VIGOROUS PROSECUTION¹ OF THE WAR.

General Zachary Taylor—His character and past service—His expedition—Battle of Okechobee—His loss—Returns to Withlacoochee—Repudiates the work of catching² Slaves—Exiles delivered over to bondage³—Regular Troops despise such Employment—Indian prisoners indignant at the outrages⁵ perpetrated against the Exiles—Separated from Exiles—Are sent to Charleston—Exiles to Tampa Bay—Further efforts to re-enslave Exiles—General Jessup moves South—Skirmish of Loca Hatchee—Erects Fort Jupiter—Is persuaded to propose peace on basis of permitting Indians and Exiles to remain in Florida—Sends one of the Exiles to the enemy with these propositions—He returns with Hallec Hajo—Parties agree to hold Council and endeavor to form Treaty on that basis—Indians and Exiles meet for that purpose—Letter to Secretary of War—His answer—Indians and Exiles treacherously⁶ seized—Their numbers—Alligator⁷ and others surrender—Exiles sent to Fort Pike—Indians sent to Charleston.
1837.

General Zachary Taylor was in command of an efficient force in the western part of Florida, holding his head-quarters at Tampa Bay. He had been thirty years in service; had distinguished⁸ himself in battle, and was regarded as an officer of great merit. Looking to the honor of our flag and the prestige of the service, he appears to have borne himself entirely⁹ above all efforts to prostitute the powers of the nation to the re?nslavement of the Exiles. He was particularly opposed to the plan of General Jessup, directing that all negroes captured should be the slaves of the captors.[105]

It now became evident that there was hard fighting to be done. General Taylor was at all times ready for such service. It is one of the imperfections of human government, that the men who conceive and direct the perpetration of great national crimes are usually

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