom the West, not heard I
from yet ; nor not a word from Commodore Dal
las in relation to the armed vessel. The wagons, i
hospital, and other tents required last fall, not Jet
arrived.
“ I also regret lo say that many of the officers
arc still absent from their compahies, nor havo I
heard any thing from the Assistant Quartermas
ter I requested lo be ordered lo join the troops in
Florida ; and it is of the very first importance in
operating in a country like this, lo have the servi
ces of an experienced, dclive, and efficient quar
termaster. 1
“From the general defection and determined i
hostile altitude of the Seminole nation, I am now i
fully of the opinion thdt there should be at least '
twelve huridred regular troops, and five hundred '
mounted itien, in Florida, so as to enable the <
commanding officer to have one thousand regu- '
lars and five hundred mounted volunteers in the i
field, as we cannot rtdy, for any great length of i
time, on the services of the volunteers, composed t
as they are, in many instances, of the most wbal- i
thy add respectable gentlemen in the country.” <
About the 2d December, I found it necessary I
to appeal to tho patriotsism of the people of East ]
Florida, to rally in defence of the wives, the |
children, and firesides of their fellow-citizens, i
who wire most exposed lo the scalping knife of ,
the incbiidiary Indians, which met with a prompt
and gcrierous response. In the course of a few :
days it was considered necessary to extend the i
appeal to other sections of Florida which was al
so promptly and generously met; and in the
course of a short lime one huridred volunteers
were raised and placed under the immediate
commatid of Brig. Gen. Gall, by order of Mr.
Walker the then efficient Secretary and acting
Governor of Flotilla. It will be seen, from tho
extract of my letter of the 26th of December,
1835, that this force joined me on the 21st of
that month. These volunteers had been called
out on the spur of the moment and for one
month only. It will also be borne in mind, that
at this time I had received flo authority front the
War Department, lo raise (or to receive volun
teers into the service of the UnitcdjStates, Gov.
Gass’s statement to the contrary notwithstanding;
and their not having been mustered into the ser
vice of the General Government, I could have no
legal or lawful authority over them. Thbir junc
tion with, and placing themselves under my or
ders, were voluntary acts on their part, and my
right to exercise authority over them ceased with
their willing obedience to that authority.
It will he seen that I had no reason lo 6x,<ect a
reinforcement of regulars before the expiration ol
the terrii for which the volunteers had agreed to
serve. Thus sitiiated, I determined to seek the
enemy, and met him on the 31st December. On
arriving at the Outhlacoochie river, about day
light on the morning of the 31st December, in
stead ol finding it fordable, as had been represent
ed by the guide, of the small insignificant stream
Kcptcsftrfted by Gov. Gass; it was found lo bo
iold arid deep. Orders were, however, immedi
ately given to cross it, when two brave soldiers
of the then gallant, hut now lamented, Captain
Mellon’s company (whose names I regret I do
not now recollect) swam the rivet, and brought
over an old canoe, in which the regulars com
menced crossing, and after some inelVuclual at
tempts to construct a bridge, a few of the volun
teers commenced swimming I licit horses, prepar
ing rafts, &c. Lt. Col. Fanning Was ordered, on
Crossing, to select the most eligible position, and
to form his command as fast as they crossed. I
somotimC' after ctd'ased myself, arid while superin
finding (hosC Who were engaged in swimming
horses, bidding rafts, &c. the ride of the enemy
Was hcaf J, which was the first signal of the com
mencement of tho hard fought, hut victorious,
battle oftlie 3let December, 1835, a brief and
plain account of Which, based on the most accu
rate information then inf my possession,' was given
lo the public through the channel of tho War
Department. During tho hottest part! of the en
gagement, discovering that the volunteers did not
come up ns 1 expected, I despatched Got. Reid
with orders lo Gen. Call to bring tip his volun
teers ns soon as possible. Soon after the. last
charge hadj been made by the gallant regulars,
tnd tho small band of brave volunteers who nobly
aided them, and the enemy routed and silenced,
Col. Retd returned to tiie field accompanied by
Gen. Gall; and on their approaching near to
where 1 was, I put my horse in motion, and on
meeting them, and not seeing any of the volun
teers with Gen. Gall, I asked him where were his
I volunteers, to which lie replied “at their posts.”
/ift.’r a few other remarks not now recollected,
Gen. flail observed, that in riding from the river,
he had passed near to where the killed and
wounded rot;! been taken; that the number was
very great, anJ that it would be impossible to fol
low up the success already obtained, without sac
rificing those noble fellows; that it was getting
late, and that a good ma.'iy ®f the volunteers were
still on the opposite side ol Ike river. After a
moment’s rellection, and a short .consultation, I
determined at every hazard to protect the wound
ed, and have the dead hurled, and gave orders lo
remove them across the river. Having kept pos
session oftlie field for more than two hours a tier
the fight, the troops were ordered to rccross, willed
they did in the most perfect order. It is impossible
for a commanding general to observe every thing
that occuis on a field of battle. His reports arc
made out from his own observations and the best
information he can obtain from others. Many
circumstances must necessarily happen which he
can know nothing of at the time. The official
repot of the battle of the 31st was made out in
much haste, in tho midst of tho wounded, in the
hurry and hustle of the departure ot the volun
teers, (whose term of service had expired) and
no doubt contains some unintentional inaccura
cies. I will here briefly answer the question so
often asked, and which is repeated by Gov. Cass,
why was not the whole volunteer force in the en
gagement! When I made my official report, I
was under the impression, Irom a conversation
held with Gen. Gall a short lime previous lo my
crossing the river, m which he slated that a small
number ol the volunteers from Middle Florida
had expressed an unwillingness lo cross, on ac- i
count ol tho shortness of the time they had to
serve; that many others acting under the same i
views and feelings, had refused to cross, I have ,
since been informed by many of the volunteer
officers and men, that Gen. Gall gave a positive i
order to the volunteers that no man should cross, i
and actually formed those on the north side, to i
receive the attack of the enemy, should one bo' i
made. Now it this statement bo true, and I pre- |
sumc there can be but little doubt on the subject, ■
what does it prove! Nothing more or less than 1
that General Gall committed an error of judgment i
in beingover cautious in protecting the rear,when I
the front and advance of the army were engaged, i
in a death struggle for victory, with a savage and I
ferocious enemy of three times their number, i
protected, 100, by a dense cypress swamp, and I
that the volunteers were not lo blame for obeying i
the order. Some of these volunteers did, howev- i
er, cross the river after the fight commenced, (al- ,
though not in time to’join in the conflict,) and
rendered important service by forming on the
flanks, which gave strength and security lo the
Irani, while the killed and wounded were being
reconveyed ovet the river. When Gen. Call told
me on the field that the volunteers were at their
posts, I had a light lo expect, from his previous
standing as an officer, that he had disposed of
them to the best of his judgment, 1 certainly
owed Gen. Call nothing, and could have had no
motive or object in wishing to conceal either his
acts or my own, on that day, from public scrutiny, i
In the course of a long military life, I defy any
one to say that I ever attempted to raise myself, 1
by detracting from the meri;s of others, nor have
I ever cast unnecessary censure on any one. I I
have thought it necessary to say thus much, in i
explanation of my official report of the 31st De
cember, not to gratify Governor Cass, but in jus- j
lice to the generous and abused volunteers and ■
people of Florida. But where this new-born zeal I
on the part of the late Secretary for the character 1
ami honor of our gallant little army, a few venrs i
since the just pride of a grateful country? What (
war. Jone for those brave and gallant spirits who
so nobly sustained the honor of the array ami glo
ry of their country on the 3lsl December, 18351
Were any of them promptly breveted for their
gallant bearing on that occasion l And how many
of them were promoted into the new regiment
that was raised last winter? Those t! on eyed and
flattering encomiums of that gallant neglected lit
tle band come too late to ellect the object the wri
ter had in view. But if Governor Cass believed
that my otlicial report was not sufficiently full
and clear on all the subjects touched on,a(id that
I had not done justice to the brave men who cov
ered themselves with glory, and who so nobly
sustained me oh that trying occasion, was it not
his duly, as the proper organ of the army, to Have
sent the report back to me, with instructions for
further explanations? Did he do so? Was not
that report published by order of Governor Cass,
then Secretary of War. and my conduct approv
ed by the President and himself! If so, why docs
he now, some eighteen months since those occut
rency took place, come forward and say that I
owe to the army, the country, &c. a more clear
and full explanation of the affair to the 31st De
cember? Again: if the conduct of the volunteers
was so reprehensible as he now seems to think it
was, in filling to cross the little stream, as he
designates the Outthlacoochic, on logs and rafts,
why was the officer in the immediate command
of those troops made Governor of Florida, and
soon after placed in command of e'll the troops in
that Territory, over the heads of the officers of
our gallant little army? Has Governor Cdss re
ceived any new light on these matters since he
has been in France, that he should at this late
peridd consider it necessary that I should trouble
the public with any futther explanations respect
ing the conduct of the volunteers on life 31st
December, 1835?
With due deference toGovernof Cass, I think
I have answered and refuted all his ingenious
statements arid gratuitous assertions, by a plain
statement of facts up to the year 1835, I believe
I have also shown by the same facts that, at the
close of the year, I was eight bundled and nincly
men short of the requisitions made on the War
Department from the Ist of October to the 31st
of December, 1835 ; and five hundred and forty
on my owri requisitions on the Department of
War withih that lime ; and my letter of the 261 h
of December will show whether or not the re
quisitions for supplies, fee. had been complied
with. The same loiter will also show that, on
that day, I gave it as illy decided opinion that
twelve hundred regulars and live hundred mount,
ed men should he in Florida, so as to enable the
commanding officer to have one thousand regu
lars and five hundred mounted men in the field.
I Have also shown that the five hundred volun
teers who were with me on the 3lst of December,
were not there under any authority from the Wat
Department, and of course should not be taken
into the estimated force furnished by authority
from that department; and if that force had been
so fortunate as to have closed the war, that Gov
ernor Cass could have claimed no credit for ener
gy or military forecast in ordering them into the
field. Now, iftho deficit of five hundred and
forty men on my own estimates had been with
me on the close of 1835, they certainly would
have been of much service early in 1836. Gov.
Cass has to resort to the same mystifying system
to sustain himself in 1836 as he used in 1835,
and commences his new year by supposing that
fhcSlh of January will be considered “early” ill
the year 1836. I must be permitted here to ex
press my surprise that the Governor should have
peimilled so line an opportunity to have escaped
1 him, without paying a high eulogy orl the hero
. of that day ; hut perhaps he was afraid of ad
• ministering an over dose to the old General.
He here commences with a long list of elders
issued and authorities given, on the Bth, 17th,
• And 21st January, and ask's" if this is not ca'ily m
1836, It will be seen that before the first two of
these orders could be carried into execution,
General .Scott was assigned to the command in
Florida. Os course my responsibilities, as far as
; they were Connected with their accomplishment
ceased. But why did not Governor Cass
' come out plainly, and tell the public that Major
. Gcneial Scott, with these orders, &c. in his pock-
I et, ami with his zeal and energy, also aided by his
■ (Gov. C’sj'iK ige counsel iulvice in the further
i ance of these grand military plans—which broke
' in upon part of a night s vest —did not com
• mence his campaign uu’lil the 26th March ?
■ Will Gov. Cuss pletcnd to tell the public that the
26th of March, in latitude 29 s * 28’, is"early to
- commence n campaign in such a country as the
■ southeastern parts of Flolidp was known to he,
, and against such an enemy ? Instead of sending
the orders, &c„ mentioned above, to the, "isola
, ted” in the inferior of Florida, as he says I was,
hail he promptly pushed, the, requisite military
1 force, supplies, &c, into Florida, they might have
arrived ’‘early” in 1836’, when, in all probability,
• the results would have been very different, and
1 the Government might’ have established some
claim to energy and military forecast, and some
millions of dollars might have been saved to the
nation. Governor Cass, after paying General
Scott a few compliments, coip’plains that he was
not sufficiently explicit in telling the public that
their rests were broken on a certain night, while
discussing the plans that were to ho carried out’
in Florida. Gen. Scott was certainly very wrong
in not communicating this important fact to the
world; but I will presume he will be able to de
fend himself against this serious charge, as well
as against other insinuations contained in the
same appeal.
Governor Cass tells the public that he owes
General Clinch no explanation, speaks of morbid
sensibility, &c. I have never asked Governor
Cass for an explanation of his motives in super
seding me in the command of Florida. I be
lieved nt the time, and still believe, that I under
stood them, although differing a little from those
assigned by hiiJ. iftho reasons assigned by Go
vernor Cass for superseding me in the command
were such as he states, them to he, did they not
exist to the same, or even to a much greater ex
tent, when, after his granil experiment in Flo
rida had not succeeded to his expectations, lie, in
a complimentary manner, by the direction of the
President,Jagain tendered me the command in
Florida? I have already trespassed too long on
the patience of the reader, and will close with a
few remarks on the last paragraph of Governor
Cass’s appeal, in which he speaks of the inca
pacity, or misfortunes, or dissensions, of the mil
itary commanders. I hero lake pleasure in as
suring Governor Cass that I take that no part of
these complimentary epithets to myself having
too much confidence in his sincerity to believe
that after the compliments previously paid me
in his official letters, and more especially in ten
dering me the command of the troops in Florida
(by which he shows that both the President
and himself had full confidence in my capacity,
experience, &c.) he could not have intended to
apply any part of that paragraph to myself. In
closing this long appeal, Governor Cass tells the
public that he has received, during the last thirty
years of his life, many favors he nether expected
nor merited. He certainly should be considered
a good witness as respects his own merits; hut
the fact of his having held important and lucra
tive offices during the last four or five adminis
trations, add that he so managed as to bo always
in the ascendant, form part of the history of the
times, and must have been known to every per
son who would take the trouble to inform him
self on such matters. Although I cannot boast
of having received many favors from those filling
high places, I can say that some twenty-eight
years of my life were spent in the service of my
country—not in splendid parlors, nor on beds of
down, but on the hot and sultry banks of the Mis
sissippi; on the cold and frozen shores of the
Niagara ! on the frontiers of Georgia, Alabama,
and ‘‘isolated ’ in the swamps and wilds of unfor
tunate Florida, and now ask from my fellow-citi
zens nothing but Justice.
D. L. CLINCH.
The editors that have published Governor Cass’s
appeal, are requested to give the above an inser
{ion.
Dr. Chabert the great fire king has got
married—fairly crawled into the oven of mat
rimony. The New-York Herald says :
“This bridal ceremony Ims occasioned a
greater sensation in Netv-York, than the
suspension of specie payments. The happy
bride is the daughter of the late Bishop Pro
vest. She is connected on both male and fe
male side, with all cur old noblesse. The
Clintons, the Guldens, liio Stuyvesants, ilie
Livingston’s, the Rapcljics, and all the old
Dutch, English and Scutch, settlers, back to
the colonial limes, are counted among her
ancestry and relations. By her former hus
band the eccentric George Kapeljic, she wan
left a dowry of $20,000 per annum. After his
lamented death Count de Roccn, a celebrated
Italian nobleman, set up pretensions to her
hand and heart—the gallant polished Dr. Ju.
iian Xavier Chabert, king of fire, and the kino
of hearts, however, soon carried of the prize.
The Italian could not survive the defeat—go
he very quietly blew out his brains one morn
ing before breakfast. The field being now
clear the Doctor renewed Ins suit, routed all €
competitors, and has carried oft The lady in the
face of ail the whole gaping world.”
Tuesday Evening, June 27, 1837.
Messrs. Richards and Stay have laid on oi>r ta
ble a couple of volumes entitled “Crichton,” l.y
W. H. Ainsworth, author of Rockwood. It is a
Story of the sixteenth century, the scene of which
is laid in Franee, written in a very elegant style
and well worthy the perusal of those who are
fond of reading novels.
We are constantly receiving marriage notices
by mail, without any responsible vouchar, and
we must say, once for all, that such cannot be
published in this paper,
THETHEATRE.
We called last evening to witness the perform
ances of Mr. Hart’s company and were very much
pleased; Both pieces were performed exceed,
iiigly well and were very well received indeed.
In consequence of the weather the house was
thin, btil we doubt not that the amusement af
folded by the company will draw such a number ,r
in future us will yield a compensation for theft
trouble,
Ij 1.7
Mrs. Hart has always been si favorite in the
Southern States, and deserves to be so froin the
uniform success with which she always performs
her parts.
We scarcely treed call the attention of our rea
ders to the address of Gen. Clinch, the publica
tion of which wc commence to-day and will con
clude tomorrow. He establishes beyond all man
ner of doubt the main and most important fact in
controversy, viz: that although the Government
had notice far a twelve month of the probable
hostilities of the Scminoles, yet at the breaking
out of the war there 4 was comparatively but a
handful of men to protect the country and suhduo
the savages. He proves tnat if the want of a
sufficient force immediately at the scene of dan
ger, was any inducement to the Indians to com
mence hostilities, that he himself is exonerated
from all censure. But the repeated failures of
repeated campaigns has rendered it necessary
that blame should attach to somebody, and our
immaculate rulers at Washington have deter
mined to sacrifice the most deserving officer that
ever commanded in Florida, because ho has dared
to express the opinion that the Secretary at War
had failed to perform his duty,and because he docs
not belong to their corrupt dynasty. Gen. Clinch*
stands more deservedly high in the estimation of i|
the soldiers and people of the South—those who
■ mingled with him in the first struggles—than alt
the other U. S. officers who ever in
that unfortunate war; and the Government and
its pensioned scribblers might as well attempt to
pluck the moon from its sphere as to destroy that
confidence.
We might say a great deal about the mean
ness of the admits! ration'in regard to the treat- I
merit of Gen. Clinch, hut if is i J r? perfect character
with their whose conduct.' By their ignorance
and corruption they have rimed the currency nod
finances of the country, and with an impudence
unparalleled in the annals of history, they are ;
attempting to cast the blame of it upon the only |H
parly and’ the only men in the Union, who warn
ed them of the fata'l efror of their ways, and pre-r
dieted the very consequences which have follow
ed, By their indolence, and the impotence of
j their measures, they? have suffered a handful of
savages to wage a bloody and destructive war for'
nearly two years,'within our very limits, and are jH
now attempting 1 to sacrifice (he very man who j
! forewarned them of the approaching in
order to screen their own guilty heads.
The two harks built for the uso of the Explor- j
log Exdcdition ( are to he taken into dock tor further |
examination. They will probably be condemned' I
and sold. The objection to them is, (or at least jj
the accusation, j that' they’ are dull sailcrs.--[Jeur jH
of Coin.]
From the N. Y. Duili/ Express,' June 83.
TWO DAYS LATER FROM ENGLAND,
The ship Victoria, Cap). Chandler atViWd'last
evening. Wc are indebted to Capt. C.' for Lon- rai
don papers of the evening of the 24th, and Liver- ■
pool of the 25th. The Victoria sailed early on'
the morning of the 26th, Iml brought no papers of
the date. Wc subjoin the following items of news. £.l
The Commercial intelligence docs not seem to he
of much importance.
From the Morning Chronii le.
Money Maiiket, May 24.—T0-morrow being I
settling day in the Consul Market, the chief at- |
tendon of the brokers and jobbers is directed to the v
adjustment of their accounts, and scarcely any
thing else has been done. The quotation for money
at the termination of business, was 'Jig and 91J
to J for the July account, being g per cent, lower j,
than yesterday Exchequer hills remain 325. to |
345. premium; and India Bonds at 355. to 375..
premium.
The total want of news from Spain has occa
sioned the greatest uneasiness in the Foreign fm ß
Market, and a further depression has taken place j
in the securities of that country, while all the
other French Stocks which arc usually most dealt |
in have more or less suffered.
The rates of exchange to-day present no alter-
SPAIN.
Behomia, May 17,4 P. M.—lran has at length |
fallen. At leu o’clock this morning the fort stir- gjflg
rendered to the Queen’s troops, and immediately |
the town, or rather the part ofit which was not rj
already in possession, was taken by assault.
At day break this morning three batteries were S
opened upon the fort, & one upon a large fortified ml
house at the upper part of the town. From this 9j|
the fire was returned with great spirit, hut the lire I
was throughout the morning languid. ’The Ri- Wj
lies, who wore quartered in the church, kept up
a sharp lire on the fortified house in the town, 'Vfflj
while on the far side of the fort about 160 of the -1
same regiment rendered very dangerous work the 1
service of the guns in the fort.
Until ten o’clock the fire continued very brisk; ik
but at this hour the fort surrendered. Fontarabia Ki;
was entered by the Queen’s troops on the 18tb I; ■
ult, and garrisoned accordingly.
FRANCE.
The French papers of the 83d, received by the
Victoria, contain no news.j
PORTUGAL.
The Portuguese ministry have resigned. The A.. .
cause of their determining to lake this step wasjß(|>'
the decision of the Cortes, after a debate ot near
ly three days, not to allow the Minisicrs Under- I
Secretaries of State. The Ministers having been
left in a minority of eight on this question, ten
dered their resignations to the Queen, who then
applied to M. Dias de Oliveira, the President of -M
the Cortes, to form a new Administration. The M
President accepted the office, but he had not been J|
able to find colleagues to join himin undertaking
to conduct the government at the time the packet
sailed on the I4lh of May. A later date from
Lisbon mentions it as probable that the old rain- 1|
Ltry would continue in office for the present.