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The South Florida Frontier Between the Seminole Wars Sunland Tribune Volume 26 01/01/2000 Article 10 2000 The Army Vs. The Indians Vs. The Settlers: The South Florida Frontier Between the Seminole Wars Joe Knetsch Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune Recommended Citation Knetsch, Joe (2000) "The Army Vs. The Indians Vs. The Settlers: The South Florida Frontier Between the Seminole Wars," Sunland Tribune: Vol. 26 , Article 10. Available at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune/vol26/iss1/10 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sunland Tribune by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ARMY VS. THE INDIANS VS. THE SETTLERS: The South Florida Frontier Between the Seminole Wars Dr. Joe Knetsch flints and two hundred "Ball Buckshot & Cartridges." In reporting on the arrival of the One of the constant themes of Florida colony, General William Worth commented: frontier history is the continued threat of "the land is of Superior quality & from the violence. Either real or imagined, the threat character of the Gentlemen concerned, there of a painful death at the hands of unknown is certainty of success."1 assailants, normally alleged to be Indians, loomed in the background of every The success of the Manatee colony was settlement on the frontier. The acts of further assured by the arrival of other, some providing settlers with ammunition, prominent, men from Middle Florida. They weapons and constant patrols put the U.S. brought with them money, influence, Army in the middle of all potential connections to the political elite and some outbreaks. Therefore, any act, or reported business acumen that many of Reid’s settlers act, of violence by the remaining Indian did not have. The names of the Bradens, population had to be investigated, thwarted Gamble and others ring back the notable or rebuffed, and the settlers reassured that figures of early Manatee. As Janet Snyder the incident was either false or isolated. The Matthews has accurately recorded, this era Army’s predicament on the southern frontier also brought H. V. Snell, William Whitaker of Florida between the Second and Third and Manuel Olivella into the land of historic Seminole Wars becomes obvious with the Manatee County. This leadership core, study of many of the remaining documents. including Reid, meant that the area was There was, to be sure, some violence caused blessed with men of wisdom and by Indians straying outside of the 1842 connections which would allow the area to boundary, however, some of the violence grow and prosper, even in the face of was not directly caused by this group but by renewed Indian danger.2 whites hoping to manipulate the Army into a position of removing the remaining Indians, The end of the Second Seminole War did by force if necessary. not, however, bring peace to the Florida frontier. The tensions between the U.S. The Armed Occupation Act of 1842, had not Army, some of the settlers and the Indians yet passed when new settlers began arriving remained to incite many plans, plots and acts in historic Manatee County. The most of violence. Accounts of Indian-related notable group was the colony of Colonel violence appeared frequently in the Samuel Reid, on the Manatee River. The newspapers of the young territory. On June well-connected Reid recruited from his 13, 1843, for example, the Tallahassee fellow Middle-Floridians a colony of thirty- Sentinel reported that in Alachua County: two people (fifteen white males, ten black "Another Indian Outrage . We are all in males, two black females and four black arms again on account of the Indians." children) and settled on lands previously Wrote a correspondent from Newnansville, scouted on April 16, 1842. The colony was "On Monday, two Indians entered the house supplied with ten muskets, twenty musket of Mr. Gideon Hague, situated near San Felasco Hammock, and, attacking his wife, suspicious of our wish to entrap them left her for dead. Herself, child and a small and force their removal. As long as they negro girl were the only persons at home. are suspicious, it will be difficult to carry The girl escaped with the child and gave the out the wishes of the Government, but alarm to the family of Reuben Hague, their suspicion may be gradually residing about a half mile distant . "3 An removed by constantly observing attack that far north of the Manatee towards them an apparent indifference, settlement, in an area supposedly safe from making them no presents, asking few harm and devoid of Indians, increased the questions, respecting their people, never feeling of vulnerability for everyone on the persuading them to visit here, and frontier. Further afield, early the next year, permitting them to purchase of the trader on the waters of the Choctawhatchee Bay in whatever they may wish and can pay the Florida Panhandle, the reports of further cash for, including powder and whiskey Indian massacres could not have set well for which written orders are given . A with those concerned with the security of the trader is appointed who is required to exposed settlements further south.4 keep on hand all articles usually wanted by the Indians, to purchase their skins, to The policy of the Federal Government at sell at reasonable prices and in all this time did not sit well with the settlers, respects to deal fairly and honestly with who had hoped that the Army would finish them; the Commanding Officer will the job of removing the last of Florida’s have to look to this matter frequently . native population. In July of 1843, General In order to verify our information as to William Worth, commanding in Florida, the number of male Indians the wrote the following to Major Wright, then commander will keep a roll of all who commanding at Fort Brooke, Tampa Bay: may present themselves; this must be done without their observation as it may The Indians in Florida are permitted to excite suspicions . .5 reside temporarily in that portion of the Territory included within the red lines Thomas P. Kennedy was given many of the represented on the Map herewith normal articles of trade from the Disbursing furnished, where they are to remain and Agent, S. G. Capers, on August 10, 1843. not to leave, except to visit this Post for These articles of trade included 2,000 the purpose of trading or other business. common "Sigars," 35 pounds of tobacco, 98 They are to keep at peace with the Indian shawls, 32 camp kettles, 210 yards of whites, and for depredations which may calico, and numerous other articles, but, be done them by the whites, they are to noticeably lacking in this list are powder and complain here, where justice is to be whiskey.6 The trade was to be carried on in done them; for depredations to them on Tampa, however, this arrangement soon the whites, their chief is to notice it by became too risky for all parties and Kennedy promptly punishing those of his people opened his store on Charlotte Harbor. concerned . There are but few Indians in the Territory and it is the The Army also attempted to manipulate the desire of the Government, as soon as it Indians in the selection of a leader. It was can be done without the risk of renewing thought that the old policy of divide and rule difficulties, to remove them West. To would benefit the policy of removal of the this they are greatly opposed and are Indians to the west. Worth wrote to Colonel William Belknap on December 13, 1843, Irishman named MacKay and a citizen of about his concerns with the policy, then Tampa named Stacks lived on "Matallachee being followed by the Colonel: "I have some Key" (Little Pine Island). He also noted that doubts as to the policy of fermenting a Sanibel and Captiva both had old rivalry between Bowlegs & Assinwah for settlements on them, but were unoccupied at the chieftancy; and simply because the one the time.8 It is obvious that when Kennedy or the other might seek the ascendancy by a moved his store and trading post to the area, war movement - this doubt aside, a rupture he was not alone and may not have been the between them would be our gain . On all only "trader" trading with the Indians. these matters I can but thro out hints & suggestions as every movement must be the (Note: There is no corresponding endnote 8 result of circumstances - where they indicate at the end of this essay) a decided course and time permit send me an extra express - on such occasions allow no Rumors of war soon, however, began to letters to be sent except those that are private rumble over the frontier of southwestern & official to my self or staff - thus only can Florida. On August 5, 1844, General Worth we keep our operations duly secret."7 The wrote to his commander at Tampa, Captain policy was calculated to cause dissent and Montgomery, the following: "I desire you to diversion, thus making the opportunity for cause the enclosed communication to be the Army to deport the Indians west that forwarded with the least avoidable delay to much easier. Divided, the Indian leadership Colonel Reid, by the Star, if at Tampa, and probably realized that the tribes stood little not urgently employed - instruct the chance of remaining in Florida, therefore, in messenger to await for Colonel Reid’s the long run, this policy did not work to the answers if he be found at his residence .
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