 Major Francis L. Dade , military commandant at Key West , received intelligence that Cuba and Spain were arming the Indians ; investigations did not confirm the rumor . Reports coming from Fort Brooke , near present @-@ day Tampa , noted that Indians in the area were resisting orders from the federal government to emigrate to Mississippi , contradicting the assertions made by the federal authorities that the Indians had agreed to emigrate peacefully . Dade , two companies of soldiers , and all of the available arms were sent to Fort Brooke at Tampa Bay , the port designated for the commencement of the Indians ' emigration . The Indians answered by concentrating all of their forces in the New River region . On December 28 , 1835 , Dade and 107 soldiers were ambushed en route from Tampa Bay to Fort King , near present @-@ day Ocala . Only three soldiers survived ; the attackers lost only three men . 
