Fort Brooke Tampa Bay Eas[t] Florida July 30th 1839 My dear Sir At the instance of your sister Mrs. Barker/ I assume the painful task of communicating to you the untimely death of your brother Mr. Bedford Morgan, who was unfortunately killed by the Indians on the morning of the 23d inst. on the Caloosahatchee or Synabal River about six miles above its entrance into Charlotts harbour, where he has gone with Mr. Dallum to locate a trading house to barter with the Indians, of which you have recd. no doubt information some time since, in conformity with arrangements made by Genl. Mac omb with them the "Indians,' recently at Fort King; which duty was as signed by the gem. at the request of the Indians to Col. Harney; who left here about six weeks since with your brother, Mr. Dallum & some six or eight hired men for Charlott's Harbour where he has left a small command of regulars to locate the establishment referred to; after doing which the Col. re turned here some three weeks ago, stated that all was going on well, that he was satisfied the war was at an end; & that the Indians would act in good faith in adherring to the pa cific arrangements Interred into at Fort King, & begged that I would dismiss from my mind any doubts or apprehensions I might entertain to the contrary; that he sould return to the trading establishment in a few days, which he done, when a number of the principal warriors were to meet him. I left here about the same time with Col. H ? for a few days to meet some Indians in the interior; on the night of the 28th a few days after my return, a small fishing boat reached here from Charlottes harbour bringing two wounded soldiers, & a letter from Col. Harney communicating the sad intelligence that he had been deceived by the Indians, who had surprised his camp, about daylight on the morning of the 23d, that there were eighteen persons killed & missing of his party, no doubt all killed, among the number was your brother & Mr. Dallum, that his arms, provisions &c. were all lost, that those who escaped with the greatest difficulty by the aid of a canoe which enabled him to get to the fishing Smacks referred to The Communication in question was addressed to Capt. Mr. Burk, Comdg, at Key Biscane to which places the boat was ordered, but in Consequence of a head wind which put her after she got out to sea, the individual entrusted with the letter, brought it with the wounded men to hospital. I have dispatched a small boat, the only craft I had at my disposal, to the mouth of the Coloosahatchee to afford any aid that could be rendered, which will be followed by a storm boat with a command the moment one arrives which is hourerly expected. Far, very far be it from me to assure the living, much less the dead, & gladly would I were it in my power, pour oil on & smooth down the troubles & sorrows of all who have been afflicted & bereaved by this most unfortunate occurrence; and most truly do I hope that an all wise providence "will so temper the wind to the shorn lamb" as will enable your respectable & widdowed parents to bear up with fortitude & resignations against this severest of all trials & afflictions; which I greatly fear was brought about by the too great confidence of all concerned, in the professions of the most evil & treacherous savages that ever existed. Had they profited by experience or by my advices as regards circumspection, & the necessary measure to have prevented a surprise, in all probability this sad sad catastrophe would never have taken place. But let us not give up the living for the dead, I know from experience what a parent feels for the loss of a child, as well as for the loss of relatives & friends & most sincerely do I sympathize with all who have been deprived by either by this late tragical event. Your sister as may be supposed has been greatly shocked & distressed by the loss of her brothers, every consolation has been offered in our power to bestow, & I am happy to say that she is much more composed today than I had expected she would have been, while her own sorrows bear heavely on her, she does not forget the afflictions of others, particularly her good mothers who she fears will scarcely be able to bear up against this severe visitation, & hopes the knowledge of her bereavment will not be communicated to her, through?the news papers. Capt. Barker who is absent with his compy. will be directed to join his family as soon as practicable. The children are all well. Please present me most respectfully to your venerable mother & good lady, as well as to all friends in and around Baton Rouge. With considerations of high Respect & esteem Your friend Z. Taylor