Fort Green, Florida In March 1856
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Fort Green, Florida In March 1856
Edited by Spessard Stone
This letter by Matthew P. Lyons was originally printed in The Florida Peninsular of March 8, 1856 and this edited reprinted in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of August 27, 1992.
Fort Green, Fla.
March 2, 1856
To the Col. commanding the United States troops at head Quarters, Tampa:
Sir:
I take the liberty of addressing you for the purpose of stating a few facts concerning the situation of the sufferers of this part of Florida.
There are assembled at this place 20 families; say ninety-seven women and children.
These people have not shown a disposition to evacuate the country by retreating from the savage, but on the contrary they have advanced towards them, some twelve, and some as much as twenty miles.
The motive of the people in selecting this place was that the fort might be as nigh as possible in the center, that each family might have a chance of procuring provisions, and also to meet the settlers of Peas Creek (present-day Bartow).
But after two-thirds of the settlers of Peas Creek had collected at this place, the aforementioned Peas Creek settlers, finding a squad of men commanded by M. M. Edwards, and bound for Peas Creek, to station themselves at a post to be named, Fort Hartsuff, by order of Capt. Hooker, the families four in number, packed up and off they went.
In a short time Mr. Edwards grew tired of his situation and left the post with his men, and the result was Capt. Hooker had to send men for the protection of his people, six families in all.
Now sir, the people at this place have prepared for themselves snug log cabins and are prepared to start an interesting school, which will commence in a few days.
And for the safety of the lives and property of the people, I respectfully recommend that there should be a guard of at least thirty men, i. e. for a standing guard, ordered to this post, as I consider this Post as much exposed, as though it were south of the Colossahatchee as far a frontier is concerned.
The foregoing I submit to you for your earnest attention, all of which I respectfully recommend by request of many citizens.
Very respectfully,
Matthew P. Lyons
I also appeal to the people, as to the right of the demand for protection of so many lives through the Peninsular.
M. P. Lyons
Postscript: A supply train finally appeared on April 30, 1856. For readers desiring to know more of this region during the Third Seminole War, I recommend Chapter 8, pages 106-120, of Canter Brown, Jr.'s Florida’s Peace River Frontier.
February 28, 2001 & links = October 17, 2001 & midi = "Lilly Dale," arranged by Lesley Nelson-Burns