Wild Cat

Wild Cat (c. 1810 – 1857) was a leading Seminole chieftain during the later stages of the Second Seminole War as well as the nephew of Micanopy. 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Seminole (disambiguation). ... Osceola, Seminole leader. ... Micanopy (c. ...

Wild Cat was born Coacoochee or Cowacoochee to King Philip (or Ee-mat-la) in Yulaka, a Seminole village along the St. Johns River in northern Florida around 1810. Wild Cat may have had a twin sister who died at birth and, having been born a twin, he was regarded by the tribe as being particularly gifted. As tensions mounted between Seminoles and local settlers following the purchase of Florida by the United States in 1821, Seminole tribes encouraged the escape of slaves in neighboring Georgia in reaction to encroaching settlers who began settling on the Florida coast previously occupied by Seminoles. The St. ...

At the start of the Second Seminole War, the nineteen-year-old Wild Cat gained prominence leading a band of Seminoles and former Georgian slaves (the Black Seminoles) until his father's capture and imprisonment in Fort Marion in 1837. Osceola, Seminole leader. ... 19th-century engraving depicting a Black Seminole warrior of the First Seminole War (1817–8). ... The Castillo de San Marcos is a Spanish built fort located in the city of St. ...

In October 1837, Wild Cat appeared before American forces in a ceremonial peace headdress claiming to be an emissary of Osceola and, after negotiations with Colonel Thomas S. Jesup, American authorities agreed to peace talks. However, after the arrival of the Seminoles, Col. Jesup ordered their arrest despite their being under a flag of truce. While imprisoned at Fort Marion, Wild Cat would escape with eighteen other Seminoles reportedly fasting for six days before they were able to slide through the bars of their jail cells. Osceola Osceola (1804 – January 20, 1838) was a war chief of the Seminole Indians in Flo. ... Thomas Sidney Jesup (December 10, 1788-June 10, 1860) was a United States military officer most notable for his service as Quartermaster General. ... The Castillo de San Marcos is a Spanish built fort located in the city of St. ...

With the imprisonment of Osceola, Wild Cat emerged as the leading commander of the war fighting with Alligator and Arpeika against Colonel Zachary Taylor at the inconclusive Battle of Lake Okeechobee on December 25, 1837 before retreating to the Everglades. In 1841, only two years after his father's death while being transported to Indian Territory, Wild Cat agreed to meet American authorities for peace negotiations. After negotiating with Lieutenant William T. Sherman at the Indian River post of Fort Pierce, Wild Cat agreed to be transported to Fort Gibson in Oklahoma's Indian Territory along with his remaining two hundred followers. Growing depressed over his forced surrender, he was said to have stated, "I was in hopes I would be killed in battle, but a bullet never reached me." This article is about the twelfth President of the United States. ... The Battle of Lake Okeechobee was one of the major battles of the Second Seminole War. ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Map of the Everglades ecoregion as delineated by the WWF. Satellite image from NASA. The yellow line encloses two ecoregions, the Everglades and the South Florida rocklands. The South Florida rocklands ecoregion includes the Florida Keys and offshore islands and two patches within the Everglades. ... Portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman by Mathew Brady William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, and author. ... Indian River is the name, or part of the name, of several geographical features and locations in the United States of America and Canada: Rivers The Indian River (Florida) is part of the intracoastal waterway on the Atlantic coast of central Florida. ... Fort Pierce is a city located in St. ... Fort Gibson is a town located in Oklahoma. ...

Traveling to Washington, DC with Alligator as part of a Seminole delegation in 1843, Wild Cat failed to gain financial aid for the Seminoles as the tribe suffered a series of floods and raids by neighboring Creeks (capturing ex-slaves and selling them to southern slave holders) devastated the Seminoles. Conditions continued to worsen until 1849 when Wild Cat left the reservation with about one hundred followers, consisting of Seminoles and former slaves, and escaped to Texas. Joined by about one thousand Kickapoos, Wild Cat's band eventually were able to establish a new community in Mexico where the government awarded the tribe an area of land in recognition for their service against Apache and Comanche raiders. Earning a commission of Colonel in the Mexican army, Wild Cat would live with the Seminoles until his death of smallpox in Alto, Mexico in 1857. He was succeeded by his son Gato Chiquito or "Young Wild Cat". Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... This article is about the Native American tribe. ... For other uses, see Apache (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Comanche (disambiguation). ... This article is about the voice-type. ...

Quotes

I speak for myself, for I am free. Each of the others also speak for themselves. We are a choir of voices that will drown out your lies.

References

• Johansen, Bruce C. and David A. Grinde, Jr. The Encyclopedia of Native American Biography, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997.