Alexander Arbuthnot, a scotchman, then nearly seventy years of age, went to
Florida from New Providence in his own schooner in 1817, to trade with the Indians,
Ambrister, born in
London in 1785, was a lieutenant in the
English marine service, and was present at the
battle of Waterloo.
For fighting a duel with a brother officer he was suspended for one year.
While with his uncle, the governor of New Providence, he met
Arbuthnot, with whom he visited
Florida.
Here it was alleged they became implicated in
[
195]
Indian difficulties that
General Jackson was sent to quell in 1818.
By order of
General Jackson,
Arbuthnot and
Ambrister were seized and tried by a military court, convened April 26, 1818, at Fort
St. Marks, Fla.,
Gen. Ed. P. Gaines,
president, for inciting the
Creek Indian to war against the
United States.
Ambrister made no defence, but threw himself on the mercy of the court.
Arbuthnot was sentenced to be hanged.
Ambrister was first sentenced to be shot, but his sentence was commuted to fifty stripes on the bare back, and confinement at hard labor, with ball and chain, for one year.
General Jackson disapproved the commutation, and ordered the original sentence in both cases to be carried out, which was done April 30, 1818.
This arbitrary act of
Jackson created great excitement at the time, and the attention of Congress was call to it. See
Jackson, Andrew. 
