Digital Commons Network^™

Life At Fort Brooke, 1824-1836, James W. Covington

Florida Historical Quarterly

In January, 1824 the military post known as Cantonment Brooke and later as Fort Brooke * was established at the juncture of Hillsborough River and the bay bearing the same name. There were many sites more suitable or a fort which could be found along the shores and islands of Tampa Bay; but the land at the chosen location had already been cleared and a house and wharf erected by Robert Hackley, a gentleman from New York who believed that his father held title to the land. Incidently, Hackley had left the property in charge of an overseer so that …

News And Notes, Florida Historical Society

Florida Historical Quarterly

Notes from local and regional historical societies, contributors to the issue, new members

Florida And Iowa: A Contemporary View, Franklin A. Doty

Florida Historical Quarterly

Within the span of one generation after the admission of Florida and Iowa to the Union, the citizens of the two states confronted each other in the awful strife of the Civil War. Portents of this bitter separation had been discernable in the birthing of the states, but who could have said with assurance that these two frontier communities, having so many more roots and inheritances in common than they had fatal divergencies, would shortly stand drawn in battle array against each other? Regardless of their common institutional origins, the two communities came to subordinate themselves to, and form a …

Indian Presents: To Give Or Not To Give: Governor Whites's Quandary, Richard K. Murdoch

Florida Historical Quarterly

At the close of the Eighteenth Century the use of presents to obtain loyalty, friendship, neutrality or allegiance was an old story to the nations of Western Europe, dating back to the days of the Greeks and Romans. Later presents were employed for the same purpose in the feudal period and in the campaigns of the Crusaders in the Holy Land. In the early years of the modern era the Portugese used presents to obtain peaceful entry into African ports as prelude to the slave trade. And finally presents were employed in the Americas by all the colonizing powers as …

Early Newspapers Of Ocala, Eloise Robinson Ott

Florida Historical Quarterly

During the more than one hundred years since the printing of the first newspaper in Ocala, this community has had an important and unique part in the journalistic history of Florida. Statehood had been achieved but two years before when, in 1847, the Ocala Argus began publication. Within the next two decades, seven other newspapers were established here. Several existed but a few months, others from four to six years, but the last of this group, the East Florida Banner (later the Ocala Banner) was to have a distinguished career of usefulness, with a record of editorship and ownership within …

Horace Greeley, Presidential Candidate: A Floridian's View, Willard E. Wight

Florida Historical Quarterly

In the presidential election of 1872, Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, was the candidate of the Liberal Republican Party and of the Democratic Party. Nominated first by the Liberal Republicans at their convention in Cincinnati, Greeley had been named by the Democrats at Baltimore in July, 1872. The Democrats not only adopted the candidate of the Liberal Republicans but also adopted their platform verbatim.

Florida, Iowa, And The National "Balance Of Power," 1845, Franklin A. Doty

Florida Historical Quarterly

To Floridians, the admission of their state to the Union is an event in which interest arises as a matter of course from local and state pride and from general historical awareness of the times and circumstances. To Iowans, the event is of similar interest because of the pairing of the two states in the same act of admission. To the historically minded in general, the occasion provides a convenient focus for reconsidering some of the chief crosscurrents of national politics in the 1840's.

Fort Caroline, Cradle Of American Freedom, Charles E. Bennett

Florida Historical Quarterly

Along the southern bank of the St. Johns River in northeastern Florida stand a wooded bluff and adjoining shorelands which may well be considered the birthplace of American ideals and freedom; or, at very least, the cradle of American ideals in the distant years of 1564 and 1565, and the beginning of the first permanent settlement of our country. The United States government is now, in 1956, establishing at the site what will be called Fort Caroline National Memorial. It is expected that it will be open to visitors by the early summer of 1957. Although the history of St. …

Florida Seen Through The Eyes Of Nineteenth Century Travellers, Benjamin F. Rogers

Florida Historical Quarterly

During the first half of the nineteenth century, there were published both in this country and abroad a great number of books written by travellers in all parts of the United States, and especially in the South. As one Southern author observed in 1860: “The fashion has been for several years . . . to write books about the South. Englishmen, Frenchmen, Down-Eastern men, the Bloomer style of men, as well as countless numbers of female scribblers, have not ceased to drum upon the public tympanum (almost to deafness, indeed) in praise or blame - generally the latter - of …

Archeological Excavations In The Courtyard Of Castillo De San Marcos, St. Augustine, Florida, J. C. Harrington

Florida Historical Quarterly

The recorded history of the fortifications at St. Augustine, Florida, begins on the day the Spaniards, under Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, landed at the Timucua Indian village of Seloy in the late summer of 1565. A large Indian communal house was turned over to the newcomers, who immediately set to work throwing up earthworks around the aboriginal structure.

Archeology Of The Tampa Bay Area, Ripley P. Bullen

Florida Historical Quarterly

The Tampa Bay region includes the west coast of Florida from Tarpon Springs to Sarasota, or the three counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee; and its archeology is better known than that of any comparable region of the State. Nevertheless, in spite of the large amount of work which has been done on this area, there are many lacunae in our data. We are just beginning to glimpse the dynamics involved, and much work is required before we will have an adequate understanding of the prehistory of this area.

Pacification Gone Awry: The U.S Failure To Underpin Hearts And Minds In South Vietnam, 1966–1968, Simon Mai

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: Throughout the escalation of American involvement in Vietnam from 1964 – 1968, one key strategy focused on pacification – the winning of the allegiance of South Vietnamese civilians to the Saigon-based Government of Vietnam (GVN). This paper will argue that American/GVN implementation of pacification programs at the provincial and village level revealed three fundamental factors that proved fatal and counterproductive. These factors were the political and social entrenchment of the Viet Cong or National Liberation Front (NLF), the provincial cronyism and corruption of GVN, and the indiscriminate application of American firepower in support of General William Westmoreland’s strategy of …

A ‘Superlicious’ Feast: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Davy Crockett’S Almanacs As An Early Form Of White National Identity, Darren L. Letendre

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: Davy Crockett’s Almanacs, published between 1835 and 1856, have been held as a prime example of nineteenth-century Anglo-American folklore. While authors have commented on their comic qualities and racist content, what has been lacking is a rhetorical analysis, as suggested by Folklorist Stephen Gencarella, which would examine the ways in which “folklore is not something that a folk does, rather… something which constitutes a folk.” This paper analyzes the almanac stories dealing with native peoples in order to understand the political and ideological discourse that was propagated by these publications. Rather than genuine folk-stories faithfully recorded by publishers, these …

Osceola: Portraits, Features, And Dress, John M. Goggin

Florida Historical Quarterly

The most colorful figure of the unpopular Second Seminole War, Osceola, the Seminole war leader, early caught the imagination of the American public. 1 As a result, although we lack details of his early history, we have a good amount of data for his military career, and numerous comments on his appearance. He was the subject of several original sketches and paintings, as well as numerous engravings taken from them. However, differences between some of these “from life” renderings, raise the question of exactly what Osceola did look like!

A Massachusetts Mechanic In Florida And Mexico, 1847, Arthur W. Thompson

Florida Historical Quarterly

The growing tension between the United States and Mexico during the early part of 1846 found Florida singularly unenthusiastic for war. For one thing, she had only achieved statehood the year before. Then, too, she still felt the adverse impact not only of the 1837-43 depression, but also - more important - the devastation of the Seminole War. Despite these feelings, when Congress actually declared war on May 13, 1846, there was general support for the cause throughout the state. Ultimately, five Florida companies were called into service and three saw action in Mexico.

Cuban Bloodhounds And The Seminoles, James W. Covington

Florida Historical Quarterly

Throughout history man has made use of animals in his warfare. During the Middle Ages the “Man on horseback” gained many victories against those on foot who opposed him and it was not until the effective use of the long bow and gun powder that the foot soldier could hold his own in combat. The first animal that European man domesticated was the dog. Even as late as World War II canines of several breeds were used by both sides to guard against surprise attack and to track down fleeing foes and prisoners.

A Religious Revival In Tallahassee In 1843, Nathan Hoyt

Florida Historical Quarterly

In the Woodrow Wilson Papers in the Library of Congress there is a manuscript narrative (here reproduced) of a religious revival held in Tallahassee in 1843 by the Rev. Nathan Hoyt, grandfather of Ellen Axson, wife of President Wilson. He was then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, Georgia. Evidently, Georgians of that period considered Florida as a field for missionary work.

Spanish Interest In British Florida, And In The Progress Of The American Revolution, Mark F. Boyd

Florida Historical Quarterly

Despite the loss of Florida to Great Britain in 1763, colonial officials in Cuba, probably reflecting the attitude of the Spanish Court, maintained a lively interest in their erstwhile province and preserved a hope of its eventual recovery. When the mounting tension in the British colonies to the north progressed from civil disorder to the revolutionary struggle, Spanish interest in the conflict became intense as the cherished hope began to exhibit the possibility of attainment. The meagerness of the news which reached that Court through random channels was insufficient to reveal the trend of events or determine the moment for …

Pensacola In 1810, Florida Historical Society

Florida Historical Quarterly

In his research for a doctoral dissertation on “The Federal Government’s Factory System, 1796-1822,” Rev. Aloysius Plaisance, O.S.B. read numerous newspaper files of that period and came upon several descriptions of Pensacola in that era which he has sent us for publication. All are interesting and will be published here in time. Little is known, first-hand, of the Pensacola of 1810, so this account from the St. Louis Louisiana Gazette of September 27, 1910 is of much interest.

De Soto And Terra Cei, John R. Swanton

Florida Historical Quarterly

In connection with my work as chairman of the De Soto Expedition Commission between 1935 and 1938 I made a study of the documentary and geographical evidence regarding the location of the point where De Soto landed on the Florida coast in 1539 and the position of his first headquarters. While I was assisted to some extent by other members of the Commission, the conclusions reached were more particularly mine and I assume all responsibility for them. They were originally stated in a paper printed in “The Florida Historical Quarterly” (vol. XVI, no. 3; Jan. 1938) and were incorporated later …

The Fatio Family: A Book Review, Walter C. Hartridge

Florida Historical Quarterly

This account of the Fatios and their descendants is a significant contribution to the regional history of our country, and it deserves to be viewed and evaluated against the background of historical writing relating to the southeast for the past century and a half.

Six Student Projects From The North Florida Editorial Workshop, Marisa Pechillo, Cassidy Bowen, Carol Lynne Hemmingway, Rebecca Nunes, Emilia Thorn, Matthew Welcome

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

In this presentation, six students will discuss digital editing projects they have carried out through the North Florida Editorial Workshop (NFEW). Five of the projects were carried out in the Summer 2020 course DIG3152 Introduction to Electronic Textual Editing, taught by Dr. Clayton McCarl of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Emilia Thom undertook the sixth project separately in fulfillment of her capstone requirement for the Hicks Honors College. We worked to edit and encode transcriptions of items from various archives, including UNF Special Collections, the St. Augustine Historical Society, and the PK Yonge Library in Gainesville. The goals …

Documents Concerning A Voyage To The Miami Region In 1793, Richard K. Murdoch

Florida Historical Quarterly

That the southern portion of the Florida peninsular possessed no significant commercial value in colonial days was generally conceded, but its strategic importance as guardian of the Bahama Channel was fully recognized. Governors of Florida, both English and Spanish, stressed the possible dangers if this region were permitted to fall prey to enemy occupation. In spite of the acknowledged importance of the area as a military outpost, no program was undertaken by the Spanish authorities to erect permanent military bases south of the fort of San Marcos in St. Augustine and the battery on the shore of Matanzas Island. Only …

The Pensacola Indian Trade, Peter A. Brannon

Florida Historical Quarterly

Any account of the trade with the southern Indians out of Pensacola must of necessity be a historical recording of the contacts of Spanish (and British to an extent) West Florida with the Alabama Basin region to the north. The “Pensacola Trade Route” incidents make much of the romantic story of the early settlement of the Gulf country.

Archeology Of The Tampa Bay Area, Ripley P. Bullen

Florida Historical Quarterly

While we speak of archeology as pre-history, it is as much a part of the history of any region as that which is recorded contemporaneously in writing, even though it does not relate to our own ancestors. So two of the papers read at our annual meeting were on Florida archeology. Ripley P. Bullen, Assistant Florida State Archeologist recounted the highlights of what has been learned of the central west coast.

Book Reviews, Florida Historical Society

Florida Historical Quarterly

Reviews of John M. Goggin and Frank H. Sommer III: Excavations on Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida. Yale University Publications in Anthropology number forty-one. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949. (101 p., 8 plates, text figures); Gordon R. Willey : Excavations in Southeast Florida (Yale University Publications in Anthropology, number 42,. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949,137 pp., 8 text figures, 16 plates); Gordon R. Willey, Archeology of the Florida Gulf Coast. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, vol. 113. 559 pp., 60 pls., 76 figs., 20 maps, 17 tables. 1949. Government Printing Office, Washington.

Provincializing New York: In And Out Of The Geopolitics Of Art After 1945, Béatrice Joyeux-Prunel

Artl@s Bulletin

In this article, I argue that the putative global centrality of New York in art after 1945 is a construct, as it is for Paris prior to 1945. Monographs and national approaches are unsuccessful in challenging such powerful myths as these. A global, transnational and comparative approach demonstrates that the struggle for centrality was a global phenomenon after 1945, a battle that New York does not win (depending on one’s point of view) until after 1964. Rather than considering centres and peripheries as a fixed category, I propose to consider them as a strategic notion which artists and their promoters …

Reimagining The Duck Stamp, Hunting Licensure And Public Land Preservation, Alec Wayne Boyd-Devine

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The American Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or Duck Stamp, is a form of licensure issued by the Federal Government for waterfowl hunters. Why do physical stamps act as licensure to hunt waterfowl on both public and private land in the United States? How did the stamp become the key that grants access to resources that supposedly should be owned by the public? The duck stamp has been well-documented in conservation communities as a resource which has made significant positive impacts on the environment. The increase of anti-hunting sentiments in our society combined with fewer hunters per capita may …

Reactions And Responses To The American Chestnut Blight In The Twentieth Century, Sarah Heavren

Undergraduate Craft of Research Prize Papers

Chapter from The Perfect Tree: The American Chestnut Tree in American Culture, Economics, and Science in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

The tale of the American chestnut tree offers incredible insight on Americans’ changing relationship with their environment and the complications added by economic motivations and scientific advancements. The American chestnut tree was known for its favorable timber and delectable nuts, which allowed the tree to assume a level of economic and cultural significance in twentieth century America. The timber was versatile and durable, and picking chestnuts and roasting them during the holidays were common seasonal traditions. However, the arrival …

The Octofoil, April/May/June 2021, Ninth Infantry Division Association

The Octofoil

The Octofoil is the offical publication of the Ninth Infantry Division Association, Inc., an organization formed by the officers and men of the 9th Infantry Division in order to perpetuate the memory of fallen comrades, preserve the esprit de corps of the Division, promote peace and serve as an information bureau about the 9th Infantry Division. The Association is made up of 9th Infantry veterans from WWII and Vietnam, spouses, widows and lineal descendants.