Fort King, Florida-- Part 1: To Control the Seminoles

The subject of Saturday's post was Gen. Wiley Thompson who was killed by Seminole leader Osceola at Fort King, Florida.

From Wikipedia.

Fort King, also called Camp king or Cantonment King, is located in north central Florida near the present-day city of Ocala.  It was named for Colonel William King, commander of Florida's 4th Infantry, the first governor of Provisional West Florida.

The fort was built in 1827 as tensions between settlers and the Seminoles in Florida intensified and it became an important base for the Army's removal of the Seminoles in the 1830s.  In 1844, it served as the courthouse for the newly formed Marion County.

When the Army left, it was taken apart by locals for use as building materials.

The site is now a National Historic Landmark and is located by the corner of East Fort King Street and 39th Avenue inOcala.  No visible signs of the fort remain.

--Brock-Perry

General Wiley Thompson: Seminole Indian Agent Killed By Osceola

From Wikipedia.

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that Francis Dade and his men were ambushed and massacred by Seminoles while on his way to help Gen. Wiley Thompson at Fort King near present-day Ocala.

September 1781 to December 28, 1835.  He died the same day as Dade and his men, all killed by the Seminoles.  Thompson was a U.S. Representative from Elberton, Georgia who served as a major general in the Georgia militia from 1817 to 1824.  I could not find out any reference to his War of 1812 service, but imagine he did have some sort of involvement in it.

He served in the U.S. Congress from 1821-1832.

Appointed Indian agent to the Seminoles and in 1834, directed their removal from Florida.  This angered Seminole warrior Osceola who killed him at Fort King, Florida on December 28, 1835.  Thompson is buried at his estate in Elberton, Georgia.

--Brock-Perry

St. Augustine National Cemetery-- Part 2

It was designated a national cemetery in 1881.  When Spain owned Florida, it was part of a Franciscan monastery and occupied by the military during British occupation.  When the United States took over, part of the old fort barracks was set aside as the post cemetery with the first internment coming in 1828.  Many of the early burials were of men killed fighting the Seminole Indians in Florida.

On December 23, 1835, Major Francis L. Dade and his company were ordered from Tampa to reinforce General Wiley Thompson's troops at Fort King in Ocala, Florida.  They got lost and were ambushed by the Seminoles with only one survivor.

The bodies of Dade and his men were buried a few months later by U.S. troops.  In 1842, after fighting with the Seminoles ended, the bodies were reinterred in St, Augustine.

--Brock-Perry

St. Augustine National Cemetery-- Part 1

Located in St. Augustine, Florida.

The Dade Monument consists of three coquina pyramids and was erected in 1842 to mark the end of the Second Seminole War.  Beneath the pyramids are the remains of 1,468 soldiers who died during the Seminole Wars, including the men of hapless Major Francis L. Dade who were massacred.

--Brock-Perry

3rd U.S. Infantry

I was unable to find out much about Duncan Clinch's service during the War of 1812, but he commanded a company in the 3rd U.S. Infantry so what they did, he probably did.

Wikipedia says that during the War of 1812 they served in Canada, Chippewa and Lundy's Lane.  They are the regiment known as the "Old Guard" famous for their guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery..

They were in the Seventh Military District as well which was headquartered in New Orleans.  They participated in fighting against the Creek Indians and in Jackson's capture of Pensacola.

--Brock-Perry

Francis Langhorne Dade: A Miami Connection

From Wikipedia.

While writing about Duncan Clinch, i saw that he served with Francis Dade.  Could this be the Dade for whom Dade County (Miami) was named after?  After all, both served in Florida?

Born 1793?.  Died December 28, 1835.

Killed during the Second Seminole War during what is known as "The Dade Massacre."

Joined the Army in 1813 and breveted to major in February 1828 in the 4th U.S. Infantry.

After the Second Seminole War, the Army moved his body and those of his men to what is now the St. Augustine (Fla.) National Cemetery.

Miami-Dade County in Florida and Dade counties in Georgia and Missouri are named after him as is Dadeville, Alabama,and Dade City, Florida.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 5: Refuge Plantation

Some Other Information.

Clinch commanded a company in the 3rd U.S. Infantry.

When he was appointed 1st lieutenant in 1808, it was with this regiment.

Clinch County, Georgia, on the Florida border, was named after him.  Homerville is its county seat.

Refuge  Plantation was one of the largest plantations in the South.  There is a marker for it on USD-15, 5/10 mile north of the Satilla River.  It was one of the largest rice plantations in the South and originally a crown grant of 500 acres given to George McIntosh and then passed on to his son John.  Duncal Clinch acquired it when he married John's daughter.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 4: In Politics and a Very Rich Man

From the Guide to Duncan Lamont Clinch Family Papers at the University of Florida Library.

After return from the Army, Duncan Clinch owned the Refuge Plantation on the Satilla River, Georgia, which he had inherited from his first wife's father, John Houstoun McIntosh.

In 1843, he was elected to replace Congressman John Millen who had died in office.  He was out of politics after one term until 1847 when he was nominated for Georgia governor and made an unsuccessful run.

He died November 27, 1849 in Macon, Georgia.  At his death, his estate was valued at two million dollars and included the Refuge Plantation with its 5,000 acres, a summer mansion in Clarksville, Georgia, 210 slaves and 21,000 acres in Florida.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 3: Successful Military Career

From John Horse.com

Duncan Clinch entered the Army in 1808 and rose quickly through the ranks and became famous in Florida, becoming one of the region's most prosperous planters and biggest slaveholders.

He had been orphaned as a youth and had inherited $1200, quite a fortune back then.

In 1808, Congressman Thomas Blount selected him as one of two young men to receive a commission as first lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

After the Battle of Negro Fort, he was breveted to brigadier general and led over 700 men against the Seminole Indians at the Battle of Withlacooche during the Second Seminole War.

On April 26, 1836, he tendered his resignation to President Andrew Jackson who tried to get him to reconsider, but to no avail.  Clinch resigned on September 21, 1836.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 2: Clinch County, Ga. and Fort Clinch

During the War of 1812, he commanded a company in the 3rd U.S. Infantry and served in Louisiana and Plattsburg, New York.

He died in Milledgeville, Georgia and is buried at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia.

Clinch County, Georgia, is named after him as is Fort Clinch on Amelia Island, Florida.

He had several sons who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Col. Duncan Lamont Clinch, Jr. commanded the 4th Georgia Cavalry and fought at the Battle of Olustee in Florida and in the Atlanta Campaign.  His father-in-law was Robert Anderson, the U.S. commander at Fort Sumter when it fell.

Another son was Captain Nicholas Baynard Clinch (1832-1888) who commanded Clinch's Light Battery, also called Clinch's Artillery Company, part of his older brother's 4th Georgia Cavalry.  he was also an inventor.

--Brock-Perry

Duncan Lamont Clinch-- Part 1

Troops attacking Negro Fort, which I wrote about the last two weeks, were led by Duncan Clinch.

From Good Old Wikipedia.

Born April 6, 1787, Died October 28, 1849.  American Army officer.

Also fought in the First and Second Seminole wars and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Born in North Carolina.

While in command of American forces in southern Georgia, he was ordered to attack the Seminoles and blacks who were at what was known as Negro Fort.  A shot from one of the gunboats assisting him, entered the magazine, causing a huge explosion and killing hundreds inside the fort.  This action led to the First Seminole War.

During the Second Seminole War, Clinch served with Major Francis L. Dade.

--Brock-Perry

A History of American Privateers-- Part 3: Wilmington, N.C.

Wilmington N.C. sent out three privateers.

The 5-gun schooner Hawk, under Captain W.H. Trippe, went to sea March 1814 with 68 men.  Its only prize was the schooner Phoebe with a cargo of rum and molasses.  It was sent to Wilmington.

On April 26, 1814, the Hawk was captured by the frigate HMS Pique while off Silver Keys.

The Lovely lass privateer was a 5-gun schooner under Captain J. Smith, USN.  It went to sea in 1813 with a complement of 60 men.

In March it sent a captured schooner to New Orleans valued at $10,000.  On May 4th, the HMS Circee chased it 19 hours causing the Lovely Lass to throw four guns overboard before it was captured.  It had been out 40 days when captured

The most famous and successful was the 6-gun Snap Dragon commanded by Captain E. Pasteur and later by the famous Captain O. Burns.

--Brock-Perry

A History of American Privateers-- Part 2: More Captures

The Roger's 4th prize was a brig with rum and sugar from Jamaica bound for England.

The 5th capture took place  in August was the Contract, a schooner with salt which was sent to North Carolina.

The 6th was in December, the ship L'Aimable, from Havana to England under a Spanish flag but with British property aboard.

Its 7th and last prize was the Windsor Castle, a packet from Falmouth to Halifax with two long 9-pounders and eight short guns, 9 passengers and a crew of 32.  It was sent to Norfolk.

At one point, the Roger also engaged the HMS Highflyer.

--Brock-Perry

Of Privateers and Secession

I have always wondered why the United States was so much against Confederate privateers, classifying then as pirates and threatening death to their crews when privateers were so highly regarded and wonderful by the country during the War of 1812.

And, for that matter, why did New England think secession in the 1850s and 1860s was so bad when they themselves were considering it during the War of 1812.

Just Makes You Wonder.  --Brock-Perry

A History of American Privateers-- Part 1: The Roger

From "A History of American Privateers" by Edward Stanton Maclay.

The privateer Roger was one of six of these ships operating out of Norfolk, but it was also the most successful.  It was a ten-gun schooner under Captain R. Quarles and sailed from Norfolk in late 1813 or early 1814 with 120 men.  Privateers carried large crews as they had to man ships they captured.

Its first prize was in January, the schooner Henry with a cargo of fish.  Ship sent to Charleston.

2nd prize was the schooner Maria, of little value and burned.

The third was in May, the Fortuna sailing under the Russian flag with English property on board.  It was sailing from Havana to Riga with an assorted cargo and was sent to Beaufort.

--Brock-Perry

What Archaeology Can Tell Us About the War of 1812-- Part 2

At Fort McHenry in Baltimore they found a defensive trench that was dug quickly and filled in afterwards.  History had forgotten of its existence.

Julie Schablitsky talked about the Battle of Caulk's Field near Chestertown, Md., fought August 31, 1814 and said it was the best-preserved site as it had been used as a farm the last 200 years.  There has been a monument by it since 1902.

Metal detectors had lead shot hits  This helped locate troop positions and determined the battlefield boundaries.

A slave led the British to the American positions.  British commander Peter Parker, liberated the slave who knew where the American militia was camped.  The next morning the British turned him over to the Americans.  he was supposed to be killed, but escaped.

--Brock-Perry

What Archaeology Can Tell Us About the War of 1812-- Part 1

From the August 1, 2014, WYPR 88.1 FM by Sheilah Kast.

A new bok tells what we can learn from the physical remains of the war.  "Archaeology of the War of 1812" with co-editors Julie Schablitsky, Chief Anthropologist of the Maryland State Highway Administration, and Michael Lucas, former member of the Maryland National Park and Planning Commission and now curator of the Historic Archaeology of New York State Museum.

They use remote sensing, ground penetrating radar., Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and modern maps overlaying historic ones o help locate sites and items.

--Brock-Perry

The Naval War of 1812 by Theodore Roosevelt

From Wikipedia.

I came across this book earlier today and looked it up.

This was the future President Theodore Roosevelt's first book and covers the battles and naval technology of the war.  It is considered a seminal work and had a massive impact on the formation of te modern U.S. Navy.

Roosevelt graduated from Harvard University in 1880.  he had begun the book while an undergrad and he then began the completion which he did in 1881.

He discussed the political and social climate and generally praised the U.S. navy but made scathing comments on the American unpreparedness for the war.

Amazon has a new paperback of it for $32.99 or Kincle for $2.99.

Canada Commemorates U.S. Sailors in the Scourge and Hamilton

From the August 1, Hamilton paper "Hamilton, Scourge Commemoration Sunday at Confederation Park" by Gord Bowes.

The City of Hamilton, Ontario will commemorate the sinking of two U.S. Navy schooners in Lake Ontario at the Hamilton & Scourge Naval Memorial Garden in Confederation Park.

Fifty-three Americans died early on the morning of August 8, 1813, when a sudden storm sank their ships.  It was the largest loss of life in a single event for the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812.

The ships are still there, 300 feet down and their site has been designated a Canadian National Historic Site and is a designated underwater archaeological site requiring special protection under the Ontario Heritage Act.

The City of Hamilton owns the vessels and is responsible for their stewardship and long-term management.

Thanks, Canada.  --Brock-Perry

Edward P. Gaines-- Part 3: Battle of Fort Erie and Indian Affairs

At the Siege of Fort Erie, he was in command on 15 August 1814 when the British assault was repulsed at the First Battle of Fort Erie.  For this he was awarded the Thanks of Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal and brevet-promoted to the rank of major general.

However, he was wounded by an artillery shell at the battle and replaced by General Isaac Brown.

Upon recovery, he was given command of Military District No. 6.  At the war's end, he was sent to deal with the Creek Indians in Georgia and Florida which is where he got involved with Negro Fort.

Gainesville, Florida, home of the University of Florida and Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island in Mobile Bay, were named after him.

--Brock-Perry