HISTORY OF FLORIDA.
FROM ITS DISCOVERY BY PONCE DE LEON,
IN 1512, TO THE CLOSE OF THE
FLORIDA WAR, IN 1842.
BY
GEORGE R. FAIRBANKS.
PHILADELPHIA:
J. B. LIPPINCOTT &
CO,
JACKSONVILLE, FLA.:
COLUMBUS DREW.
1871.
Entered according to Act
of Congress, in the year 1871, by
J. B. LIPPINCOTT &
CO.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
TO THE MEMORY OF MY HONORED FRIEND,
ISAAC H. BRONSON,
THE FIRST JUDGE OF THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, NORTHERN DISTRICT
OF FLORIDA,
A CITIZEN .
WHOSE PRIVATE LIFE AND
PUBLIC VIRTUES SHED LUSTRE UPON THE
STATE OF HIS ADOPTION,
THIS VOLUME
IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
Apart from the interest attached to Florida from its
having been the first portion of the United States occupied by Europeans,
it is associated with some of the most interesting and romantic events
in American history. Portions of its long and eventful history have
been written in the Latin, French, Spanish, and English languages. As
early as 1591, De Bry published, in the Latin language, an account of
the settlement of the Huguenots and the destruction of their colony,
illustrated by fifty well-executed engravings ; and many later writers
have treated of the history, climate, and natural productions of Florida,
among whom may be mentioned La Vega, Fernandez, Biedma, Barcia, De Vaca,
Herrera, Hakluyt, Roberts, Stark, Romans, De Brahm, Bartram, Vignoles,
Forbes, and Darby; Williams published a very complete gazetteer in 1837;
and to these should be added the valuable work of General Sprague, of
the United States Army,
''The History of the Florida War." Buckingham Smith, Esq., formerly
Secretary of Legation to Spain, whose life has been devoted to the investigation
of Spanish and Indian antiquities, has edited, with valuable critical
and descriptive notes, several of the most interesting works upon Florida.
But, although so much has been written in reference to Florida, hitherto
no connected history of the State has been published ; and it has been
the object of the writer of this work to bring within a moderate compass
a complete and authentic history of the State, from its discovery by
Ponce de Leon to the close of the Florida War.
For
obvious reasons, the events of the late civil war have not been incorporated
in the present volume. They will, doubtless, at some future time, form
the material of a chapter of no inconsiderable interest.
University
of the South, Seivanee, Tenn., Jan. 1871.
CONTENTS.
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CHAPTER
I.
Discovery of Florida by Ponce
de Leon - Expeditions of De Ayllon, Miruelo, Cordova, Alaminos, and
Verazzano
CHAPTER
II.
Expedition and Shipwreck of
Panfilo de Narvaez, and Adventures of Cabera de Vaca, the Discoverer
of the Mississippi
CHAPTER
III.
Expedition of Hernando de Soto
CHAPTER
IV.
Expedition of Hernando de Soto, continued
CHAPTER
V.
Route of De Soto's Expedition through Florida
CHAPTER
VI.
Other Expeditions to Florida
- Occupation of Santa Maria by Tristan de Luna - Expedition to the Borders
of Tennessee and the Province of Coca
CHAPTER
VII.
Huguenot Settlements at Charles
Fort under Ribaut, and at Fort Caroline under Laudonniere
CHAPTER
VIII.
French Expedition of Ribaut
to relieve Fort Caroline - Spanish Expedition of Menendez to expel the
Huguenots - Capture of Fort Caroline by Menendez, and Massacre of the
Garrison
CHAPTER
IX.
Shipwreck and Massacre of
Ribaut and his Followers
CHAPTER
X.
Situation of Matters at St.
Augustine, and Explorations made by Menendez
CHAPTER
XI
Recapture of Fort Caroline,
and the Notable Revenge of Dominic de Gourgues
CHAPTER
XII.
Return of Menendez - Attack
on St. Augustine by Sir Francis Drake - Missions to the Indians, and
Massacre of the Mission Fathers - Attack on St. Augustine by Captain
Davis - Establishment of a Spanish Settlement at Pensacola
CHAPTER
XIII.
Governor Moore's Attack on
St. Augustine - Invasion of Moore, with the Creek Indians, of the Indian
Missions and Spanish Posts in Middle Florida - Erection of a Fort at
St. Mark's - Capture of Pensacola by the French - Recapture of Pensacola
by the Spaniards - Recapture of Pensacola by the French - Transfer of
Pensacola to Spain
CHAPTER
XIV.
Attack on St. Augustine by
Oglethorpe - Attack of Monteano on St. Simon's Island - Transfer of
Florida to Great Britain
CHAPTER
XV.
Policy of the English Government
for the Settlement of Florida - Land-Grants - Dr. Turnbull's Colony
of Greeks and Minorcans at Smyrna - Governor Grant's Administration
- Governor Tonyn's Administration - First Colonial Assembly - Revolutionary
War - Burning of Effigies of Hancock and Adams
CHAPTER
XVI.
English Occupation, continued
- Capture of Pensacola by De Galvez - Capture of New Providence by the
English - Retransfer of Florida to Spain
CHAPTER
XVII.
Condition of the Province
after its Recession to Spain - Notice of McGillivray - Operations of
Bowles - Patriot Rebellion - Operations of United States Troops in Florida
- Indian Hostilities, between the Americans and King Payne the Seminole
CHAPTER
XVIII.
Occupation of Pensacola by
the English - English driven from Pensacola by General Jackson- Destruction
of Negro Fort on Apalachicola by Colonel Clinch - Defeat of Florida
Indians by General Jackson - Occupation of Pensacola by General Jackson
- Treaty with Spain, ceding Florida to United States
CHAPTER
XIX.
Organization of Territory
of Florida - Condition of the Indians - Treaty of Fort Moultrie - Indian
Agency - Treaty of Payne's Landing - Collisions between the Races
CHAPTER
XX.
Hostile Disposition of the
Indians - Murder of General Thompson, Indian Agent - Massacre of Major
Dade's Command -Battle of the Withlacoochee - General Scott's Campaign
CHAPTER
XXI.
Florida War, continued - General
Jesup in Command - Indian Assault on Fort Mellon - Capitulation of Fort
Dade - Flight of the Indians from Fort Brooke - Capture of King Philip,
Coacoochee, and Osceola - Battle of Okechobee - Escape of Coacoochee
- Surrender of Halleck Hajo and others - Results of General Jesup's
Operations - General Taylor appointed to the Command
CHAPTER
XXII.
Florida War, continued, under
General Taylor- Removal of Apalachee Indians-General Macomb's Treaty
with the Indians - Proclamation that the War was ended-Resumption of
Hostilities-Massacre of Colonel Harney's Detachment- Tragical Fate of
Mrs. Montgomery-The Cuba Bloodhounds - Expedition of Colonel Worth to
Okechobee-Recapture of Coacoochee
CHAPTER
XXIII.
Florida War, continued, under
Command of General Worth - Interview between General Worth and Coacoochee
at Tampa Bay - Surrender of Coacoochee's Band - Active Operations of
General Worth in the Everglades - Surrender of various Bands - Close
of the Florida War.
Florida
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