SEMINOLES. 



The Seminoles originally belonged to the Creek family; but, owing 

 to some internal dissensions, they left them and formed a separate 

 and independent band. The Creeks gave them the appellation of 

 Seminoles, which signifies " runaways." On their removal west of 

 the Mississippi, the government assigned to them a portion of the 

 Creek country ; but being unwilling to come under the then existing 

 Creek laws, they refused to occupy it, and took up their abode in the 

 Cherokee nation, in the vicinity of Fort Gibson. Here they resided 

 until the spring of 1845, when they met the Creeks in council; and 

 through the exertions of Major Wm. Armstrong, Superintendent of 

 Indian Affairs in the South-west, Gov. P. M. Butler, Cherokee Agent, 

 and Col. Jas. Logan, Creek Agent, their causes of dissatisfaction were 

 removed, and they accordingly took up their abode in the Creek 

 Nation, upon the waters of Little River. 



1. 



CO-WOCK-COO-CHEE, or WILDCAT. 

 (Painted Dec. 1842.) 



A Seminole Chief, and one of the most celebrated of his tribe ; 

 possessed of much vanity and an indomitable spirit, he has won for 

 himself an exalted name and standing among his people. 



At the outbreak of the Florida War, he was a mere boy ; but he 

 shouldered his rifle, and fought with so much courage and despera- 

 tion, that he was soon looked up to as a master-spirit. This gathered 

 a band of warriors about him, who adopted him as their chief leader. 

 At the head of this party he became a formidable enemy of the United 

 States troops, and gave them much trouble during that campaign, and 

 probably would never have fallen into the hands of the whites, had 

 he been able to procure food and ammunition for his band : being 

 reduced to a state of starvation, he was obliged to surrender, and, by 

 treaty stipulations with the United States Government, was with his 

 people removed west of the Mississippi. 



