5 Comments
User's avatar
Greg Collins's avatar

Well the place to start looking is Bracketville. They had a Mexican land grant at Nacimiento de los Negros across the river. After the war they were recruited by the army as scouts. One Seminole you must look up is Johanna July. I have read just about everything I can find on them but no one has ever done a serious study.

Expand full comment
Derrick Jeter's avatar

Thanks, Greg. I'll put this on my list of research/writing projects, starting with Johanna July.

Expand full comment
Greg Collins's avatar

Oh boy!

Expand full comment
Greg Collins's avatar

Great article. I live where the buffalo soldiers chased Comanches. Just a few miles from my house four soldiers died during the buffalo soldier tragedy of 1877. One rabbit hole that has alluded me is the Black Seminole Scouts under Lt. Bullis. These guys were true badasses but finding good studies or books on the subject is very disconcerting. South of my hometown is Seminole Texas. The mascot is the Seminole Indians, a plains Indian looking fellow. Few know this is the site of water holes found by the Seminole scouts. If you know of any further reading on these guys let me know.

Expand full comment
Derrick Jeter's avatar

I admit Greg, I've not looked into the history of the Black Seminoles. But here are a couple of articles I found:

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/black-seminole-indians

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/black-seminole-indian-scouts.htm

I also know there are a number of book about them on Amazon, but many of them appear to have a Florida connection.

If I come across any more information, I'll let you know. You do likewise, please. Who knows, I might need to write a piece about them some day.

Expand full comment