[199] house of his late father till ordered to the command of the New York Harbor. In May, 1836, he was ordered, with his command, into the Cherokee country, to move the Indians. That duty performed, he went to Fort Moultrie, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Here he soon received orders to proceed immediately to Florida, and take command of the regiment of which he was Lieutenant-Colonel, and prosecute the war against the Indians,--a war abhorrent both to his principles and his feelings. He had a singular and unconquerable dislike of travelling by steam-power; but here was a necessity; and, almost for the first time in his life, he ventured on board a steamboat, the “Dolphin,” bound for the Black Creek. The following account, published at the time in the “Jacksonville Courier,” gives the sad sequel with touching particularity:--
The United States steamer “ Dolphin,” from Charleston for St. Augustine, via Savannah and St. Mary's, was lost off the bar of St. John's River, on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17, 1836, at half-past 4 in the afternoon. When within two miles of St. John's Bar, and she had taken two pilots on board, as the boat began to move, her boilers exploded, and, in an instant, she was a complete wreck. The bows and stern were separated, and the engine, &c., sank to the bottom. Mr. Donnelson was blown into the bows of the boat, much stunned. After the steam had cleared away, as soon as he could stand, he noticed Colonel Brooks just beside him, who laid lifeless, except one slight spasm; after which, in an instant, the face turned purple. Mr. Donnelson thinks he was killed by the shock. Soon after this, Mr. Donnelson gained the stern, which was the largest part. Immediately afterwards, the bows sank, but soon rose again to the surface; but Colonel Brooks was seen no more. Out of thirty-four persons, nineteen were saved, and fifteen were lost. The disaster was owing to the highly culpable negligence of the two engineers, who were both lost.December 30, the body was recovered. His watch, filled with sand, was taken from his pocket, and sent to his family. A newspaper of St. Augustine gives the following particulars:--
The body of the late lamented Colonel Brooks was found upon the beach, about thirty miles from this city, and brought here for interment on Thursday last. On Friday, the body was escorted to the grave by the St. Augustine Veterans and a company of volunteers, and followed by the United States officers at this post as principal mourners, the volunteer officers in the service of the United States, the United States troops, the Judge and officers of
