Richmond Enquirer

(From the Globe of Saturday.)

We publish the following interesting narrative, lately received at the War Department, being a report of the late Captain Lane, of the Dragoons, from Tampa Bay to Fort Drane, Florida, by Capt. H. Brown, 4th United States' Artillery, acting as Lieutenant Colonel of the Native Regiment at the time:

FORT DRANE, October 22, 1836.

Governor: The melancholy event which occurred here on the 19th, causes the duty to devolve on me of reporting to you the movements of the regiment of Creek volunteers since its departure from Tampa Bay.

We left our camp near Fort Brooke, and crossed the Hillboro' river, on Monday, the 10th instant, and encamped about one mile from the Fort. On Tuesday we marched eighteen, on Wednesday nineteen, and on Thursday twenty miles, without any thing of interest having occurred. On Friday, the 15th, we started at 7 o'clock, and having marched three or four miles, one of our scouts reported a hostile Indian on our right flank; immediate pursuit ensued, but being mounted, he evaded us. On arriving at the place where he disappeared, we discovered, as far as the eye could reach, extensive lakes, in which were many and heavily timbered islands, connected together, in some instances, by extensive marshes, containing a heavy growth of grass. Our Indians having reported a fresh trail, and that a village was seen in the vicinity, Col. Lane called a halt, and made preparations for a scout. We accordingly left our horses and baggage, and struck off in a north east direction; we soon found a small deserted village; proceeding onward towards the south, we passed over some fine hammock, and came to a ford of some 200 yards, which our troops crossed, partly by swimming and partly by wading, carrying their ammunition on the points of their bayonets. Having reached the opposite side; we found extensive corn fields, and a few cattle and ponies: here was also a small village. Pursuing the trail, we came to an extensive marsh, a mile at least in length. Our Indians leading the way, we plunged in, the mud and water being from four to six feet deep, our horses soon became exhausted and all very soon had to be abandoned. We then pursued our course on foot, the water at times up to our necks, and bottom so soft as to make it almost impossible to keep our heads above water. We, at length, safely reached the shore; having passed a ford, such as I presume has seldom or ever been attempted by white troops. We found ourselves on a beautiful fertile island, of several miles in extent, with a trail running south, which we pursued about a mile, and arrived at an extensive village, which had evidently been but recently abandoned. Here we found corn, cattle, hogs, many domestic utensils, and several scalps of white men. Pursuing our course more Westerly for half a mile, we came to another large village, where we also found the same. I presume the two villages must have contained about 150 lodges. From thence we followed the trail about half a mile, to a small declivity, at the bottom of which was a small pond, and on the side of which was a low scrub, that extended to the left, about half a mile, and on the right of which was a thick hammock. Our van was here saluted by the enemy, which was promptly returned. We immediately pushed on, and a smart skirmish, of half hour's duration, ensued, when the enemy gave way, and retired into the hammock; the scrub being so very thick as to be impenetrable. We pursued for a mile or more, both parties keeping up a running fight, when we came to an extensive open field, to the opposite side of which we pursued, when the enemy scattered. We entered another thick hammock, and we gave up the pursuit, having, in the whole skirmish, had but one man wounded. It is but on act of justice to say, that every man did his duty, and if I have any blame to find with the officers of the regiment, it is for their too great eagerness to push forward, and get in immediate contact with the enemy. The loss of the enemy could not be ascertained—nor the number engaged,—in consequence of the well known fact, that they immediately carry their killed and wounded off the field; and that the scrub in which the principal skirmish took place, was so very thick, that but few could be seen at a time. I should say, however, that there were thirty or forty of them, and several were doubtless killed and wounded, from the heavy fire poured into the scrub. On return, our Indians killed some 100 cattle, and probably as many hogs, and drove to camp about 200 of the former. We returned by another trail in a northwesterly direction, and having swam about 100 yards to the main land, reached camp about sunset. Our Indians during the night, brought in more cattle, so that we had in all about 400 head. We marched the next day about 12 miles, having passed on our right, a continued succession of extensive lakes and swamps. On Sunday, the 16th inst., we reached the Withlacoochee at about 10 o'clock, and made immediate preparations for crossing, which we performed by 8 o'clock in the evening, by means of a small canoe, and some very small rafts made by the Indians. We encamped for the night just without the walls of Fort Izard; the next morning, pursuing our march, we struck a large trail leading to the south-west, which we followed for 7 miles, and encamped— during the evening our detachment arrived. The next morning, we took up our line of march for this place, proceeded 18 miles, encamped, and arrived here the next morning at half past nine o'clock.

I have the honor to be, respectfully,

Your most obedient servant,

(Signed) HARVEY BROWN.

Lt. Col. Comd'g Creek Volunteers.

His Excellency R. K. Call, Commander-in-Chief.