216 DADE COUNTY. 



mand to Fort Brook. Upon his arrival at this post, two com- 

 panies, commanded by Captains Gardner of the 2d Artillery, 

 and Fraser of the 3d Artillery, were ordered to repair to Fort 

 King. Mrs. Gardner was very ill at this time, and much 

 alarmed at the prospect of her husband's leaving ; and it was 

 thought her life or death hung upon the course he should take. 

 But Captain Gardner deeming his duty to command his com- 

 pany imperative, prepared to go, and was mounted and ready 

 to start at reveille. Major Dade, commiserating the situation 

 of Mrs. Gardner, with that magnanimity which all who knew 

 him will readily acknowledge was a distinguishing trait in his 

 character, proposed to Captain Gardner to go in his place. 

 Noble man ! thy own safety was disregarded from a desire to 

 alleviate the sorrows of another. It was the last generous 

 action of thy life. From the knowledge which Major Dade 

 had of the country, it was confidently expected that he would 

 be able to conduct his command to Fort King. At the head 

 of one hundred men he started from Fort Brook for Fort 

 King, but had not proceeded five miles, when he was over- 

 taken by Captain Gardner, who had concluded to accompany the 

 detachment ; but who refused, in the peculiar relation in which 

 he stood to Major Dade, to assume the command. On Tues- 

 day, the 29th of December, 1835, intelligence was received at 

 Fort Brook, by a wounded soldier who had escaped from the 

 field of battle, that on the previous day, at eight o'clock in the 

 morning, when the detachment was 65 miles from this post, it 

 was attacked by an immense body of Indians, and completely 

 cut to pieces. The Indians were in ambuscade, and cut otf 

 the advance guard by the first fire. By this fire. Major Dade, 

 who was mounted, and half way between the vanguard and 

 the head of the battalion, was shot, and fell at once from his 

 horse. It was afterwards ascertained that Mecanope, the 

 chief of the principal band of the Seminoles, struck the first 

 blow in this battle. He had stationed himself in the forest, 

 and on the approach of our troops, fired the first shot. This 

 shot struck Major Dade; and as he had often met Mecanope, it is 

 not improbable that the latter knew the person and appearance 

 of the former, or that his rank and station had been ascertained by 

 the Indian spies. The troops were surrounded by spies almost 



