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Compiled service records of volunteer soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Florida during the Florida Indian Wars, 1835-1858.
Amount:
63.00 microfilm reel 16 mm.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Chronological by war, then by unit, then alphabetical by soldier's surname. Units are generally organized as followed: numbered regiments; named battalions; named companies or detachments; brigades; and staff offices. The numbered units are arranged numerically, and the named units alphabetically.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
These compiled service records represent Volunteers from Florida organizations who served during the Creek war, second Seminole war, and third Seminole war. These wars resulted from attempts to relocate Indian nations from the Southeastern United States to land west of the Mississippi River. The participation of Florida Volunteers in the Creek war was limited. Only one unit, the 5th Florida Militia, was mustered into service. The regiment had 32 men, served for only 11 days (February 23-March 5, 1839), and saw no action.
The Second Seminole war (1835-1842) was the longest and most costly Indian war within the State. The U.S. Government's attempt to relocate Seminole Indians from Florida to areas west of the Mississippi River was the major cause of hostilities. The incident that triggered open warfare was the December 28, 1835, massacre of Bvt. Major Francis L. Dade and his entire detachment, except for two men. In response to this action, General Duncan L. Clinch, commander of the U.S. Army in the Territory of Florida, requested the recruitment of 150 mounted Volunteers for 2 to 3 month periods. Acting Governor of the Territory, George K. Walker, gave General Clinch authority to use any part of the Territorial militia under Walker's direct command. The mustering of Volunteers into service, also authorized by Walker, was under the supervision of Brig. General Richard Keith Call of the Florida Militia. The call for Volunteers was further supported when, on May 23, 1836, the U.S. Congress granted General Winfield Scott the authority to muster Volunteers in the neighboring States of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It has been estimated that approximately 42,000 men had been mustered into Volunteer organizations by the end of the Florida war.
The third Seminole war (1855-1858) was a recurrence of hostilities created by the policy of Indian relocation. This conflict began with the ambush of an 11-man U.S. Engineer survey party on December 20, 1855, in the "Big Cypress Swamp." By January of 1856, six companies of Volunteers had been raised primarily from three Florida counties: Hernando, Hillsborough, and Manatee. By March 1856, Federal troops had entered the dispute and had begun to outnumber the Volunteers. Approximately 700 Florida Volunteers had been mustered into service by the end of the third Seminole war.
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains the compiled service records of Volunteer soldiers who served in Florida organizations during a series of disturbances known as the Florida Indian wars. A typical compiled service record consists of a jacket-envelope containing card abstracts of entries relating to a soldier as found on original regimental returns and muster rolls. There are also jacket-envelopes used as cross-references for the names of Volunteers that appear in the records under more than one spelling. Card abstracts for an individual soldier in any Florida Volunteer organization usually show his rank, the unit in which he served, term of service, time and place of enlistment and promotions or demotions received. In certain organizations, information may be found regarding his activities within the unit, dates of leave (either official or unofficial), illnesses, and death. If a soldier was a member of a mounted organization, the abstracts also show the value of his mount and his equipment.
Most units possess compiled records, and these consist of either caption or record-of-events cards contained in jacket-envelopes. Captain cards include information on when, where, and under whom the unit operated, and often bear a copy of certification and endorsement found in the original records. Record-of-events, and activities of each unit from time of initial organization to disbandment.
In a few cases what is essentially one unit is listed more than once in the table of contents. This reflects the fact that the unit was reorganized on one or more occasions, and that each new formation was treated as a separate unit for records compilation, even though the old name and number did not change. Sometimes the year a new formation was organized was included, making it easier to distinguish one formation from another. For example, the records for the third Seminole war include "Bullock's Company, Florida Mounted Volunteers, 6 months, 1856-1857" and "Bullock's Company, Florida Mounted Volunteers, 6 months, 1857."
Finding Aids:
General name index available. (See S973)
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
National Archives, Washington, D.C., from the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780's-1917, Record Group 94.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
National Archives Microfilm Publication M1086.
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Seminole War, 2nd, 1835-1842. Seminole War, 3rd, 1855-1858. Creek War, 1836. Indians of North America Wars 1815-1875 Seminole Indians Wars
Military records. aat Territorial records. aat
for detailed listing.