The Florida Scout

*The Florida Scout; or, The Princess of the Everglades* by Jos. E. Badger, Jr. This 1878 frontier tale depicts Colonel Newman's Georgia volunteer militia expedition against the Seminole leader King Payne near Lake Pithlachocco in Florida. The scout Rattling Harry delivers warning of an ambush despite arrow wounds through his face and side, enabling Newman's men to entrench before King Payne's attack. Young captain Harry Vories and his inseparable companion Left-Handed Pete—a tall, fearless scout known for contrary methods—anchor the defensive position. The volunteers repel multiple charges with steady rifle fire, killing numerous Seminole warriors. Despite initial success when King Payne falls from his horse (not shot), he survives and rallies his braves, who eventually retreat into swamps after brutal hand-to-hand combat. The narrative establishes the military context: American attempts to suppress Indian raids across Florida settlements, complicated by Spanish colonial interference and troop withdrawals. The incomplete text ends mid-chapter as King Payne signals his fleeing warriors.