RECORDS IN THE MILITARY ARCHIVES DIVISION WHICH RELATE TO SOUTH by Stuart Butler All illustrations are from the National Archives.

The Military Archives Division of By far, the most important re­ return on file for Fort Lauderdale the National Archives in Washing­ cords which pertain to military indicates that soldiers from Com­ ton, D.C., contains an invaluable presence in during panies Hand K of the First and and extensive collection of reports, the are the docu­ Third Artillery, that is, 74 men letters and statistical data created ments located in Record Group 94, respectively, were assigned to the by the Army and Records of the Adjutant General's post as of February 14, 1839. Navy in south Florida during the Office. During the 19th century, Cpt. William B. Davidson was in period of the Second and Third this office served as the primary command of the post. In addition Seminole Wars. The Archives collec­ records-keeping branch of the Uni­ to this information, it is noted that tion affords the historian and gen­ ted States Army. the old blockhouse and pickets, eral public alike an opportunity The Adjutant General was re­ installed by Major Lauderdale a to study the history of the region sponsible for issuing and main­ year earlier, were burned by the during the several decades prior taining copies of special and general Indians. to the Civil War. orders to officers in the field, for Later returns inform us that The military records for this directing troop movement through­ several soldiers, while searching for period are fairly complete and the out the United States and for water, were' wounded by Indians on military observers also had com­ maintaining the records of the April 24, 1838. A subsequent mented extensively on the physi­ United States Army, based upon search for the Indians, however, cal aspects of the country, fauna, the data supplied to the Adjutant proved fruitless. According to the and Indian life and culture. There­ General from officers and units in December 1840 return, Captain fore, these records comprise one the field. Among these records can Davidson died of dysentery on of the largest collections of manu­ be found some of the most import­ Indian Key during an expedition, scripts which document south Flor­ ant documentation concerning early under the command of Lt. Col. ida history. south Florida. William Selby Harney, to the Not only did military personnel As military camps and posts . write about the region, but they were being established in the south With varying degrees of complete­ also compiled numerous sketches, Florida area during the Second ness, other returns for south diagrams and full-scaled maps of (1835 - 1842) and Third (1855 ­ Florida reports are available for the area. Many of the latter were 1858) Seminole Wars, one of the Fort Dallas in from Febru­ drawn by topographical engineers means by which the Adjutant ary 1838 to May 1858; Fort and now are among the large map General kept account of these posts Pierce, March 1838 - July 1842; collection in the Center for Carto­ and their strength was through the Fort Russell on , Feb­ graphic and Architectural Archives use of post returns. Although some ruary 1855 - August 1857; and in the National Archives. were hand-drawn, the post return for Fort Capron, April 1850 - May Many officers, however, created generally was a printed form that 1858. The F'ort Dallas returns indi­ their own sketches and diagrams featured a number of blanks which cate that, in January 1842, the fort which depicted roads, forts, Indian the post's commanding officer com­ was turned over to the United encampments and, on a few occa­ pleted. States Navy and the troops were sions, actual drawings of forts. Basically, the return for the re­ removed to Fort Lauderdale. These sketches remain with the port period shows the company Unlike Fort Lauderdale, Fort military records and now are and regiment assigned to the post; Dallas was re-occupied during the filed with the accompanying reports the numbers present, sick and Third Seminole War. One of the pri­ among the records of the Navy and absent; and the names of the offi­ mary troop activities at this post Old Army Branch of the Military cers and surgeons at the post. was the construction, under the Archives Division. The first page of the first post command of Cpt. Abner Doubleday, -11- •.If. -

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Map from "Menl-' oir of R econnais­ ~ . sances ... " Shows several military routes in south Florida. (Record Group 393, V.S. Army Continental Commands.) (i) -12- First Post Return on file for Fort Lauderdale. (Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office.) the inventor of baseball, of a wagon assigned to virtually all the major great as the number of post returns. road north to New River. Fort Florida posts during the Seminole However, there are monthly reports Dallas later became the starting Wars. Surgeon Ellis Hughes indica­ from Fort Lauderdale, 1839 - 1842; point for expeditions against the ted, on Fort Lauderdale's hand­ Fort Dallas, 1840 - 1842; Key Bis­ Indians in the interior when the drawn form of September 1839, cayne, 1839 - 1841; and Fort theater of war shifted from north­ that there were 24 patients. Their Jupiter, 1855. central Florida to south Florida ailments ranged from dysentery and Related, but not so useful, is during the last Seminole War. diarrhea to night blindness and gun the correspondence found in the These expeditions and the com­ shot wounds. The cases of two Medical Officers' Files, maintained pletion of the wagon road are men­ soldiers who had died were de­ by the Adjutant General's Office. tioned briefly in the return for scribed meticulously by Hughes on Originally, the documents found in Fort Dallas during the 1850s. the form's reverse side. Hughes this file were in the records of the Likewise, the returns for Fort also noted that many soldiers had Surgeon-General. They later were Russell, earlier referred to as Fort been afflicted with night blindness removed and assigned to the Bankhead, document the establish­ and, in addition, he described his Adjutant General for safe-keeping. ment and growth of Key Biscayne course of treatment. A few of these files contain infor­ as an important base and depot for These reports comprise an excel­ mation about the surgeons' activi­ the United States naval contingent, lent source for a study of early ties, but they seldom contain docu­ under the joint command of Lts. 19th century medicine and the way ments that include personal obser­ John McLaughlin and Levin M. in which army surgeons practiced vations. Arranged by the name of Powell, and supplement the earlier medicine in the sub-tropical climate. the surgeon, the files frequently available correspondence regarding Many are extensive and remarkably include the surgeon's application the island. Although the monthly detailed regarding the diagnosis, the for service and letters to the Sur­ post returns of south Florida posts method of t reatment , the effect of geon-General about arrivals to and are sometimes incomplete from Indian arrows on the body, and departures from each post. Basi­ t heir dates of establishment to the general effect of the clim at e cally, surgeons' names can be ob­ abandonment, they do provide the and countryside on army personnel. tained from the post returns. researcher with vital information Many surgeons, such as Jacob One of the most im portant for use in conjunction with other Rhett Motte, Samuel Forry, John functions of the Adjutant General military records. Bemrose and Nathan Jarvis, wrote was to issue and maintain copies Similar in format, but providing extensive private diaries and jour­ of orders, not only of those issued different information, are the nals of their adventures in the by the War Department but also of Monthly Reports of Sick and Florida wilderness. those issued by the various adminis­ Wounded. These were prepared by The number of surgeons reports trative commands of the United the assistant surgeons who were for south Florida forts is not so States Army. Orders issued by the -13- Army of the South from 1837 to for an immediate supply of fresh 1842, by the 9th Military Depart­ vegetables. It is probable that forts ment from 1838 to 1845, and by in the south Florida area were the Department of Florida from constructed similarly and in accor­ 1850 to 1858 are on file here as dance with these instructions from well as with the records of the com­ Jesup. mands from which they were issued. The Adjutant General's Office These orders enhance the value of also maintained the muster rolls the post returns and surgeons which each company or unit in reports in that they frequently the United States Army had to pinpoint when a certain fort was submit to Washington on a bi­ established and/or abandoned. monthly basis. Unlike the post Many south Florida forts were returns, the muster rolls contained established by orders issued by the names of everyone assigned to General Jesup, commanding general the unit, whether present or absent. of the Army of the South from The value of the muster roll does 1836 to 1838. Not only did the not lie so much with this specific orders establish or recommend information but, rather, with the abandonment of military posts, but information regarding where the they also suggested means by which unit was assigned when the muster

Surgeon Ellis Hughes' monthly report of the sick and wounded at Fort Lauderdale, September 1839. (Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office.) -14- was taken. In addition, they supply the names of the individuals, gen­ erally officers, who filed reports. The muster rolls normally con­ tained a section on the reverse side entitled "Record of Events." Here, the company clerk frequently added comments concerning the unit's activities during the report­ ing period. Occasionally, reports of all unit marches, encampments and battles with the Indians would be entered in this space. By themselves, the muster rolls are not so impor­ tant as other War Department records already described but, com­ bined with other records, they do prove useful. Additionally, the Adjutant Gen­ eral's Office maintained three other special series of records that may be useful to the researcher of south Florida military history. For the most part, these records were not created by units in the field but, instead, by War Department clerks. Briefly, they are known as the Gen­ eral Information Index, the Outline Index of Military Installations, and the Reservation file. All three pri­ marily refer to military installa­ tions of one kind or another. The General Information Index was compiled by War Department clerks in the early decades of this century and includes copies of letters sent by the Adjutant General to researchers who had requested information concerning specific posts. Other documents include ci­ tations to War Department records and published sources which aug­ One of the first letters written by Maj. Lauderdale to Gen. Jesup from ~ ment the War Department collec­ New River, March 13, 1838. (Record Group 94, Jesup's Papers, Records tion. The replies to such questions of the Adjutant General's Office.) usually contain a capsule history of the fort or event, based upon throughout the United States. The gather regarding military installa­ whatever research War Department Florida entries, alone, total more tions. clerks could undertake. The files than 300. Although the south Florida forts are arranged alphabetically, by sub­ The Reservation file is a larger of the Seminole War are represent­ ject. Occasionally, original docu­ collection of original War Depart­ ed in this file, only two, Forts ments' like maps or sketches which ment documents which relate to Dallas and Jupiter, are of any con­ pertain to a particular fort or site, military posts. In particular, there is sequence. The Fort Dallas file in­ are filed among the file jackets. a concentration of information per­ cludes a synopsis of construc­ The Outline Index of Military taining to the abandonment and tion which had occurred at the fort Installations is a collection of sale of Army post lands or their in 1855 when the fort was re-occu­ bound volumes. They approximate­ transfer to other government agen­ pied during the Third Seminole ly equal one volume per letter of cies' notably the Department of War. The documents reveal that the alphabet. Not only does the Interior. This series also is arranged the land on which the fort was built Index include entries for the larger alphabetically by the name of the had been leased for $250 and that and more important forts, but it fort and, similarly, functions as a all improvements and buildings lists information on the more ob­ catch-all for any information which would revert to the original owners scure camps and forts established the War Department was able to after the fort no longer was needed. -15- The file also indicates that suffi­ refer to the problems incurred by Brown, concerning the establish­ cient numbers of palmetto logs for the United States Army in southern ment of and the activities at Fort buildings were not available at the Florida during the establishment of Pierce. Apparently, this post became fort site and that frame houses bases. These were essential in order the primary quartermaster depot with shingles and board would be to more effectively attack the from which the lower east coast purchased elesewhere. In contrast, Indians who had been pushed fur­ was supplied. To a lesser extent, the Fort Jupiter file features an ther southward by the Jesup the maintenance of the post at excellent map of the Jupiter area Campaign of 1838. Jupiter Inlet is described. which indicates the site of the There are also a number of let­ Many of the reports tend to be original and new Fort Jupiter. ters from Lts. John McLaughlin routine and merely reveal quarter­ and Levin M. Powell which relate master supply activities. Combined In 1934 the Adjutant General's to the co-operation between the with some of the other series of Office acquired a large collection of United States Army and Navy to records already described, however, the private and official 'papers of prevent the Indians from obtaining they yield a fuller picture of the Gen. Thomas S. Jesup, who had arms and ammunition from Cuba. complex military operations re­ commanded the American Army in These documents reveal the ex­ quired to establish and maintain Florida from 1836 to 1838. When tensive use of coastal steamboats a post in the hostile environment the records of the Adjutant Gener­ to supply the posts of Fort Lauder- that was south Florida. Unfortu- al's Office were accessioned by the dale and Dallas with provisions nately, few historians have referred National Archives, these records from northern posts, principally to the valuable documents in this were assigned to Record Group 94. Forts Pierce and Jupiter. Key Bis­ file. It has been an overlooked Comprising 19 boxes and 12 vol­ cayne became important as a sup­ treasure house of source material umes, the collection consists of ply depot and as an anchorage for for the Second Seminole War. materials which date as early as United States Naval vessels. These 1813 and as late as the 1840's. latter were employed to aid the Rounding out the records of the Unlike the sizeable collection of Army in flushing out the Seminoles Adjutant General's Office are the Jesup Papers in the Manuscript from the mangrove swamps along letters and reports sent there by Division of the Library of Congress, the southern peninsula. field officers. Most reports from this series of records contains an Also among the Jesup collection district commanding officers, who extensive file of letters and reports reports is, quite possibly, the first served in the Florida wars, were which had been sent to the general detailed map of the southeast written by those in charge of dis­ by officers in the field. The volumes coast of Florida, ranging from tricts, special expeditions and, spe­ include letters sent and orders south of the Jupiter Inlet to the cifically, in command of the Uni­ issued. Some, however, are dupli­ mouth of the New River. Drawn by ted States Army in Florida. cated in other series already des­ Lt. Frederick Searle and accom­ Consequently, many reports cribed. A few original letters, sent panied by a brief letter, the map concerning the Florida campaigns by Jesup, also can be found among depicts the route taken by Major were written by Generals Jesup the documents. But, the best source Lauderdale and the Tennessee Vol­ and Armistead and Colonels Taylor for these are the 12 previously unteers from Jupiter to New and Worth. Their reports, in turn, mentioned and the letters received River. In addition, the map defines were forwarded with copies of by the Adjutant General. the encampments at the con­ other reports submitted by lower While most documents in this clusion of each day's march, as ranking officers who had been collection concern operations in well as the date of arrival, March operating in the field. Some of north and central Florida, they are 5,1838, at New River. Jesup's correspondence includes, an important source for military Other reports which describe the accordingly, copies of original do­ activities in the south Florida area country and the Indians in the cuments now among the Jesup in that they contain some of the south Florida area can be found papers. original reports and letters sent by among those submitted to Jesup Unfortunately for the researcher the first Army troops that arrived by Lt. Col. Harney. In addition to of these documents, only the names in the southern part of the terri­ Harney, who described several ex­ of the forwarding officers are in­ tory. peditions into the interior during dexed in the registers 0 f letters Within this collection are several attempts to meet with the Semin­ received by the Adjutant General. original letters written to General oles, Surgeon-General Thomas Law­ Together with the letters received Jesup by Major Lauderdale at New son, in several lengthy and de­ by the 9th Military Department River in March 1838. Additional tailed reports, described the dif­ and the Department of Florida, reports from Col. James Bank­ ficulties encountered when estab­ these records complete the major head and Cpt. Lucien Bonaparte lishing a post at Cape Sable, later correspondence series relating to Webster concerning the establish­ named Fort Poinsett in honor of the military presence in south ment of Forts Dallas and Lauder­ the Secretary of War. Florida. dale and Key Biscayne, also refer­ There are additional extensive Specific documents in this series red to as Fort Bankhead, are in­ reports, written by Col. Benjamin include the letters or reports cluded. These particular reports Kendrick Pierce and Cpt. Harvey from such south Florida post -16- officers as Maj. Thomas Childs at Fort Dallas and Cpts. William B. Davidson, Martin Burke and John Vinton at Fort Lauderdale. These are filed under the reports submit­ ted by Col. Worth or General Armistead. Some letters, especially those reports from Lt. McLaughlin of the United States Navy which deal with operations at Fort Pierce from 1840 to 1841 and at Key Biscayne in 1840, can be located here. Col. Worth's dispatches include a description of McLaughlin's ex­ haustive 1841 expedition through the Everglades, across Lake Okee­ chobee and south to Key Biscayne. Filed under "Harney" are that officer's reports of his operations in south Florida, particularly his expedition into the Everglades in search of Sam Jones. The second most important source of records regarding south Florida's military history can be found among the documents in Record Group 393, Records of the United States Army Continental Command. The records, created and maintained by the 9th Mili­ tary Department and the Depart­ ment of Florida, contain documents concerning the conclusion of the Third Seminole War, which con­ cluded early in 1859. As in the case of the other described series of records, much documentation in these files fea­ tures military operations in north­ central Florida. Exceptional, how­ ever, are the activities of the Third Seminole War when a majority of the operations shifted to the areas between Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers, on the Gulf Coast. A sizeable number of documents do exist for the Fort Dallas area, however, because that post became a major one for launching expedi­ tions into the Everglades. Relating specifically to south Florida, docu­ mentation received by the 9th Military Department consists of letters and reports written by Captains Davidson, Burke and Vin­ ton at Forts Lauderdale and Dallas, by Cpt. Thomas West Sherman, Col. Harney and Lt. McLaughlin at Key Biscayne, and by Maj. Lt. Searle's map of Major Lauderdale's route from Jupiter to New River, Childs and Lt. Edward Otho March 1838. (Record Group 94, Jesup's Papers, Records of the Adjutant Cresap Ord at Fort Pierce. These General's Office.) -17- documents were written between passed in accuracy and attention is not in t he Quartermast er Consoli­ 1840 and 1842 but are not so to detail for that time. dated file. This large file was created voluminous as those filed am ong For example, t he southeast coast in the early 20th cent ury by War the Jesup papers between 1836 of Florida was drawn meticulously Department clerks who re-arr anged and 1838. By the conclusion of to scale and, in some cases, colors the letters received by the Quarter­ the Second Seminole War, most were added to enhance the effect. master General into a subject file south Florida posts had been Although they are not the earliest according to names of persons and abandoned, their existence deemed map s of the south Florida coast, general topics. unnecessary by military authorities. they do offer a unique source of Of all t he forts construct ed in During the Third Seminole War, reference for the south Florida the south Florida area during the Forts Dallas and Capron became historian. The maps of the Fort Seminole Wars, only three files in the two most important military Dallas/New River area, which ac­ this Consolidated File contain any posts in the south Florida area. company Cpt. Doubleday's report significant amount of information. Fort Capron had replaced Fort of the progress of his wagon road These files refer to Forts Dallas, Pierce as the chief depot for the north to New River, complements Capron and Jupiter, and this infor­ southeastern coastal posts for such and en lightens the latter's import­ mation is limit ed to the Third In dian River country posts as ance . Semi nole War era. Forts Vinton, Kissim m ee an d Bas­ Mu ch of the same can be said for The m ost important documenta­ singer, near Lake Okeechobee . Maj . Pemberton's report and ac ­ t ion concerning Fort Dallas is con­ The primary source for infor­ companying map of his campaign tained in a series of reports des- mation concerning the activities from Fort Kissimmee to Fort Dallas .cribing a survey of buildings at at Fort Capron, the expeditions and of Cpt. Child's several expe­ Fort Dallas when the United States southward to Fort Dallas and the ditions into the Everglades. Child's Army re-occupied the post in Jan­ many expeditions into the Ever­ data was especially informative uary 1855. The report, written by glades from Fort Dallas are found because it identified the locations Lt. Lewis Morris, is quite detailed among letters received by the of Seminole villages and temporary in relating the type of construction Department of Florida. Reports military fortifications. In addition, at the fort, e.g., stone, log or frame. and letters sent by such officers as there are several well-known maps Morris commented on the least Maj. Justin Dimrick, Cpt. Thomas and informative reports written by expensive manner in which to Childs and Maj. John Pemberton, Cpt. Doubleday concerning his ex­ construct additional troop barracks later the Confederate defender of pedition into the Key Largo area. and suggested that a small post be Vicksburg, furnished excellent des­ Cpt. Brennan's report and map of re-located at New River. There, criptions of the countryside, fauna his scout to the south area of what one could be supplied by boat and flora of south Florida. Other is now Dade County is equally steamboat. He estimated that addi­ documents written by Cpt. Bennett informative. These maps, in con­ tional construction at the post H. Hill and Maj. Allen Lowd con­ junction with those in the Carto­ would cost $3,500. This amount cern the development of Forts graphic Archives of the National would be sufficient for two frame Dallas and Capron during the Archives, are unsurpassed in pro­ buildings which measured 15 feet course of the Third Seminole War. viding the historian of south square, six frame buildings with a Perhaps the best source for com­ Florida history with a rare oppor­ kitchen 15 by 20 feet for officers, piled information, relating to south tunity to study the region in its a guard room and a clothing store. Florida during the Third Seminole nearly pristine state. The file also contained several War, is the collection of maps and Because most forts constructed documents concerning a claim by accompanying reports written by by the United States Army during Robert Fitzgerald Patrick for dam­ the officers who led scouts and the Seminole Wars were designed ages and rent. The file for Fort conducted the expeditions up and to be temporary, the Quarter­ Jupiter is less extensive, but it down the southeastern and Gulf master General's Department was features documents which refer to coasts. responsible for building and main­ the health conditions at the post Bound into four large volumes taining the many structures that as well as a description of the by the staff of the National Ar­ served as fortifications throughout territory between Forts Capron and chives, these latter reports and the Seminole conflicts. Jupiter. The latter material was maps were entitled: "Memoir of Some comments and descriptions written by Lt. Ambrose Powell Reconnaissances with Maps During were provided by officers in their Hill, of Civil War fame. the Florida Campaign." The original official reports concerning fortifi­ The Fort Capron file is the most work was compiled by Maj. Francis cations. Most information, however, voluminous of the three. It includes Nelson Page shortly after the con­ relating to the actual construction documents which relate to proper­ clusion of the third Florida war. and maintenance of posts can be ty leases, the destructive fire of While reports in these volumes are found within Record Group 92, July 17, 1856, which devastated a copies 0 f filed, original letters Records of the Office of the great deal of government property, received by the Department 0 f Quartermaster General, the most and the June 1856 inspection and Florida, the maps themselves are important series regarding fortifi­ survey of public buildings at the original and, probably, are unsur- cations within this record group post. This particular survey indi- -18- cates that the fort consisted of one Office of Naval Records and Li­ are also of special interest. These barrack which was set against a brary. Most of the documents are filed as enclosures in Cpt. log blockhouse with a roof of logs, concerning the participation of the Dallas' report to the Secretary of quarters fabricated of palmetto for United States Navy in southern the Navy. Some others written by officers and the post surgeon, and Florida consist of letters and re­ Powell concern the joint Army­ a hospital with no kitchen. Other ports received by the Secretary of Navy scouts in the New River and documentation concerns quarter­ the Navy. The reports are bound Fort Dallas areas during the spring master activities at the post, pro­ into volumes chronologically and of 1838. Most of these are filed blems with chartered steamboats, arranged into separate series of the under "Captain Dallas." and the acquisition of surfboats officers who submitted the reports. The well composed reports of for the unloading of steamboats Lieutenants Powell and McLaugh­ Commander Mayo are also notable. along the coast. lin and Commander Isaac Mayo In April 1839, Mayo was appointed Of less value to the researcher composed much of the corre- commander of the small squadron than to the genealogist are the spondence which is of interest to of ships which had been detailed reports of persons and articles hired the south Florida historian. Lt. to co-operate with the United by Quartermaster officers. These Powell operated roughly between States Army in south Florida reports were sent monthly to the 1838 and 1841. Some reports by waters. The majority of his reports Quartermaster General's Depart­ officers were sent directly to the describe encounters with the Indians ment in Washington and listed the Secretary of the Navy and filed in the Key Biscayne - New River names of all civilians and the types among the series entitled "Officers areas and his activities with Col. of property hired and leased at Letters." Many others, however, Harney. Especially mentioned are each military post. Among them formed enclosures to reports made the latter's scout into the Ever­ were carpenters, teamsters, black­ by superior officers to the Secre­ glades during the fall of 1839. smiths, horses and mules. The re­ tary. Most of these were written by These reports are filed among the ports are arranged by the names of Cpt. Alexander Dallas, commander series of "Commanders Letters." the quartermaster officers who of the West Indian Squadron and Perhaps the most interesting and hired the laborers or leased the overall commander in the Florida extensive documentation relating to animals. To obtain the name of a area from 1836 to 1838. Dallas' naval activities in south Florida specific quartermaster officer, one letters are filed accordingly, among can be found in the reports of Lt. can examine the post returns of a the "Captains' Letters." McLaughlin. His "Mosquito Fleet" particular post. Another group with special in­ had conducted the first riverine The Water Transportation .B-'ile, terest to south Floridians are Lt. warfare in American naval history. also in the records of the Office of Powell's reports. These refer, specif­ Not only did McLaughlin cruise the the Quartermaster General, con­ ically, to his expeditions to south­ Gulf and Atlantic, but he entered tains information concerning the east Florida and the initial estab­ the Everglades and transversed it vessels owned and operated by the lishment in September and Octo­ several times. Thus, he transported Quartermaster's Department and ber of a fort, later called Fort the war to the enemy. those leased from private indivi­ Dallas, at the mouth of the Miami l\lcLaughlin's activities are fully duals. Records relating to the River. Other reports include infor­ and vividly conveyed in his reports activities of ships like the FLII{1\ mation relating to Powell's expe­ of his Everglades expedition in Wr\ VE:, lVI01'T'O and the POIN­ dition up the Indian River to Fort August 1840 from Indian Key and SETrr, used by Lt. lVlcLaughlin, Pierce and to his encounter, in the Key Biscayne. During the winter can be found here. Other docu­ winter of 1838, with the Seminoles of 1840 - 41, McLaughlin also par­ ments relating to the use of steam­ near Jupiter. ticipated in another joint Arn1Y­ boats can be examined in the Lt. Thon1as Ijeb's letters about Navy expedition with Col. Harney. Quartermaster Consolidated file en­ the Seminole attack on Cape In the following year, he teamed titled .B'LORIDA. Florida Lighthouse in August 18~)6 with Cpt. Martin Burke. Together Not only did the United States Army create records relating to the south Florida areas, but the United States Navy also asscmbIed a large and valuable series of records. Unlike the bulk of the LJnited States Army records, which also deal with other areas of Florida during the Seminole Wars, the naval records which relate to this period deal almost exclusively with the south Florida area. These records art} now part of Record Group 45, records of the Naval Records Collection of the they embarked upon a journey which took them eastward across the Everglades and Lake Okeecho­ bee and down the east coast to Key Biscayne. Filed in the "Officers' Letters" series are detailed des­ scriptions of the country and the Seminoles which McLaughlin in­ cluded among his many reports to the Secretary of the Navy. Parties interested in examining these naval records first should read George E. Buker's study: Swamp Sailors: Riverine Warfare in the Everglades, (Gainesville, 1975), in which Buker made extensive use of these records. Sometime during the early 20th century, Navy Department clerks compiled a typescript of many of Powell's and McLaughlin's reports. Before being placed among Record Group 45, the pages were bound and the documents were entitled "Records Relating to the Service of the Navy and the Marine Corps on the Coast of Florida, 1835 ­ 1842." The only apparent function of the volume is to provide a quick access to some of the reports, the originals of which are scattered among a number of separate vol­ umes. In closing this discussion of relevant records which pertain to south Florida, it also should be noted that a few of Lt. McLaugh­ lin's reports can be located in the letters received by the Secretary of War. This particular series has not been described because it is of relatively minimal use for those seeking documents which relate to south Florida history. For that reason also, the series of letters sent by the Secretary of War, the Adjutant General and the Secretary of the Navy were omitted, even though some instructions originating from these offices had some bearing on the course of events in south Florida. It is be­ lieved, however, that the fore­ going discussion of the most sig­ nificant series of War and Navy Department records in the National Archives will provide future re­ searchers with a fuller appreciation of the potential of the immense Cpt. Doubleday's map of the Fort Dallas-New River area from "Memoir quantity of source material con­ of Reconnaissances .. ." (Record Group 393, U.S. Army Continental tained in that institution. Commands.)

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