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Mary Brickell Averts War with the Seminole, 1874:

A True Account o a !ittle"#nown $ %&traor'inary Act(

--Paul Hampton Crockett

Freedom's Just Another Word

for Nothing Left to Lose

--Kris Kristofferson,Me and Bobby McGee

(Note: Throughout this account, reference is made to the Seminole tribe for purposes of

simplicit! and con"enience# Seminole is less a tribal identit! traditionall! recogni$ed as

such b! Nati"e %mericans, than a grouping made b! &hite people for practical purposes,

describing an alliance formed b! members of a "ariet! of traditional Nati"e %merican

tribes, 'oined b! a miscellan! of those of %frican descent, all seeking refuge and thepromise of safet! in lorida)s &ilderness during the same or o"erlapping time frames#*____________

IT WAS July of 1874. Mary Bricell, !eart "eatin# lie a $ru% as s!e ste&&e$%in$fully u&on t!e une'en an$ rocy #roun$ an$ tree roots "elo(, cra$le$ infant$au#!ter Mau$e in !er ar%s as s!e %a$e !er (ay alon# a nearly for#otten ol$)un#le trail $ee&er into t!e ancient, t!icly foreste$ !a%%oc. S!e (as only a

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fe( %inutes $istant fro% t!e fa%ily !o%e, at Bricell *oint, (it!in t!e 'ast an$un"roen s&an of ancient #reen forest t!at follo(e$ t!e "ay+s s!oreline all t!e(ay $o(n to ocoanut ro'e fro% t!e ri'er+s sout! "an, "ut %i#!t as (ell !a'e"een in anot!er (orl$.

S!e (ale$ alone, an$ !er inten$e$ $estination (as a near"y enca%&%ent of!ostile an$ an#ry Se%inole In$ians, so%e (ell no(n to !er an$ ot!ers co%et!ere fro% all o'er t!e State, in a co%%on s&irit of $efiance an$ $es&eration.T!ey !a$ en$ure$ a #reat $eal an$ (ere near t!e en$ of t!eir ro&e, an$ t!ere (asno &lace furt!er to run.

T!ey (ere &re&arin# for all-out (ar.

S!e coul$ not !a'e no(n eactly (!at to e&ect, an$ !a$ certainly "een #i'enno #uarantees as to safety, !er o(n or t!e little life for (!ic! s!e (as res&onsi"le.An$ neit!er !a$ any &ro%ise of safe return "een %a$e. S!e (as &erfectly a(aret!at so%e %i#!t call !er actions /insane,0 or e'en suici$al. But s!e !a$ to #o,e'en if s!e !erself coul$ not "e co%&letely sure as to t!e reasons. S!e !a$certainly not "een foolis! enou#!, for one secon$, to as for anyone+s&er%ission.2T!e $ee& (oo$s surroun$in# (ere 3uiet an$ still, in fact unusually so, yet t!eati'e &eo&le (ere al%ost certainly a(are of !er a&&roac!, !a'in# "een alerte$far in a$'ance "y t!e (atc!ful scouts t!at %o'e$ t!rou#! t!e $ee& (oo$s sosoun$lessly, nearly in'isi"le. T!ey !a$ re&orte$ t!e unusual si#!t, an$ t!e #rou&a(aite$ 3uietly an$ &atiently !er arri'al. So%e of t!ose (!o !a$ co%e %ay !a'e#lance$ at one anot!er, 3uestionin#ly. /5i$ t!ey say, a white woman and herbaby daughter?0 /6es, t!at is (!at t!ey sai$.0 /Humh.

/We no( !er. S!e is our frien$. S!e is calle$Mary Brickell.T!ey ne( !er#i'en na%e, of course, "ut !a$ lon# since taen to a$$ressin# !er (it! affection

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an$ res&ect asSister in %uc! t!e sa%e s&irit as t!ey ne( !er !us"an$ as!hie". 6et t!ey %ust !a'e all re%aine$ 3uite &ule$. A #ri% "attalion ofar%e$ troo&s, t!e stin of %ortal fear in t!eir s(eat, t!ey %i#!t !a'e e&ecte$,an$ "een &re&are$ for.

But (!y on art! (oul$ Mary Bricell "e co%in# !ere to$ay, (it! Mau$e9

T:AT su%%er, a near &anic a%on# t!e (!ite settlers !a$ see%e$ to fill t!e 'eryair, a crescen$o of !eart-sto&&in# aniety as close an$ s%ot!erin# as t!e !eat. It!a$ "een only 1; years since t!e last of t!e $rea$ful #uerilla attacs in t!e /T!ir$Se%inole War,0 (!en no one !a$ "een safe, an$ t!e a(ful e&erience re%aine$in$eli"ly etc!e$ in t!e settlers+ %e%ory. T!e (ily In$ians e&t a&&earin# su$$enly an$ fro%

out-of-no(!ere, uncannily (!en least e&ecte$, lie 'en#eful #!osts t!at %eant"usiness, "earin# (ea&ons all-too real. W!en t!ey %aterialie$ t!ey !a$ co%eonly to ill, an$ in %ere %inutes, t!eir a(ful %ission acco%&lis!e$, t!ey+$$isa&&ear "ac into t!e o$forsaen )un#le as co%&letely as if t!ey+$ ne'er co%eat all. T!e terrifyin# scenes of carna#e an$ "loo$y %ay!e% left "e!in$ (oul$fore'er !aunt t!e unfortunates (!o first foun$ t!e%.

Bot! t!e illin# an$ t!e surreal, s&utterin# %ilitaristic res&onses to follo( !a$ allfinally (oun$ $o(n, an$ a fair nu%"er of t!e In$ians "een eit!er &lace$ in rustys!acles an$ c!aine$, or "ri"e$ for s%all a%ounts of cas! to allo( t!e%sel'es to

"e taen a(ay to /In$ian Territory,0 in /?-la-!o-%a0 or so%e ot!er $is%al &lace(!ic! t!ey ne( only (as far, far a(ay. T!ey !a$ learne$ also t!at t!e faces ofany (!o !a$ #one, (oul$ ne'er "e looe$ u&on a#ain.But no treaty !a$ "een si#ne$, an$ t!e %ost stu""orn an$ (illful In$ians (erestill 'ery %uc! /out t!ere.0 An$ of t!at t!e settlers of t!e ti%e (ere certain,"ecause t!ey sa( t!e% all (it! so%e fre3uency@ !ea$in# u& t!e Mia%i i'erto(ar$ to(n, in t!eir $u#out canoes la$en (it! !i$es, &elts, an$ &lu%es to tra$e,

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or (alin# a"out on t!e streets, an$ so%eti%es e'en in t!e &ro&er stores, eactlylie (!ite &eo&le

T!ey (ere !ar$ to %iss, in fact, a tall, stately, an$ $i#nifie$ &eo&le, #ar"e$ int!eir $istincti'e clot!in# so "rilliantly colorful. T!e (o%en often (ore strin#s of

colorful "ea$s aroun$ t!eir necs, !i#! enou#! to fi t!eir !ea$s stiffly u&ri#!t,an$ on t!eir $resses !un# $ecorati'e !a%%ere$ sil'er coins. An$ e'erysin#le one of t!e %en, it %i#!t "e note$, al(ays carrie$ t!eir rifles (it! t!e%(!ere'er t!ey (ent. Coa$e$.

T!at su%%er, it !a$ "een D E years since Mary an$ t!e c!il$ren !a$ %a$e t!eirunfor#etta"le first a&&roac! in fro% t!e Bay, on a sc!ooner c!artere$ in e(6or, to(ar$ t!at %ost &ictures3ue s&ot (!ere Willia% !a$ !a$ a s&acious !ouse"uilt for t!e% "y t(o fine car&enters "rou#!t $o(n fro% "ac !o%e, in ?!io,usin# "uil$in# %aterials also s!i&&e$ in. Bricell an$ fello( tra'eler &!rai%Sturte'ant, an ac3uaintance also li'in# in ?!io an$ t!e fat!er of one JuliaTuttle2 !a$ first %a$e t!e )ourney to#et!er $o(n to t!e (il$erness of /BayBiscayne0 in 187F, to !a'e a loo. T!ey "ot! lie$ (!at t!ey sa(, an$, afterconsi$era"le %aneu'ers clearin# title, "ou#!t. Bricell ac3uire$ t!e entire "ayfront, an$ %uc! of t!e lan$ fro% t!e sout! "an of t!e Mia%i i'er on $o(nt!rou#! to oconut ro'e. :e also &ice$ u& an a$$itional ;4F acres on eit!er

"an of t!e e( i'er GF %iles to t!e nort!, at Hort Cau$er$ale. In all, !e &ai$G,FF. for o'er D,FF acres.2

T!at sc!ooner !a$ carrie$ Willia% an$ Mary, a#es 4; an$ G, res&ecti'ely,c!il$ren Alice, 14, %%a, 8, Willia%, Jr., ;, $it!, , !arles, G, an$ Belle, D, a#o'erness !ire$ to !el& (it! t!e c!il$ren, an$ a !ouseee&er.

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In a sense, t!e Bricells "rou#!t culture to t!is "eautiful "ut utterly re%o'e$re#ion. T!e c!il$ren recei'e$ a fine e$ucation fro% t!e #o'erness !ire$ "y t!efa%ily in &art for t!at &ur&ose, an$ any c!il$ren of sc!ool a#e (it!in &ractica"le$istance (ere in'ite$ to atten$ classes (it!out c!ar#e. In fairly s!ort or$er,Bricell sa( to t!e construction of a si%&le (oo$en "uil$in#, to ser'e as a store

'en$in# to fello( settlers to t!e "asic sta&les nee$e$ "y truest &ioneers for t!eiritc!ens an$ !o%es, an$ as a tra$in# &ost for t!e Se%inole.

Willia% Bricell+s tra$in# &ost (as of !u#e i%&ortance to t!e entire !istory of t!ere#ion, to follo(. :e (as t!e first (!ite %an to esta"lis! co%%ercial $ealin#s(it! t!e Se%inole, creatin# an in'alua"le ne( contet for non-t!reatenin#,&ositi'e interaction. :e con$ucte$ !is "usiness affairs (it! inte#rity an$res&ect, an$ in !is $ealin#s en$ea'ore$ to &ay fairly, an$ e&t !is &ro%ises. T!isalone (as an etraor$inary t!in#, "ut &er!a&s !is #reater contri"ution (asso%et!in# %ore si%&le. :e (as t!e first (!ite %an t!at %any of t!e Se%inole

encountere$ (!o (as not !ell-"ent on t!eir $estruction, an$Lor &rone toe%&loyin# any for% of tricery a'aila"le to ac!ie'e an unstate$ a#en$a of t!eirutter $is&lace%ent, an$ re%o'al to o$-only-no(s (!ere, cut off fro% t!e 'eryroots t!ey !a$ &ut $o(n in a stran#e an$ (on$erful &art of t!e art! t!ey !a$co%e to call /:o%e.0 :e #aine$ in return t!eir trust, al(ays !ar$-earne$, an$staunc! loyalty. T!e Bricells consistently re%aine$ #oo$ frien$s to, an$ effecti'ea$'ocates for, t!e tri"e.

T: %ont!s "efore Mary Bricell+s 3uest !a$ "een 'ery !ar$ on !er fa%ily.Tra#ically, youn# %%a !a$ 3uite su$$enly taen ill (it! s&inal %enin#itis, an$$ie$ on A&ril 4, 1874, at t!e a#e of 1F. Bot! fat!er an$ %ot!er (ere $e'astate$,"ut Willia% (as !it es&ecially !ar$. Hor reasons no(n only to t!e !eart, !e !a$al(ays felt a s&ecial affinity for t!e c!il$ an$ a$ore$ !er unreasona"ly, as s!e !a$!i%. W!en s!e too !er last "reat! an$ !er little soul flo(n !ea'en(ar$, so !a$&art of !is. ?n t!e surface, !e+$ "eco%e "itter, (it! %uc! of !is an#er focuse$an$ un$erstan$a"ly enou#!2 on :enry Hla#ler. 6et in $ee&er trut! !e !a$suffere$ (oun$s %ore #rie'ous "y far, an$ closer to t!e 'ery !eart of !i%. o(,

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not!in# else really %attere$. Willia% Bricell (as no(n to lau#! at ti%es, an$carry on (it! !is le#en$ary tall tales %uc! lie "efore, "ut in trut! (oul$ ne'era#ain feel /at !o%e0 on t!e art!, $es&ite its occasional co%forts an$ en$lessintri#ue. :e (oul$ not rest until !e %i#!t once a#ain !ol$ !is %%a+s "eautifulface "et(een !is lar#e !an$s, an$ %ae !er #i##le as only !e coul$, "efore

co'erin# !er face (it! tiny isses.

W!en !e #ot t!e a(ful letter "earin# t!e ne(s, re&orte$ "y !is (ife as "est s!ecoul$, in s!ay !an$, !e !a&&ene$ to "e a(ay on "usiness in Key West. As !erea$ on, a nail (as $ri'en furt!er into !is !eart, alrea$y s!attere$, as !e learne$t!at a fe'eris! %%a !a$ calle$ out for !i% only %o%ents "efore !er little !eart!a$ taen its last "eat. T!e fact !a$ "een inten$e$ to co%fort !i%, "ut !e (as far"eyon$ co%fortin#. :e i%%e$iately &enne$ a re&ly, #i'in# stern instruction t!atlittle %%a+s "o$y (as un$er no circu%stances to "e "urie$ "efore !is return. :e!a$ to say !is o(n #oo$"yes, fore'er.

In t!e sa%e letter, !e (as also infor%e$ of t!e sur&risin# ne(s t!at !is (ife !a$a#ain #i'en "irt!, on t!e 'ery $ay of %%a+s $eat!. :e !a$ no(n of Mary+slatest &re#nancy, "ut fully e&ecte$ to "e t!ere for t!e "irt!. Mau$e arri'e$&re%aturely, "ut "ot! s!e an$ !er Mot!er (ere &ronounce$ !ealt!y an$ (ell.T!e atten$in# &!ysician o&ine$ t!at t!e early onset of "irt! %i#!t liely !a'e"een tri##ere$ "y t!e %ot!er+s s!oc an$ #rief.

S?, t!ou#! t!e %atter can "e only t!e su")ect of s&eculation, it is &ossi"le t!atMary Bricell !a$ in$ee$ "een /%a$ (it! #rief0 u&on settin# out )ust after t!at

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noon !our to fin$ t!e (ar &arty. An$ consi$erin# t!e ti%in# of t!e e'ent, littleMau$e %i#!t "e seen as less a fra#ile "ur$en, Mary+s res&onsi"ility to safe#uar$a#ainst an o'er(!el%in# ni'erse, t!an anc!or ee&in# !er s&irit fro% si%&lyfloatin# out of !er "o$y, an$ fore'er else(!ere an$ a(ay, for t!e sa$ness. If%%a+s loss !a$ "een catastro&!e, Mau$e+s "irt! on t!e sa%e $ay %i#!t at least

"e seen as a &ro%ise.

6ears after t!e e'ent, an a$ult Mau$e Bricell c!ronicle$ (!at s!e !a$ learne$ ofit. In an ecellent "oo "y Bet! Bricell no no(n relation2, #illiam and MaryBrickell$ %ounders o" Miami and %ort &auderdale, t!e aut!or outlines t!e&relu$e to t!e %eetin#, an$ Mau$eNs account t!ereof@

1r# Harr! %# 2erse!, 3r#, &ho did e4tensi"e research about the relationship

bet&een the Seminoles and settlers for his bookPelts, Plumes, and Hides,

noted that in +56 the federal go"ernment considered sending a special

agent to lorida to check on reports of unrest among the Seminoles# % !earlater, in +56, &ord spread that the Seminoles &ere planning a re"olt and

&ere going to kill the &hites# Panic spread among the settlers, and the!

prepared to abandon their homes and lea"e the area# %lthough the report

turned out to be false, unease continued bet&een settlers and 7ndians#

/T!en, accor$in# to Mau$e+s setc!, soon after !er "irt! in 1874, /t!eIn$ians (ere e&ecte$ to #o on a ra%&a#e... In$ians fro% all o'er Hlori$a%et... sout! of t!e Bricell !o%e... Mrs. Bricell, (it! Mau$e, a tiny infantin !er ar%s, (ent out an$ %et t!e In$ian !ief Bi# To% Ti#er an$ tale$to !i% an$ e&laine$ to t!e% Mr. Bricell (as a(ay an$ s!e (asalone (it! t!e c!il$ren. After a len#t!y con'ersation, t!e c!ief &ro%ise$Mrs. B. to #o a(ay an$ ne'er return in a (ar a#ainst t!e (!ites. T!ey ne'erfou#!t a#ain.0

/Mau$e Bricell (as roce$ an$ &ette$ "y all t!e i%&ortant In$ians of !erti%e. S!e (as t!e first (!ite "a"y t!at %any of t!e In$ians !a$ e'er seen.T!e In$ians "eca%e staunc! frien$s of t!e Bricells, co%in# to t!eir !o%efor foo$, %e$ical attention an$ a$'ice.0

o %ore is s&elle$ out in Mau$e+s setc!, an$ in any e'ent, s!e !a$ "een at t!e

ti%e "ut an infant. But t!e Se%inole %ae t!eir &ro%ises only (it! etre%e carean$ in a s&irit of #reatest sole%nity, "ecause t!ey al(ays ee& t!e%. actly (!yt!eir unusual %eetin# (it! Mary Bricell t!at $ay affecte$ t!e% so $ee&ly as to&ro%ise an en$ of (ar, fore'er, is not at all clear. 6et it is certainly a (on$erful3uestion, an$ ric! (it! &ossi"ilities.

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But t!at Mary Bricell !a$ ste&&e$ far "eyon$ t!e real% of t!e no(n, or safe,an$ $one so for t!e "enefit of ot!ers, an$ t!us in t!e truest an$ #reatest sense&laye$ t!e &art of !ero, t!ere %ay "e no $ou"t.

T!an you.

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