JOHN HORSE AND Chief Osceola
THE LARGEST SLAVERY REVOLT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
This historical event has not been widely approached by many historians or an epic film about this. The reason for this to be so important in our history is for the facts:
#1 largest slave of over 700 individuals alone plus the additional Native
American Indians revolt and Exodus in US history
#2 created the largest save haven for runaway slaves
#3They secured the only legal emancipation of the rebellious slaves prior to the United States civil war.
In the 18th century two groups the African free and runaway slaves numbering over 700 (Seminole Maroons) they spoke their own language, Creole, as well as English, Spanish and Indian dialects. They also understood the Europeans because they had lived on plantations. And the Seminole Native Americans who were run by leaders John Horse and Chief Osceola Indian Chief (he was biracial) who migrated from other colonies try to avoid the influence and control by the whites and slavery during that era. Both of these groups were accepted by the Spanish St. Augustine, Florida, in 1687and were settle in a place called Garcia Real de Santa Teresa de Moose, becoming the first free Black settlement in North America.
JOHN HORSE AND Chief Osceola
THE SEMINOLES
THE LARGEST SLAVERY REVOLT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
This is an historical event that has not been widely approached by many historians or an epic film made regarding this. The reason for this to be so important in our history is for the facts:
In the 18th century two groups the African free and runaway slaves numbering over 700 (Seminole Maroons) they spoke their own language, Creole, as well as English, Spanish and Indian dialects. They also understood the Europeans because they had lived on plantations. And the Seminole Native Americans who were run by leaders John Horse and Chief Osceola Indian Chief (he was biracial) who migrated from other colonies try to avoid the influence and control by the whites and slavery during that era. Both of these groups were accepted by the Spanish St. Augustine, Florida, in 1687and were settle in a place called Garcia Real de Santa Teresa de Moose, becoming the first free Black settlement in North America.
In exchange for their freedom that they agreed to fight in battle when needed to defend the land from any enemies who try to take over. Their community was the largest and safe haven in the Florida Everglades region. Due to the fact that it was a mixed community a lot of intermarriages took place in harmony. After the
American Revolution people living in the southern states were intimidated that a settlement region of large armed free slaves and runaway slaves with the Seminoles lived together and wanted back the slaves. They knew how well they were as an army in one community. George Washington and his administration went into heavy meetings on how to handle this situation. In 1818 James Monroe Administration, with General Andrew Jackson Actual moved into Florida and invaded the land this was not authorized. This act was a vengeful plot for he wanted justice against those who attacked Fort Scott in Georgia. He conquered Florida and placed the US Flag and claimed the land. When he seized the peninsula he took the opportunity to execute those who opposed him and also to clean out some of the territories of former slaves and Seminoles because he felt it would make it easier for annexation of the land. The United States purchased Florida from the Spanish. When Andrew Jackson became President of the United States he decided to make sure the Black Seminoles Communities were moved out by force. He pursued this with a passion for his policy and one of his largest policies of removal led to a war against the blacks and Seminoles which 1835-1845 was. This became in history at the time one of
the most costly and largest wars. When the community of Seminoles were attacked this caused the upraising of the former slaves. In 1886 April Black Seminoles and their Indian counterparts came together with John Horse and this was the army’s largest slave rebellion in history. This army was with over 700 plantation slaves who ran away plus the free slaves and Seminoles who were well armed. With John Horse the other head was Osceola they both would lead the people on with John Horse as the leader of the Seminole army to a long and trying exodus to their complete freedom.
In 1838 John Horse and the Seminoles agreed to cease the war with the United States government in exchange for moving to what was then considered to be Indian territory which is today the state of Oklahoma for legal recognition of their freedom despite many of the communities were runaway slaves the emancipation papers were drawn up and they accepted for it was their chance to start over a new life free and they would have their community in open land and expand. This was a joyous time for them. Once the first part of the exodus became and they relocated they went under attack both by whites and other Native Americans when they settled in Oklahoma.
1n 1848 part two of the exodus out of the United States began. A decade after they made the agreement with the government. The United States Attorney General Nathan Clifford who served from 1846-1848 announced that the government never had the authority to give emancipation to slaves for freedom nor to commute and settle into land owned by the United States as a free community. This impacted the Black Seminoles community immensely because this gave anyone the freedom to make them all into slaves including the Native Americans. John Horse and the large community made their final exodus out of the United States to Mexico with the community for in Mexico slavery was illegal.
The community thrived in prosperity. John Horse at that time through his knowledge of leading a victorious army became a famous Mexican army general. Still, in pursuant of them the Texans would come over the Mexican border to try and steal back some blacks and Seminoles for slavery stating they were still bound to the United States and not free. The United States again met resistance from both the
Mexicans and the simonies. Eventually, the black Seminoles led by John Horse gained legal recognition and were given a portion of land.
In his seventies, John Horse faced another crisis when local landowners tried to take the land the Mexican government had originally given to the Seminole settlers. John Horse rode out once more, to Mexico City, to obtain reaffirmation from the government of their land grant and to put a stop to the local land grab. He was never heard from again and it is commonly thought that he died on this trip to the capital (in 1882). Several hundred descendants of Black Seminoles, known as Mascogos, still reside in Coahuila today.
I feel that most historians have ignored this important historical event and not told the true picture of what happened in American slavery history for this was larger than the revolt of NAT TURNER which if you study the timeline was way before this enormous battle took place with the BLACK SEMINOLES so it does not fit the largest slavery revolt was the Black Seminoles with John Horse and Osceola. To me, this is a blemish in US history not to be told. Not only the poor treatment and abuse of slaves but also to the Native Americans. They were given emancipation of freedom by the Government and within a decade it was taken away for them to be returned back as slaves. I feel that many historians tend to stick with what they feel is acceptable and will go over well for it has been repeated so many times in history such as with Art and by separating the Blacks from the Native Americans and I feel that is wrong when we have here a group on the first mixed races with consent marrying and fighting for each other and freedom on United States Soil and was condemned by the government and other powers that be for that reason.