Captain John Rogers Vinton Seminole War letter

Collection — Box: 158

Identifier: MSS 0-251

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This item is a letter from Captain John Rogers Vinton at Fort New Smyrna, Florida and dated 1840. Addressed to his mother, it was written on his birthday and he wrote: "Since my last birthday, another year has passed over my head, and brought me to that period when it is my wont to make a retrospect of the past and pour out my thoughts to you. It has been a year of exile from civilized life - but not altogether profitless, and by no means an unhappy one..." His letter is highly religious and rather contradictory, as he wrote of having found "in the wilderness of Florida" many things pleasing to him. As Captain Vinton was at Fort Mellon and Fort Taylor in 1837 and 1838, his letter dated Fort New Smyrna, June 20, 1840, must have described the place.

If so, compared with his rather recent experience against the Seminoles, it is understandable that he had difficulties in adjusting himself into the environments of an aristocratic British Colony where he had all the advantages which he so vividly described to his mother.

Dates

Other: Majority of material found in June 20, 1840
Other: Date acquired: 02/02/1951

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.