he
country. They made their appearance simultaneously in the southern
part of the peninsula as far north as Picolata and from the extreme
east below St. Augustine to the west, carrying off everything that was
useful to them and destroying the remainder. At New River, on the
southeast side of the peninsula, they murdered the wife, children, and
teacher in the family of Mr. Cooley, carrying off provisions and
horses, and setting fire to the house on their departure.

The settlements in that neighborhood were abandoned, the inhabitants
taking refuge near the lighthouse on Cape Florida; but they had been
there only a short time when, the Indians making their appearance,
they were compelled to seek shelter and protection elsewhere.

The ruthless destruction of property and of lives on the east side of
the peninsula was heartrending. Their principal ravages, however, were
on the east side from St. Augustine to the south. Major Benjamin A.
Putnam, with a small detachment of men, marched into this country with
a view to drive the Indians away. He was met by an overpowering number
of the savages, and forced to retreat. In fact, no part of the State
seemed to be free from these murderous savages.

General Clinch made requisitions on the Governors of Georgia, South
Carolina, and Alabama to aid the Floridians in their unequal warfare
with the savages. It was felt by the citizens of Florida that the
Government at Washington showed great apathy, if not real
indifference, to their condition. A meeting was called in Charleston,
S.C., early in January, for the purpose of aiding the people of
Florida with men and means, but General Eustis informed the meeting
that General Clinch had sufficient force and supplies under his
command to subdue any number of Indians and negroes that could be
brought to oppose him. On January 12th, intelligence having been
received from General Clinch asking for six hundred men, the committee
conferred with General Eustis and requested him to send a company of
United States troops with arms and ammunition for the defense of St.
Augustine. This was granted, and the citizens of Charleston chartered
a steamboat and placed on board one thousand bushels of corn, one
hundred barrels of flour, thirty barrels of beef, twenty barrels of
pork, and ten tierces of rice. On January 20th another meeting was
called to raise volunteers for Florida. The banks of Charleston
subscribed twenty-five thousand dollars as a loan t