Seminoles
a tribe of American Indians, originally a vagrant branch of the Creeks, whose name, Seminole, signifies "wild" or "reckless." In 1805, they aided in driving the Appalaches from Florida; and in 1817, they joined with the Creeks and some negroes who had taken refuge with them, ravaged the white settlements in Georgia, plundering plantations, and carrying off slaves, whom they refused to surrender. General Jackson, sent to punish them, took at the same the negotiations which ended in the cestime several Spanish forts, and hastened sion of Florida to the United States. engaged to retire into the interior and By this cession, in 1823, the Seminoles not molest the settlers; but as the negroes continued to take refuge with them, a treaty was made with some of the chiefs, in 1832, for the removal of the whole tribe W. of the Mississippi. This treaty was repudiated by the tribe, at the instigation of OSCEOLA (q. v.), one of their chiefs. A war commenced, in which battles and skirmishes were of constant occurrence, and with various results. This war, which lasted seven years, and cost the government about $10,000,000 and the loss of 1,466 lives, ended in 1842, when the Seminoles, except some 200 who took refuge in remote places, were removed to the Indian Territory, where nearly all the members of the tribe are now settled. They number (1920) about 3,000, receive an annuity, have churches, and are under the training of missionaries of the Presbyterian denomination. The remnants in Florida number about 700. a