SW032 Frank Laumer and Co. Blaze New Path on an Old Trail in 1963, Retracing Fatal Steps of Major Dade's 1835 March along Fort King Military Road

<p> Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott published a map of central Florida detailing the route of Dade's 1835  march along the Fort King Military Road from Fort Brooke, in Tampa to Fort King in Ocala. The column never arrived. </p> <p>[Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series of podcasts over the coming weeks promoting the Seminole Wars Foundation's virtual challenge, The Major Dade Memorial March to Fort King that launches Dec. 22. Registration to join Laumer's Legion is now open. Visit <a href='http://www.seminolewars.us/'>www.seminolewars.us</a> for details.]</p> <p>In this episode, we present an adaptation of William Goza’s Fort King Road 1963 booklet. Although Mr. Goza has passed away, along with Frank Laumer,  a participant from that 1963 march still lives today. Frank Laumer’s son, Christopher, now age 69, walked part of the route with the men when he himself was 12 years of age. It is our distinct pleasure to welcome Chris to our podcast to read the first-person portions of William Goza’s account of the first march to specifically mark that trail since Major Dade himself trod it with his doomed 108-man detachment of artillery and infantry soldiers in 1835.</p> <p>Background:</p> <p>In 1963, land developer Frank Laumer and Clearwater attorney William Goza, joined by a St Leo College student, Jim Beck, decided to take a little hike in the country, tracing the path of Major Dade’s ill-fated column from Tampa to present-day Bushnell, Florida.</p> <p>    Frank Laumer and Co. (above) arrive at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in December 1963 and accepts greetings from the Park Superintendent. In the 2010s, Frank Laumer (above right) gives a public address at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.</p> <p>The trek attracted many camp followers – and a few members of the news media. The men had successfully re-established a walking trail that mirrored that of Major Dade in 1835. They donated copies of their maps to the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park and to the Florida Historical Society. And William G