THE DADE MASSACRE IN FLORIDA

dade-mh.jpgSEMINOLES COMPLETELY SLAUGHTER MAJOR DADE’S ENTIRE COMMAND!
“….every officer and man (excepting three survivors) were murdered and terribly mangled.”

Daily National Intelligencer, Washington, DC
Wednesday, January 27, 1836

Terrible news arrives from Fort Brooke (now Tampa), Florida. In part, “Major Dade, with seven officers and 110 men, started the day before we arrived, for Fort King (now Ocala). We were all prepared to overtake them the next day….when an intervention of circumstances deferred it for one day–and in the course of that day, three soldiers, horribly mangled, came into camp, and brought the melancholy tidings that Major Dade, and every officer and man, except themselves, were murdered and terribly mangled.”

Apparently, some five days into Major Dade’s march, he failed to deploy flanking guards as normal, and were ambushed by 180 Seminole Indians hiding behind pine trees and palmettos just off the road. Dade was killed in the first volley as were many of the officers and half the men. A defence was set up, but proved ineffective, and over the course of several hours, the Seminoles killed every man excepting three. This event helped kick off what became the Second Seminole War. Dade County, Florida, was named in honor of Major Francis Dade.

4 large pages, cut cleanly at spine for microfilming years ago at the Library of Congress. Very fine, clean condition with but a tiny hole in page three not affecting the Dade report. This is a beautiful newspaper of major historical importance, especially so to Floridians. It’s quite rare, too!

$550

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