Edited by Spessard Stone from a letter from Capt. L. G. Lesley to Lt. G. W. Hazzard at Fort Brooke (Tampa).
Fort Meade, Fla., Feby. 3d 1857
Sir:
My command consisted of 3 non comd. officers & 37 men. On the morning of the 19th Jany. last crossed at Aldermans ford in direction of the waters of Manatee, Bullfrog Creek s. w. The country covered intirely with pine & saw palmetto, interspersed with small prairies and ponds-- encamped at the house of Boley...
Jan. 20th. The morning was very cold and about 5 miles crossed Bullfrog, a small river nearly dry, 30 ft. wide. 8 miles farther south and west crossed Little Manatee, 25 ft. wide & 20 in water, high banks, general sameness of pine & saw palmetto throughout my entire route, & will prevent me from saying anything more about the appearance of the country, & encamped within 2 miles of the plantation of Capt. Hooker, without seeing any Indian sign whatever & burning the rough woods in all directions.
Jan. 21 Crossed Gambles Creek within 2 miles, and about 3 1/2 came upon Manatee at or near Addison's place. Found ford to be 100 feet wide & 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep at 2 P.M. Rain fell in torrents (?) and continued until we arrived at Wyatt's place, about 10 miles farther where we encamped in company of a portion of foot (?) troops from Manatee. Moved in the direction of Lt. Crane (Lt. Henry A. Crane) with 20 men and the baggage wagon had been sent in advance), found him in about 2 1/2 miles of the place...3 of my command were here taken sick, I ordered them to return to Alafia the most direct route...
23rd Morning very cold...The saw palmettos this day exceeded anything ever yet seen...(We) encamped near the extreme point of the peninsula between the Gulf & the Miakka.
Jany. 24th. Started early & after crossing many branches & small streams (we) reached the Miakka mouth or near it at 12 N. The whole mouth is salt marsh, interspersed with small islands...lakes appearing in the distance. Found it very difficult to obtain fresh water...
Jany. 25th. This is a beautiful morning, yet our road as rough as possible and streams not more than half a mile apart troubled us much...In the afternoon we passed a fine looking sulphur spring, making quite a stream...
Jany. 29th..at 12 N found an Old Indian town, previously seen by Lt. Crane last May--There I examined closely for Indians...Near Fort Ogden I encamped for the night...
30th Jany. My course up the creek was slow...passing Josh's Creek and the ground where Lt. Crane attacked the enemy last year, the bones still there as a warning to other robbers, no recent signs.
30th Continuing up creek 12 or 15 miles, (we) crossed Big Charley Ahapopka. While the rain was incessant from early in the morning and travelling slow as many of our horses were very lame & nearly exhausted, and encamped nearly opposite the mouth of Oak Creek.
Jany. 31st. The sun rose beautiful & our horses seem inspired with the hope of camp as they travelled well and reached Fort Mead at 4 P.M.
My opinion is from the abundance of game throughout my entire route that the Indians do not cross Peas Creek, or if so, only as spies, or single ones, as none of the commands, Capt. Moseley, Kendrick, or Lt. Crane has seen the sign of them.
This letter was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of December 18, 1997.
April 12, 2001 & October 17, 2001