Memoirs of General William T. Sherman | Page 9

St. Augustine, and years afterward the
younger one came to Charleston, South Carolina, the wife of the
somewhat famous Captain Thistle, agent for the United States for
live-oak in Florida, who was noted as the first of the troublesome class
of inventors of modern artillery. He was the inventor of a gun that "did
not recoil at all," or "if anything it recoiled a little forward."
One day, in the summer of 1841, the sentinel on the housetop at Fort
Pierce called out, "Indians! Indians!" Everybody sprang to his gun, the
companies formed promptly on the parade-ground, and soon were
reported as approaching the post, from the pine-woods in rear, four
Indians on horseback. They rode straight up to the gateway,
dismounted, and came in. They were conducted by the officer of the
day to the commanding officer, Major Childs, who sat on the porch in
front of his own room. After the usual pause, one of them, a black man
named Joe, who spoke English, said they had been sent in by
Coacoochee (Wild Cat), one of the most noted of the Seminole chiefs,

to see the big chief of the post. He gradually unwrapped a piece of
paper, which was passed over to Major Childs, who read it, and it was
in the nature of a "Safe Guard" for "Wild Cat" to come into Fort Pierce
to receive provisions and assistance while collecting his tribe, with the
purpose of emigrating to their reservation west of Arkansas. The paper
was signed by General Worth, who had succeeded General Taylor, at
Tampa Bay, in command of all the troops in Florida. Major Childs
inquired, "Where is Coacoochee?" and was answered, "Close by,"
when Joe explained that he had been sent in by his chief to see if the
paper was all right. Major Childs said it was "all right," and that
Coacoochee ought to come in himself. Joe offered to go out and bring
him in, when Major Childs ordered me to take eight or ten mounted
men and go out to escort him in. Detailing ten men to saddle up, and
taking Joe and one Indian boy along on their own ponies, I started out
under their guidance.
We continued to ride five or six miles, when I began to suspect
treachery, of which I had heard so much in former years, and had been
specially cautioned against by the older officers; but Joe always
answered, "Only a little way." At last we approached one of those close
hammocks, so well known in Florida, standing like an island in the
interminable pine-forest, with a pond of water near it. On its edge I
noticed a few Indians loitering, which Joe pointed out as the place.
Apprehensive of treachery, I halted the guard, gave orders to the
sergeant to watch me closely, and rode forward alone with the two
Indian guides. As we neared the hammock, about a dozen Indian
warriors rose up and waited for us. When in their midst I inquired for
the chief, Coacoochee. He approached my horse and, slapping his
breast, said, "Me Coacoochee." He was a very handsome young Indian
warrior, not more than twenty-five years old, but in his then dress could
hardly be distinguished from the rest. I then explained to him, through
Joe, that I had been sent by my "chief" to escort him into the fort. He
wanted me to get down and "talk" I told him that I had no "talk" in me,
but that, on his reaching the post, he could talk as much as he pleased
with the "big chief," Major Childs. They all seemed to be indifferent,
and in no hurry; and I noticed that all their guns were leaning against a
tree. I beckoned to the sergeant, who advanced rapidly with his escort,
and told him to secure the rifles, which he proceeded to do.

Coacoochee pretended to be very angry, but I explained to him that his
warriors were tired and mine were not, and that the soldiers would
carry the guns on their horses. I told him I would provide him a horse
to ride, and the sooner he was ready the better for all. He then stripped,
washed himself in the pond, and began to dress in all his Indian finery,
which consisted of buckskin leggins, moccasins, and several shirts. He
then began to put on vests, one after another, and one of them had the
marks of a bullet, just above the pocket, with the stain of blood. In the
pocket was a one-dollar Tallahassee Bank note, and the rascal had the
impudence to ask me to give him silver coin for that dollar. He had
evidently killed the wearer, and was disappointed because the pocket
contained a paper dollar instead of one in