Left-Handed Pete

The Double-Knife; or, The Princess of the Everglades This Florida frontier romance by Jos. E. Badger, Jr., opens with a military engagement near Lake Pithlachocco. Colonel Newman leads 110 volunteers against King Payne's Seminole forces during a period of Indian raids on settlements. Scout "Rattling Harry" Denning, mortally wounded by arrows, warns of an ambush. The volunteers repel the initial attack, but King Payne—mounted on a white horse—rallies his warriors for renewed assaults. Among the scouts are Harry Vories, a captain, and his inseparable companion Left-Handed Pete, a gaunt, fearless marksman known for unconventional methods. After fierce combat near hastily-constructed breastworks, the Seminoles feign retreat, drawing volunteers into pursuit through swamps. King Payne orchestrates a counter-ambush, surrounding the colonial forces with superior numbers and archery fire while sending warriors to attack from behind—the volunteers realize they face encirclement and strategic defeat.