1^' A R M E R S REGISTER. 



667 



TIIK MASSACRE AT INDIAN KEY. 



[After the Ibregoing artiile was ready for the 

 press, we received from JVlrs. Perrine the follow- 

 ing account of the escape of the family of Dr. 

 Perrine.— Ed. F. R. 



From the VVayno (N. Y.) Sentinel. 



Mrs. Perrine and her three children, two dauah- 

 ler?, (young women,) and a son, about 13 years 

 of age, survivors of the drfadful massacre at In- 

 dian Key, Florida, on ihe 7ih of Auirusl last, ar- 

 rived here on the night of ihs 5ih iiisiani, in com- 

 parative good healili. Their intense sufferinixs 

 and miraculous escape, are anionir 'he most ihrill- 

 ing incidents upon the annals <jf Indian warfare, 

 in our country. We doubt whether, for sell-pos- 

 session, cool determinaiion, and daring bravery, 

 under such appalling circumsiances, an equal can 

 be Ibund on the records of female heroism, in an- 

 cient or modern times. A special Providence 

 seems to have inspired and directed ihem, and by 

 i:s unseen power, rescued them from an awful 

 death. The fads as we learn them Iroin the fa- 

 mily, are as Ibllows: 



This Key is a small island off the south-easi 

 coast of Florida, conlainin<r only about 12 acres 

 of land, and 5 fiiniilies, in all about 60 inhabitants. 

 Around Indian Key, are a chain of keys on the 

 norih-west. extending towards the main land, the 

 must noted of whi:-h is Matacumha. This is dis- 

 tant from Indian Key about one mile, and extends 

 to within 29 miles of the peninsula or main land, 

 being Ihe nearest point from any of the keys in 

 this direction. Owing to the distance from the 

 main shore, and the known habits of the Florida 

 Indians, during the present war— scarcely daring 

 to venture beyond the confines of their own im- 

 penetrable swamps and fastnesses — and from the 

 iact that a small Ibrce was stationed on otie of the 

 group — Tea Table Key— which was also made a 

 naval depot, the idea of security was never inter- 

 rupted, nor the ihou<fht or possibility of d.inger 

 entertained. The irdiabi^ants there were as care- 

 less and unconcerned as in the most profound 

 peace. Bu', alas! the iiifiiriate savages — those 

 demons in human form — like their counter-part, 

 the spirit of evil, choose for their victims the 

 most unguarded — those least prepared to resist. 

 They eprinir from ilieir jungle upon the innocent 

 and unsuspecting, like the tiger upon his prey. 

 Tiiere is but one onset, and the bloody work is 

 done. 



In the attack upon this island, it was the plan 

 of the Indians to strike but one blow, and make 

 that decisive. They approached it at an unusu- 

 al point, vvhtreit was deemed inriccessible. — They 

 were about 80 in number. It was their plan to 

 divide their force, and make a simultaneous attack 

 upon every house on the island, and cut off at once 

 every possibility of escape; but fortunately, their 

 presence was detecii-d before their hellish purpose 

 could be executed. Two laborers of a iVIr. House- 

 man, who fur some reason were abroad, (it being 

 about 2 o'clock in the morning.) first discovered 

 the canoes of the savages,) 17 in number, drawn 

 up on an obscure part of the island. There could 

 be but one explanation to this strange appearance: 

 that was quickly apprehended by the woikmen. 

 Indians were present, and death and plunder could 



be their only objects; and they were soon disco- 

 vered, in their skulking attitudes, filing for the 

 difiererit houses — the inmates of which were all 

 enjoying ilieir (juiet slumber — little dreaming of 

 the impending storm that was about to burst up- 

 on them. The alarm was instantly given, and 

 in a manner so as to frustrate, partially, the de- 

 signs of the savages, and by the providence of 

 God, a part of the devoted victims, snatched from 

 swift destruction, were permitted to escape their 

 intended doom. But as a full account of the bloody 

 tragedy is intended to be given from another 

 source, we shall confine our narrative to the part 

 acted tiy the family of Doctor Perrine. 



At the time ol"the attack, the family were sleep- 

 ing in the second story of their dwelling, and the 

 lights, for the first time in a number of nights, had 

 been extinguished. Mrs. Peirine and her eldest 

 daughter were still invalids, having been indispos- 

 ed and confined to their rooms fiir some weeks 

 previous. Ttie first intimation of danger, was the 

 savage war-whoop, and the discharge of rifles, 

 accompanied by the falling of the glass, as the 

 shots passed through the windows around them. 

 This was an awful change in the quiet stillness 

 of that hour; but the family at once realized their 

 perilous situation. The danger was too near at 

 hand to admit of a doubt — loo startling and sen- 

 sible to be imagined as a dream, or an illusion of 

 ;he fancy. 



It appears that the dwelling of Doct. Perrine 

 was situated on the edge of the island and con- 

 structed upon a pier, so that a part of the house 

 extended over the water. On the lop was a 

 cupola and underneath a cellar and a room used 

 for bathing and connected with the cellar by means 

 of a trap door. From the bathing room there was 

 a narrow passage under the pier leading to the 

 outer edge of the wharf", made to admit '.he influx 

 of the tide to ihe mom. The |)assage and room 

 were now nearly filled with water. At the end of 

 the passage and extending out even with the pier 

 above, was a large turtle crawl, construcled by 

 driving palmetto posts or piles deeply into the 

 marl beneath. 



Upon the alarm and yell of the Indians the fa- 

 mily instantly sprang from their beds and sought 

 concealment in this bathing room. The Doctor 

 having conducted them hither, left ihem at the 

 door, telling them that he would return and speak 

 with the Indians, and see what he could do. He 

 had no means of defence. His repeating rifle 

 and pistols were useless to him, as he had no caps 

 for either. His only hope was a parley with them, 

 and wth great deliberation he ascended again to 

 the top of the house and called to the Indians in 

 Spanish, (these being of that tribe known in Flo- 

 rida as the Spanish Indians,) and told them that 

 he was a physician, and they must spare him. It 

 had the desired eH'ect lor the moment. They listen- 

 Cil to his words, gave a shout, and turned their at- 

 tacks upon other dwellings in ihe vicinity. The 

 Doctor then descended, drew a larae seed chest 

 over the Irap-door that led to the bathing room, 

 ihinkinff, no doubt, by secreting his fiamily, he 

 should be able to manage ihe savages and save 

 himself and them from destruction. He then re- 

 turned to ilie cupola, and sliorily after the attack 

 was renewed by the Indians with a determinanoa 

 not to be again diverted from their purpose. See- 

 1 ing that he had nothing to hope from them, his 



