Owing to the rules of the War Department in Washington, it is impossible to get the names of the men who served in the Seminole Wars of 1835-43 and the War with Mexico, and the survivors of these wars who still live in Florida are unable to furnish the information needed for the purpose of this work. The reason given by the Department for issuing the order that stands in the way of procuring these names is as follows: "The muster rolls and other records of individual officers and enlisted men and organizations which are on file in the Record and Pension Office of this Department, and which pertain to the War of the Rebellion, the Mexican War, the various Indian Wars, the War of 1812, and the War of the Revolution, have become so delapadated through years of constant handling or other causes, that it has been found necessary to adopt stringent measures for their preservation, and to restrict reference to them to cases to which such reference is absolutely necessary." This order bears date of 1897.
The records show that in the Seminole Wars of 1835-43, the force employed is reported as 10,169 regulars and 29,953 volunteers. The casualities reported were 18 regular officers and 310 men killed, 20 regular officers and 270 men wounded; of the volunters 5 officers; and 50 men were killed, and 24 officers and 234 men were wounded. What proportion of the volunteers were enlisted from Florida cannot be stated for the reasons given above.
In the Mexican War Florida had about three companies.
Florida in the Indian War.

The depredation of the Indians upon the stock of the people of South Florida and persistent violation of all their agreements on the part of certain members of the Seminole Tribe createdsuch a great degree of distrust of their intention that Governor Brown was compelled early in 1852 to take cognizance of the existing situation.
A. Jernigan reported on the 19th of Janurary, 1852, that he had seen abundance of Indian sign on the St. Johns River below Lake Poinsett. That he had found fresh beef bones near their camp and that the Mail-rider from Tampa reported that he saw the light of their fires on each side of the road on the previous night. Captain Jernigan further reported that he had raised a company in obedience to the instructions of the Governor, and that he would thoroughly examine the whole country, protect the grontier and assist in moving the Indians. On February 29th, 1852, Governor Brown wrote to General B. Hopkins at Mellonville, Florida, as follows: "I find from the letters I have received, that there is a great alarm and excitement among the people on the frontier on account of the movement of the Indians; if you think there is good cause for alarm and that the situation of the people on the frontier is insecure, you will organize, as provided by the general Militia Law by this State, a sufficient force for their protection, and take command of it, and such steps as may be required for its assistance, and appoint such Staff Officers as the necessity of the case may demand." General Hopkins made a personal investigation and organized on March the 2nd, the company with Aaron Jernigan, Captain.