Seminole Wars
First Lieutenant George A. McCall, 4th US Infantry

Camp-20 miles within the Great Cypress, 14 December 1841

My Dear Father:-An Indian arriving express from the Post on the Carlos-a-hatchee, brought me yesterday a most acceptable package of letters which followed me from Fort Gibson to a point where, I will venture to say, you little thought at the time of writing, one of your epistles would ever penetrate.

We marched from the Carlos-a-hatchee on the 3d inst., with eleven companies of the 4th, 6th, and 8th Regiments, and two companies of Dragoons, carrying with us provision for fifteen days. Colonel Worth accompanied the expedition about thirty miles to the edge of the "Big Cypress Swamp," where he took leave of us, delivering the command to Major Belknap. It was at first the Colonel's intention to advance on the Cypress, which runs nearly north-east and south-west across the peninsula, (about thirty miles south of the Carlos-a-hatchee,) in three columns, of one of which I was to have had the command; but owing to the difficulty of penetrating the country by any route but the old Indian trail, he decided on advancing in one column, and dividing the forces into two columns after reaching the Cypress; where, at last accounts, the Indians were secreted on islands supposed to be inaccessible to the troops. We accordingly marched in one column under Major Belknap, the right wing being commanded by Major Graham of the 4th, and the left by myself, (two or three senior captains having been left, with their own companies only, in command of Subsistance Depots.) This arrangement gave me a horse-a fine, active animal-from one of the dragoon companies. We had scarcely advanced out of sight of our Post, before we got into water, and were seldom out of it again for two days and a half, when we reached the Cypress. Thus far we had passed through a pine and palmetto country with firm sand bottom. Our progress was slow as we marched through water from six inches to two feet in depth. We passed occasional swells in the land that were not under water; these (though rather of the moistest) served for resting-places, and sometimes for encamping-grounds, when no dry land was to be found.

At length we encamped on a little pine island, on the threshold of the formidable, the horridly gloomy-looking Cypress, into which we were to plunge the next morning with the determination to make our way to the abiding-places of the long-hunted and now hard-pressed Seminoles. No troops had ever yet penetrated more than skin-deep into this last refuge of the savage. The island, on which the Council was held last summer, at which it was resolved to put to death any man who proposed peace, we were told by the guides was thirty miles south-east, near the centre of the Big Cypress; and that there we should find the Prophet's band. To reach this island, to fight and capture this band, and to return, ten days' rations would be necessary; [a soldier cannot well carry more than five, in addition to his arms, with sixty rounds of ball-cartridge, &c., &c.:] and it was now ascertained that pack-mules could be forced through by but one route. Again the plan of separate columns had to be abandoned, and we entered this gloomy domain together. The first step was knee-deep; but suffice it to say, that in two and a half days, sometimes putting six men to each mule to drag him through a bog, we reached this place, a distance of twenty miles.

Here we found a good pine island to encamp on; but here also we were told by the Indian guides, that neither horse nor mule could go further. The Prophet's Island lay about eight miles due south, and there was another settlement of a few families to the westward, five miles.

The next morning, Major Graham was ordered to march with two companies to the latter point,-while Major Belknap moved with the remaining six companies for the former. We had a terrible swamp to pass through; but on arriving within a mile of the spot, the Major divided his force, giving me, besides my own company, one of the 6th Regiment, under Lieutenant Emory, and one of the 8th Regiment, under Captain McKavett. Here we separated, he eastwardly, I westwardly, so as, if possible, completely to surround the island. But, alas! the bird had flown; we found nothing but the corn and pumpkin fields, and the deserted lodges;-from all appearances, they had been abandoned near a month. We encamped on the island, and had a good supper on roasted pumpkins. The next morning I took forty men of my company for an exploring party. I steered south, and after wading about two miles, came in sight of a live-oak hummock, lying eastwardly; for this I steered, and soon saw signs of Indians.

After an hour's wandering through the tall brush and brier, often having to cut my way, I found a settlement of four lodges, with a corn and pumpkin field, but apparently as long abandoned as the others. We, however, found the track of Indians, who had been there on a visit about ten days previous. None of our guides knew anything of the country south of the Prophet's Town; but my guide no sooner saw the track and was told to follow it, than with the wonderful skill of his race, he carried me across the island in a southerly course, where the Indians had again taken to the Cypress and had gone south. Through many parts of the Cypress here, there grows in the water a long grass, which, when pressed down by a person in passing, does not rise again, and thus leaves a very plain trail. I followed this trail for some miles, when it led me to a small wet prairie. Here the party had separated for the purpose of leaving no trail on gound comparatively dry; but the guide soon found and pointed out to me the foot-prints of six men and one woman who had walked here breast and about three yards apart; again, when they came to water they came together. After some time I came to another and larger prairie, alternately dry and wet, having on the east in the distance a large live-oak hummock, on the south a formidable cypress, and on the west strips of pine woods. Here we pressed hot upon the trail, and the guide expressed his belief that the Prophet could not be many miles off, judging from the appearance of the country. But we had not gone far before the guide discovered that they had been playing a deep game, which is managed in this way:-When they wish to conceal their abode, their approach to it is never direct, and perhaps often leading you by a plain trail past it; the foremost of the party will, by making a high, long step over the top of the grass to the right or left, light upon the toe only, and step by step carefully arranging the grass thus disturbed, make his escape; his absence will scarcely be observed upon the trail, and the one who succeeds him as leader, pursues the route for some hundred yards, when he makes his escape in like manner; and so on, till but one is left, and he also continues the direct course, till deep water, a thicket, a rock, or something of the kind, affords him also an opportunity to escape, and the most skilful in this accomplishment brings up the rear.

This game was successfully played in this case, the last one being a man with a very large foot (for an Indian). He led us to a deep pond, where among the rocks he gave the slip to all pursuers. We searched around the pond, but could not discover a trace of where he had left it.

I then determined to search the hummock on the left, and after some difficulty we made our way into it and searched for a considerable distance. Here also we found a pumpkin-field, but no recent signs. Here let me mention that in this region the pumpkins bear all the year round. We have always found them on the vines in every stage, from the blossom to maturity; and so it is said they continue till spring, when the vine does not die, but new leaves cast off the old ones; it beings to run rapidly, and soon recommences to blossom. It is said the same vine continues in this way to bear for many years.

But to return to my excursion. I continued my profitless search till near night, when I returned to the village and slept well. On this occasion, having no transportation, each officer carried his own blanket and his provisions. The only change of clothes I took was a flannel shirt and a pair of socks. Our rations being consumed, we were compelled to return to this point, where we had left what had remained to us. On our arrival we found Graham had come in the day before, having like ourselves been disappointed.

It is thought, however, the Indians are somewhere down there still; and as we expect a supply of rations to-morrow, we shall set out with as much as we can properly carry, and penetrate, if possible, to the end of the land.

I never was in better health, notwithstanding the exposure, without tents, one blanket, and the same clothes to sleep in at night that one has waded in all day.

The express who carries this letter will soon set out; I must therefore bid you farewell until we return from the proposed scout, which, I trust, will be more successful.

Big Cypress Swamp, Fla., Depot No. 1, 25 December 1841

My Dear Brother:-"Me voici," reclining at full length upon my only blanket, which is spread upon a bed of deep-green palmetto-leaves, and guiding the pen as well as may be in that position, to say how sincerely I wish you all a "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and many, many returns of this season of gratulation."

My last letter, which, if I recollect right, was dated about the 14th, gave you some account of our first scout, wherein I informed you that, after finding that the Prophet had abandoned his village and fields, which were snugly ensconced in a heavy cypress swamp, the island on which he had established himself containing about thirty acres of very rich land, and being surrounded by a deep boggy girdle, where the water was nearly waist-deep, I made a little excursion still further south, with a part of my company, and found a trail, which, after following it some miles, I lost, having only the satisfaction of knowing that I had penetrated some distance to the southward of any other white man. However, my report to the commanding officer had the effect to change the whole plan of campaign in this quarter. For concurrent intelligence received by him while I was out, had led to the belief that the Indians had abandoned their strong-holds in the cypress and gone to the Okeechobee, and he had during the day dispatched to Colonel Worth an express, saying, that he should break up his depots hereabouts and proceed northwardly. I protested, modestly, against this course. I told him, that what I had seen that day only convinced me that we knew positively nothing of the country as yet; that the country began to change its features as I progressed to the south; becoming clearer, and interspersed with more frequent patches of pine and savannah land; that in my front, at the time I lost the trail, lay an enormous mass of dense and heavy cypress, on the farther side of which would probably be found a stretch of country as distinctly marked as itself, and of opposite character, that is, of an aspect as favorable as this is dense and forbidding; for such are the freaks dame Nature has played in this unparalleled region; and that, such being the case, there we should assuredly find the Indians. At any rate, it was worth the labor to explore it before we left the South. And so it was decided on that night; and the following morning we retraced our steps to our camp (Depot No. 3), and counter-communications were forwarded for a further supply of provisions. In forty-eight hours we got six days' supply, with which, and one day's supply on hand, we set out to seek adventures. Five days' rations of hard bread and meat, with sixty rounds of ball-cartridges, blanket, &c., &c., is as much as a soldier can move comfortably with on good roads. We, however, took seven days, not knowing how far we might be led. Thus, each officer was compelled to say to himself, "Now must I determine to regulate my appetite according to the strength of my shoulders, or, at least, by the burden I am willing to oppress them withal;" for horse or mule could not pass four hundred yards beyond our depot.

Thus equipped, we took up our line of march in three columns, (each column moving in Indian file,) the centre commanded by Maj. Belknap, the right by Major Graham, and the left by myself. Our course was south. On the second day, when we arrived at the ground where my guide had lost the trail, the search was renewed, but without success. We continued to coast the immense cypress, I have before spoken of, through a varied growth of small cypress, pine, and scrub, in the hope of striking the same trail. In a few hours we found the trail of three men, two women, and two children, which, on reaching the large cypress, continued to coast it. We followed until it was time to encamp, which we did on rather damp ground. After a cold, sleepless night, we again resumed the trail, determined to follow it, although some ten days old at the least, until it conducted us to the grand rendezvous, which was probable, or until we overtook the party and then compelled them to lead us thither. You must recollect we had been marching two entire days through a country entirely under water, except occasional small islands of from one to two or three acres. Soon after we started, the third morning, the air being cold enough to make one's fingers tingle, our trail turned into the Big Cypress, and we stepped from water ankle-deep to water knee-deep, and which after some time reached our waist-bands. In a dark cypress like this, where the direct and cheering ray of the sun never finds its way, the water is proportionably colder, and for five mortal hours, by watch, did we toil through this water, never less than knee-deep, without finding a resting-place, except once for a short time we contrived to cluster on a little island one hundred yards square, which halt was not included in the five hours marching-time. You cannot form the most remote idea of the region we passed through, and which the Indians doubtless thought would prove an impassable barrier. The bottom was boggy, and the water was filled with old logs, snags, cypress-knees, and vines innumerable. The cypress, of towering height, was intermingled with cabbage-trees of several distinct species;-the whole were covered with millions and myriads of "air-plants," some budding-some in bloom-some in seed. I counted nine or ten species, some extravagantly curious-some singularly beautiful. But the most wonderful of all is a vine, which fastens itself upon the cypress, and forming a kind of network around the gigantic trunk, the different branches where they cross each other not merely interlacing, but actually incorporating, (for they are covered by but one bark in that connection, as wonderful as it may appear), and so continuing to ascend the leafless shaft, until they read the top, when, wonder of wonders, these vines all unite, incorporate, and become a tree which in some instances, with a trunk larger than my body, rises some twenty feet above the cypress, and is in shape, in the color of its bark, and in the leaf, which is a deep-green, like the bay-tree. In gazing round at all these new sights, I frequently came near pitching over a log, head foremost, into the water. At length we got through, passed a narrow skirt of dry pine land, and then came to a wet prairie; thus we followed the trail until night, when we found good encamping-ground.

The third day, after crossing the prairie, we came to a second cypress, little inferior in width and nothing in depth to the other; this we passed also, and then came into a different country. There was more pine timber and less water. Here we found tolerable ground for sleeping on. By the by, I should have mentioned that we had been constantly gaining in the chase, passing sometimes two, sometimes three of their encampments in a day.

It was a sad reflection that their appearance called up. To what extremities must the poor wretches have been driven, when they sought such a country as a refuge! The alligator, sometimes a crane, and the cabbage-tree, it was apparent from the relics that remained from their supper, were their only food. The fourth day we continued the pursuit, our guides never at a loss in tracing or rather trailing, and through a country still improving, though a couple of hundred yards brought us into water more or less deep, through which we marched the greater part of this day. We had been making something of a semicircle in our course, (writing in this position is getting confoundedly tiresome, and I must make short work of my narrative,)-we had gone south for a day or two nearly to the Mangroves, which border the big waters, and then westwardly. We resumed the trail the fifth day at sunrise as usual. The signs became fresher, and we were pushing on with vigor, being assured by our guides that before night they would bring us to the acquaintance of Indians, be they more or less in number. But we had not indulged this hope long, before the stillness and silence with which our march had been conducted, was broken in upon by a musket-shot, at some distance to the left. This brought us to a halt, and it was soon ascertained that one of the flankers of Major Graham's column, which was that day on the left, was missing. A second and a third shot soon told us that the man was lost, and a party, with an Indian, was sent after him. But the chief guide at once pronounced the game up. He said that the Indians could not be more than three or four miles ahead of us, and that a surprise was now out of the question, and their escape was certain. At length the culprit was brought up-a scoundrel Irishman, who, in momentary alarm of being left alone in the wilderness, had by his folly and rashness destroyed the hopes of many days, during which we had undergone such toil and exposure. There was but one cry-"Shoot him!" He ws punished, though not as he certainly deserved.

Again we proceeded-entered a deeper cypres, and the guides, five in number, shortly after requested that they might fall to rear of the advance-guard, as we should soon be upon the enemy; it was impossible for them to say whether they would fight or flee. This was done; and thus we proceeded between two and three miles, when, sure enough, the rifle's crack was followed by the war-whoop. A sergeant and one private of the advance fell dead. The heads of columns were at that instant entering a deep lily-pond in the cypress, the advance about half-way acros it. I was that day leading the centre column, and at the moment immediately in rear of the advance. I gave the word "forward,"-my own company, which was with me, answered the whoop with a shout of defiance and rushed on. We struggled through the water to the live-oak hummock from which the Indians fired-gained dry land, and routed them before more than a third of their number discharged their rifles. Some shots were fired at the scoundrels as our men saw the bushes move, but without success. Here I was joined by two companies of the 8th Regiment, which with my own constituted my column; the pursuit was then commenced, as soon as the men could be so extended as to cover a wide front. We found ourselves in a dry hummock which now became comparatively open. It is needless to say the pursuit was vain. They would not rally, and I soon found the country became so clear of brush as to preclude the hope of their so doing. At this time too I was recalled. In returning I struck a trail which bore off to the right. Following this, I was led to the village which had been abandoned that morning, and the women and children sent off; Graham having returned from a like fruitless pursuit to the left, in which direction some of the enemy had retired. They were computed at about fifty strong, and would have been surprised with their women and children in the village, had not the Irishman betrayed our approach by firing his gun. The sun was now getting low, and the guides declared nothing more could be done that night. The next morning it was ascertained that the Indians had fled in the opposite direction from our depot; we could expect to do nothing in less than two or three days' pursuit, and we were in a direct line already three days' march from camp, and with but a scant supply for two days. Galling as this was, we were compelled to steer our course homewards. This place being nearer than the depot we left, we marched for it, and arrived yesterday, a little hungry, some of the men having been two days without bread. We are all in good health, however, and shall try it again on the 27th inst.; perhaps better luck next time.

Altogether, it is thought to have been the roughest and most fatiguing scout perhaps ever made in Florida.

Camp Doane-Big Cypress, 16 January 1842

My Dear M----: I wrote to my brother on Christmas-day, and gave quite a long account of our movements. Two days afterwards we broke up the depot at that point and marched hither; establishing also another some sixteen miles lower down. Here we remained one day refitting, and the following, having left one company of the 8th Regiment in charge of the supplies, we marched some sixteen miles further south, taking with us the mules lightly packed, which we succeeded in getting through the swamps. Here, however, was the ultima-thule of our faithful beasts of burden, and we were left to the stoutness of our own backs and shoulders for the further transportation of our bedding and provisions. The next morning, four divisions, of two companies each, marched in different directions with six days' rations. To give you some idea of the country, I must tell you the mainland terminates at Cape Roman, all the southern portion of the peninsula laid down on the maps being but a vast conglomeration of islands of all sorts, sizes, and descriptions,-some being entirely sterile, others covered with Black Mangrove trees, (which is by far the largest class,) others again, with pine, cabbage-trees, or live-oak, while some are of a wild mixture of all four. The general character of the mainland south of Carlos-a-hatchee is one vast plain of scrub-cypress and stunted pine, all under water, from three to twelve inches, intersected by numerous deep channels and heavy cypress-swamps, dotted with small islands or dry spots of cabbage-tree and pine, with here and there a large dry hummock, or long pine ridge. Well, our four divisions marched in the directions designated; but before I had got well established on my course, having come to a dense and wet scrub, the three Indians who had been allotted to me as guides, declined to lead the way, although no hostile aspect lay before them; and their conduct on the occasion satisfied me that I could not place the slightest dependence on their assistance in following a trail, should I strike one, when the slightest chance of meeting an enemy was probable. I was accordingly compelled to take my pocket-compass and take the direct course through all obstacles; which, with the aid of a heavy hunting-knife, I effected through tangled juniper, beds of reeds, &c. But it is idle to relate the annoyances constantly occurring from a total want of knowledge of the country, and a treacherous want of assistance from guides on whom one is told to rely. But I pushed on, and at last struck a trail of three men, when I brought the Indians to the front, and compelled them to follow it.

This I was soon satisfied was-as they told me at first-the track of some of the men who had fired on us on a former scout. Knowing it was useless to follow a trail ten days old, and believing, as I had been told, that we should find fresh signs near Malco River, I left the trail and pushed on. In a short time I met Graham and McKavett, and we went together to Malco. On meeting these officers, they told me of the same treachery and rascality on the part of the guides,-that, in fact, they had been useless. I then proposed to Major Graham that we should bring the Indians together and settle the point at once. After pushing the chief home, he candidly acknowledged they had determined not to expose themselves to be shot in ambush, and would not hunt out trails any longer, unless the three columns marched together, and so disposed themselves as to protect entirely the body of guides, ten in number, from surprise and assault. All acknowledging it useless to proceed singly, we determined to return in three separate, but nearly contiguous columns, each column presenting a broad front, with an advance on either flank, so as to afford perfect security to the Indians. In this way we returned, making a wide sweep to the west; and thus in our way down and back, having passed through all the worst country between this post and the Mangroves, without meeting with Indians or seeing a "single fresh sign." We were all then satisfied that the Indians had retreated to the Mangrove Islands, and Colonel Worth was advised to fit out a boat expedition to the Mangroves, to start from Tampa. In the meantime, however, to render assurance doubly sure, another scout in somewhat the same direction was decided on. But forty days constant marching through mud and water, exposure to the heavy dews, without tents, and at times a scarcity of food, had laid our force of eleven hundred men upon the shelf. Eleven hundred men against a handful of savages! you will say, how ignoble and pitiful a service! And so it is. But we have a great extent of country to cover at the same time, and we have to follow the flying savage into fastnesses in which the wolf would starve. However, when the thing was decided on, it was found, on examination, that out of all the companies present, eight hundred men, we could muster but two hundred men fit for field duty; disease, and the wear and tear incidental to the exposure of the physicals in such a country as this, having rendered the remainder incapable of active service. These two hundred men were organized, forming four companies of fifty men each, two of which were placed under my command, and two under Captain Screven, and the command of the two divisions given to Major Graham, with orders to separate or keep united, as circumstances might require. As the officers were broken down pretty much in the same ratio with the men, two to each company was all we could muster. (Here let me remark, my own health has been and continues to be excellent). However, we had no occasion to separate, having traversed a great range of country without seeing a sign of an Indian. We returned night before last, having been absent seven days-and being fully satisfied there is not an Indian on this side of the Mangroves.

A boating expedition has started for the Mangroves, and we are waiting to see whether they will drive the Indians this way or round to the Everglades. God speed us to a termination of our disgusting, but arduous, and I fear thankless toils.

Some drops of rain have found their way through my palmetto shed upon my paper, which warns me to close the letter before it is obliterated by the evening shower. In addition to this, my position is anything but elegant or comfortable, I therefore bid you a good-night.

George A. McCall. Letters From the Frontiers. (1868), pp. 380-394.