ling that the Indians
had been thoroughly beaten, withdrew from Florida, leaving fire and
desolation in his track.

The boy Osceola, strong and straight, and with the spirit of an eagle,
had played a man's part in the war. He combined with the reckless
courage of youth a determination that made him capable of good service
in Indian warfare. He was a good scout and an unexcelled messenger.
Swift and light, and sure as the arrow he shot from his bow, he had
carried signals from chief to chief, he had crept as a spy past the
pickets of the enemy, he had acted as runner and guide, taking women and
children from exposed villages to the secret recesses of the forest. Nor
had his youth exempted him from doing the more deadly work of war.

The Seminoles had lost heavily in the war, but as a nation they had
gained some things of great value. The hardships they had suffered
together gave the various tribes a stronger feeling of fellowship than
they had had before. Black men had fought shoulder to shoulder with red,
and would henceforth be less their inferiors and more their friends.

IV. GRIEVANCES

Not many days passed after General Jackson withdrew his army from
Florida before the Seminoles were again established on the fertile lands
from which they had been driven. They brought with them their flocks and
herds. Before long their simple dwellings were re-built and the Seminole
villages seemed as prosperous as ever.

The slaveholders of the South felt that Florida was still a dangerous
neighbor. They saw that to mend matters it was necessary that Florida
should be made a part of the United States in order that the government
should have authority over the Seminoles. So, in the year 1821, through
the influence of Southern statesmen the territory of Florida was
purchased from Spain for five million dollars.

Now that the people of the United States owned Florida they wished to
occupy the land, but the Seminoles claimed it. Many were unwilling to
recognize the justice of this claim, however; for it was held that as
the Indians were not native tribes but were Creeks they should be
compelled to go back to Georgia and live with their kindred.

This proposal gave the Indians great alarm. They expected momentarily
that an attempt would be made to expel them from their homes. By
spreading a report that Jackson was coming to seize their property and
drive them back to live with the Creeks, bands of lawless men created
such