up the lane, and demolished two of the houses occupied by blacks, and broke the windows and some of the furni

ture of others.

On the 22d, the knowledge that a white man had been shot by the blacks, made a great excitement, and the mob assembled at 7 o'clock, and the sheriff arrested seven and committed them to jail, but in three or four other instances the mob made a rescue. Twenty-five soldiers of Capt. Shaw's company being ordered out, they were pelted by the mob with some injury, and it being perceived that nothing short of firing would have any other effect than to exasperate the mob, they marched off, and no further attempt was made that night to quell the mob. On Friday morning it was generally reported that an attempt would be made to break into the jail and rescue the prisoners. A meeting of the State Council was had, three infantry, one cavalry, and one artillery company ordered to be under arms. Four of the rioters were liberated for want of evidence, and three bound over for trial, that the mob might have no pretence to attack the jail. In the afternoon the following placard was posted.

NOTICE.

All persons ho are in favor of Liberating those Men ho are confined within the walls of the Providence Jail are requested to make due preparation, and govern themselves accordingly'

'N B-No quarters Shone.'

Most of the evening from 30 to 50 collected in front of the jail, many threats were uttered, and it was with difficulty that the mob could be made to believe that all the prisoners had been discharged. Soon after, a man who had an instrument under his arm, apparently a sword, appeared and ordered the mob to Snow Town, whither they went, but did but little damage.

On Saturday evening, 6 o'clock, the same companies mustered about 130 men at their armories, and the sheriff repaired to Snow Town at half past eight. There was a great crowd, and stones were thrown at the houses: he waited on the Governor, who at his request ordered out

the troops, who on their way to their post on the hill west of the buildings the mob were destroying, were sorely pelted, and in clearing the hill, one of the mob seized an infantry soldier's musket, and pulled him down the bank 20 feet. A skirmish ensued between two or three soldiers and some of the mob, in which an artillerist gave the man who had seized the soldier, a sabre cut. After the military had taken their position, the riot act was read audibly by W. S. Patten, Esq. a Justice of the Peace, the mob listening in silence, after which all persons were repeatedly warned to disperse peaceably, and told that all who remained would be considered rioters. The night was still, and the proclamation and statements were plainly heard at a great distance: but the multitude answered by huzzas, shouts, and threats. The sheriff then gained attention, and stated that all must disperse, or in five minutes they would be fired upon. The shouts and stones were redoubled, and exclamations of 'fire and be damned' were heard from all quarters. The civil officers were constantly employed in trying to induce the mob to depart. Soldiers being injured from an opposite hill, the sheriff directed the crowd to retire from that, or he would have to fire upon them; one party moved off towards Mr. Newell's residence, and another portion towards the houses near the bridge.

The mob then again attacked one of these houses, throwing stones and demolishing the windows. The sheriff, in a very loud voice, commanded them to desist, but no attention was paid to him. The violence of the attack increased, so that it was supposed they had begun to tear the building down. At this time the sheriff requested the Governor to detach a portion of the force to suppress the riot. The Light Dragoons and the first Light Infantry were accordingly ordered to march under the sheriff's directions. The Governor advised the sheriff not to fire unless in self-defence. As these two companies approached Mr. Newell's in order to gain the road, they found a portion of the tumultuous crowd still posted in that quarter, who threw stones upon them. The soldiers halted, and musketry was discharged into the air,

with a view to intimidate the rioters, and thus cause them to disperse without injury, but this firing produced no other effect than a shower of missiles, accompanied with hootings and imprecations. The sheriff left this detachment, returned to the Governor, and said he did not deem it prudent to move down the hill, leaving this large body of the mob in the rear. The Governor then directed the company of Cadets to occupy a position to protect their rear, which they did accordingly. The sheriff with the two companies first detached, then marched down, the infantry in front, he constantly directing all persons to retire, and moving sufficiently slow to give them an opportunity to do so. As he approached the house, the mob desisted from their work.

During this march, the stones were continually heard rattling against the muskets, and fell thick among the soldiers. As the troops approached the bridge, part of the mob retired before them; some occupied the ground upon each flank, and the sides of the bridge were filled. They slowly crossed the bridge, the sheriff continually and earnestly repeating his request for the rioters to disperse, warning them of their danger. The crowd immediately closed in upon their rear with great clamour, throwing stones without cessation. After the detachment had gained the street east of the bridge, the assaults upon them increased to so great a degree of violence, that the Cavalry were forced against the Infantry, and the rear platoon of Infantry nearly upon the front. The Dragoons called out to the Infantry that they could not withstand the incessant shower of missiles; and unless the Infantry fired upon the rioters, it was impossible that they could remain. The Cavalry were without ammunition. The Infantry also exclaimed that they could no longer sustain these dangerous volleys of stones, and if they were not permitted to defend themselves, they felt they were sacri ficed. The detachment halted in Smith-street, near its junction with North Main-street, at a distance of about forty rods from the residue of the military on the hill. The Infantry faced about to present a front to the assailants and the Light Dragoons who had been compelled to

advance partly along their flanks, filed past them, and formed upon the left.

After they halted, the stones were stil.. hurled unremittingly. Many of the soldiers were seriously injured. The stocks of several of the muskets were split by the missiles. The air was filled with them. The sheriff, who was by the side of the Captain of the Infantry during the whole march, repeatedly commanded the mob to desist, but those orders were wholly unavailing. It having now become manifest that no other means existed by which the riot could be suppressed, or the lives of the men preserved, the sheriff directed the Captain to fire. The Captain then gave the word, 'ready.' Here a momentary pause took place. The stones were still thrown with the greatest violence, and exclamations were vociferated, Fire and be damned.' The Captain turned to the sheriff and asked, 'Shall I fire?' Perceiving that the crisis had at length arrived, and that the danger was imminent, he replied, Yes, you must fire.' The further orders were then given, Aim-Fire.' A discharge followed in a somewhat scattering manner. After the order was thus executed, a second was immediately given to cease firing. The most perfect silence ensued, not a sound was heard, and all violence instantly ceased. In about five minutes, it being evident the mob was now quelled, the Infantry assumed a new position in the line on the east side of Main-street, facing westwardly with the Cavalry on their left.

At the moment these two companies passed the bridge on their march eastward, the shouts were so violent, and the attacks upon them appeared so alarming, that the Governor, apprehensive for their safety, ordered the company of Cadets to march double quick time to their support. The firing of the Infantry was heard immediately after. The Cadets were then moving down, but had not passed below the point where the Governor with the Artillery and volunteer companies remained. They however continued their march, crossed the bridge, and proceeded down Canal-street to Weybosset bridge, dispersing *Four persons were killed.-Ed.

the mob before them. After the firing ceased, informa tion was brought to the Governor, that the multitude was separating. Before leaving the hill, the Governor requested Dr. Parsons, who was with him, to attend upon the wounded, and render them every possible assistance. Throughout this investigation, the committee have not been able to conceal from their view the disastrous consequences of a predominance of the mob over the Infantry, on the night of the 24th. The Dragoons had been driven upon the Infantry, and forced partly around their flank; the men could stand the pelting no longer. Surrounded as they were, no effectual use could be made of the bayonet. They were obliged to fire, or suffer their ranks to be broken. Had their ranks been broken, the lives of many if not all of the soldiers would have been sacrificed, and their arms fallen into the possession of the mob.

The Committee therefore are of unanimous opinion, that the necessity of a discharge by the Infantry was forced upon them by the mob, and that it was strictly in defense of their lives.

127. Florida or Seminole War.

As early as 1821, General Jackson, at that time governor of Florida, urged upon the national government the necessity of removing the Creeks, who, in the difficulties with the Indians in 1814 and 1818, had fled to Florida and incorporated themselves with the Seminoles. It was feared that the increase of the Indian population east of the Mississippi would, sooner or later, produce bad consequences.

These representations were so far disregarded, that a treaty was held with these and other Indians on the peninsula of Florida, in September, 1823, at Camp Moultrie, which stipulated for their continuance in the territory during twenty years. By this treaty, the Seminoles relinquished all their claim to lands in Florida, with the exception of a tract of about five millions of acres, on