Osceola and the Great Seminole War: A Struggle for Justice and Freedom

by Thom Hatch

The biography of Osceola, the revered Native American warrior who led the resistance against U.S. troops during the Great Seminole WarWhen he died in 1838, Seminole warrior Osceola was the most famous Native American in the world. Born a Creek, Osceola was driven from his home to Florida by General Andrew Jackson where he joined the Seminole tribe. Their paths would cross again when President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act that would relocate the Seminoles to hostile lands and lead to the return of the slaves who had joined their tribe. Outraged Osceola declared war. This vivid history recounts how Osceola led the longest, most expensive, and deadliest war between the U.S. Army and Native Americans and how he captured the imagination of the country with his quest for justice and freedom. Insightful, meticulously researched, and thrillingly told, Thom Hatch’s account of the Great Seminole War is an accomplished work that finally does justice to this great leader.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Biography, Native American, Indigenous, Military History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published July 17, 2012

Reviews

[Terence · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I were recommending this book, I’d recommend it to sixth graders or middle-school teachers with students interested in American and/or Native history. There’s nothing wrong with the book’s content but the writing is so simplistic (amateurish in spots) and the analysis so shallow as to make it useless as a serious history of the period. As a narrative of events, though, it’s perfectly adequate. And as I have no great familiarity with the time or its actors, the book was revelatory in that respect but also disappointing. There’s little discussion of the social and political background that engendered the war or the relationships between the whites and Native tribes.

It would have been a much better adult history if Hatch could have elaborated on the Seminoles and their origins, or the machinations in both Congress and in the military regarding Indian policy, or the drives that made it expedient to thoroughly cleanse Florida of Natives. Though what he does touch upon is depressing enough. It is no comfort to realize that our military’s tradition of invading countries without learning about the environment the army will be fighting in or the people we’re killing has a long history. The first expedition to tame the Seminoles ended in ignominious defeat; and when Winfield Scott assumed command, he also assumed he would be fighting a conventional enemy using conventional strategies. What he got, and what he bequeathed to his successor commanders, was a situation not dissimilar to Viet Nam, Iraq or Afghanistan. The Second Seminole War (1835-1842) was the longest and costliest of the Indian wars and – like war in general – utterly pointless. The Seminoles didn’t want it and, recognizing that they couldn’t escape US domination, were willing enough to adjust to white settlement in Florida but they faced the limitless greed of the settlers, the animosity of the increasingly hysterical slaveholders (many Seminoles were escaped slaves), and the implacable enmity of the federal government under Andrew Jackson and his protégés.

As disappointing as the shallowness and superficiality of the writing was Hatch’s unfortunate tendency to ascribe motives and thoughts to people without any evident source. All too often, he writes “X must have felt…” or “We can assume Y was thinking…”. How does he know this? Why is this a reasonable assumption? There’s an extensive bibliography with what appear to be oral histories and personal memoirs but the footnoting is execrable. Is it so hard to indicate that “X writes in his diary that he felt…” or “In his memoirs, Z writes that Y told him…”? Or indicate the primary source you’re relying on in a note?

Apparently, the answer is “yes.”

If I were 13, this would be a great book, full of interesting characters on both sides and (from a 13-year old’s POV) well told (in fact – from an adult POV – the writing improves as Hatch gets more engaged with the course of the war). If I had been able to read this 30 years ago, it may have redirected my historical interests. As it was, the interesting books I read tended toward medieval and ancient histories – c’est la vie. So I will recommend this for my young adult/middle-school-age following and their parents but I can’t comfortably recommend it to older readers interested in American history.

A final note, there are two plusses about this book. One is the already mentioned bibliography, which has a wealth of books and articles for interested readers (though a lot are probably only accessible via a university library). The second plus is that Hatch reproduces three treaties between the federal government and the Seminoles that give the reader a chance to read some primary sources in their entirety. A rare opportunity in popular histories.

[Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Book. Loved Reading About The Native American Indians Life. Highly Recommend. 😘😘😘😘😘😘

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific history of Osceola, the plight of the Creeks and the Seminole Wars. The research shines through, including the many pages of bibliography.

Unlike too many history books, author, Hatch does what should be done: Not be afraid to state you don't know. Most histories state "facts" with little consideration of other viewpoints or counter "facts". Hatch throughout his book presents different views and then gives some reasoning for various sides, leaving conclusions to the reader. Something else that Hatch does is an excellent job of including the year events are happening every page or so. Why on earth most don't do that or leave years out entirely is beyond me.

Hatch obviously works to create a readable book and not one drowning in mundane facts. I like those mundane facts, but that's what footnotes and a bibliography is for. A book that is harder to read defeat the purpose. I noticed another reviewer, here, complaining that Hatch didn't only present the reviewer's viewpoint. Unfortunately, I'm noticing contemporary history books being carved out with an axe to grind. Hatch's is not one of those and kudos to him for being open minded.

There are a few angles Hatch deviat3es from. One if the well, & over, told story of Osceola's head used to scare the doctor's children. Not a word about it. There are a few other instances of this also. i wonder why.

Nevertheless, this is an excellent history and ....

Bottom line: I highly recommend it. 10 out of 10 points.

A post note: I started this book in August of 2017. During the fracas created by hurricane Irma for a few weeks, my copy of this book vanished. I found it much later while extremely busy. That is why there is so much time between start and finish.

[Jeff Jellets · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding biography of the redoubtable Native American warrior Osceola that captures both the fury of battle and the political complexities (and treacheries) of the Great Seminole Wars.

Taken together, the three Seminole Wars of 1816 to 1858 were the longest, most expensive, and most deadly of all the American Indian Wars. And while names such as Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud are well remembered for the stiff – and often bloody -- resistance they offered to encroaching American settlers and military, the Floridian Osceola is arguably the most notable Native American tactician, fighting the U.S. military to a standstill in a guerilla campaign until he was treacherously captured under a falsely waved ‘white flag.’

Thom Hatch’s biography of Osceola and the Great Seminole War is an enjoyable, easily read, compact biography of both the warrior and his armed resistance to the American government’s forced deportation of the Seminole tribes from southern Florida to reservations west of the Mississippi. For me, war books amount to little if an author can’t vividly recreate the major battles of a campaign. In this area, Hatch excels, recreating key engagements in the conflict, as columns of federal troops and militiamen beat through the Florida swamp and brush in search of Osceola’s out-numbered braves, who lurk ghost-like in the tangle weed of the next hummock.

And while this had its hooks in me simply for its military prowess, Hatch’s writing skills are hardly limited to bullets and cannonades. In fact, his talent in explaining the complex relationships between different Native American tribes – Creek and Seminole – as well as the Native Americans’ loyalty to the so-called Dark Seminoles, escaped slaves and free blacks adopted into the tribe, are critical to understanding the near-impossible conditions the U.S. government imposed upon the Seminole people, hardening Osceola’s resolve to fight. Hatch also does a nice job of picking apart the ‘treaties’ the U.S. Government brought to table, exposing the paperwork as little more than flim-flam that would be casually ignored as soon as an inconvenient word was found on a page.

Osceola and the Great Seminole War is good history: detailed without being monotonous, gritty but spirited; replete with action and politics, balancing great people with great events, and most importantly (for me anyway), peppered with historical curio that make you say right out loud, “Really?” -- for example, in this one, there’s the story of coining the phrase ‘if the creek don’t rise” and the riddle of poor dead Osceola’s missing head. For whatever the reason, this reading year has been a little tough on me -- I just haven’t hit on many really good books -- so it’s nice that as we creep toward the final quarter of 2024 to find a five-star gem like this one.

[Kevin]

Once again, a must read for history students everywhere. The true story of Osceola and the Seminole tribe and their struggles as a nation. The desire of the United States top exploit and expropriate Indian land.

[Cora Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely documented history with notes. If I were an historian I would recheck assertions made about the way the US government made decisions about the war as it relates to the value of Florida. They seem rather harsh and the people incompetent.

[Chris Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This vivid history recounts how Osceola led the longest, most expensive, and deadliest war between the U.S.Army and Native Americans.

[Joe Giso · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read on the treachery of US in dealing with Native People. We have much to be ashamed. Great story of dignified people and one man who fought and died for his people. A must read

[Mark Luongo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting subject which I have to date ignored or just haven't gotten a chance to read about. Just another example of our Native peoples being screwed by the government and overzealous, greedy white people. Kudos to the Seminoles for waging a guerrilla-style war that stymied the U.S. Army for many years. The one thing that spoils this book is the lack of maps to illustrate where this all took place. It seems a simple enough thing to provide?

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Hatch is a meticulous researcher -- something I appreciate -- and weaves together an engaging story of how a Native American warrior outwits U.S. Army troops as he battles to maintain his people's rights to their homeland. Osceola knows how to play the white man's game and leads the government on a merry chase over several years while earning the admiration of pro-Indian residents of the northern United States. The book deserves a space on my Native American history shelf.

[Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought overall it was good, I know its hard to get information about native Americans long dead. Wish someone had interviewed him and wrote a book while he was still alive. I now intend to read this author book on the Cheyenne war chief Black Kettle

[Susan Blackmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a way to entertain as much as educate I enjoyed reading the history from Osceola's point of view. From a research point of view there were some dates missing but otherwise a good book.

[Brian Cammarata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

Well written, thoroughly researched, and highly enlightening. An outstanding piece about an oft-forgotten piece of American history, and a remarkable man