Hunted Like a Wolf: The Story of the Seminole War

by Milton Meltzer

A landmark work on one of the most important but least-written-about Indian wars, Hunted Like a Wolf chronicles the Second Seminole War. From 1835 to 1842, Washington, D.C. waged a violent war upon the Seminoles and their allies in Florida, using any measure, including treachery and fraud, to drive them from their lands. Respected historian Milton Meltzer explores the choices facing the Seminoles as whites gradually encroached on their land, as well as the sacrifices they made in order to resist. The Second Seminole War was a war over slavery as well as territory, for living among the Seminoles were black men and women—some runaway slaves, some free people—willing to fight alongside their Indian brothers for the territory they considered their own. A ragged, starving handful of guerrillas, the Seminoles and blacks managed to resist an invading American army ten times their number, defying the skill of six eminent generals. The war was not only the longest of the Indians wars but also the costliest in resources and human life. In the story of the Seminole War, we can see at work all the forces of America's terrible racist history, the consequences of which we are only beginning to understand.

Genres: History, Native Americans

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Milton Meltzer wrote 110 books, five of which were nominated for the National Book Award. With Langston Hughes, he co-authored A Pictorial History of Black Americans, now in its sixth edition. He received the 2001 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his contribution to children's literature, the 1986 Jane Addams Peace Association Children's Book Award, and the 2000 Regina Medal. He died in New York City of esophageal cancer at age 94.

Reviews

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute rubbish. Rare that I'll be that blunt. but, this deserves it. The book claims to be "THE story of the Seminole War". This is political commentary with a very abbreviated, narrow view of the Seminole War.

Extract the commentary and the history might make up 50 pages. And the only history told is to support the commentary. So much is left out, that if the commentary is taken out, the story wouldn't make sense. General known history of the war is here. But so much is not! Most all of those who commanded are brushed by. Hard to do with Scott and Jesup, but this guy manages to do it. That leaves out so much why the US took certain actions. The writers fills in with his political theories. Not history, but theories. Why waste time with documentation when you can make it up with theories? This volume is full of it. All blasting from a narrow minded political view of war.

That is THEE problem with this book. The writers slanted view point. This book should be titled as the writer's commentary and political viewpoint of the Florida Seminole War and how horrible America is. The entire book is a treatise of America being a horrible country trying to take over the world. Could America have handled the indian issue better? Sure. But that should be examined not as history, but as opinion.

Take the line,"For once, the whites found it expedient to tell the truth." (Page 86). There's plenty of documentation that "whites", whoever they are - I'll suppose Americans, told the "truth". His writing declare "whites" only told the "truth" once. That is not history. that is opinion!

Take page 52 where the writer states the settlers felt a need for "security", writer's words. Then the writer proceeds to disseminate why security was needed and how dare settlers ask for it and so on. Along the way bashing people's faith. Opinion, not history.

The page preceding, 51, has this, "Florida belongs to us, they said, the way a foot belongs to a leg. We have a "right" to it." - His writing. From there he writes how wrong he feels his interpretation of his writing of their thinking he assumes he thinks he knows. What???? No history here.

Interesting is that this 1972 books is peppered with words, human rights, refugees, white invaders, etc., are all political buzzwords found part of a certain mentality today.

I knew i was in trouble as the writers extensively used "white invaders" over and over and over and over again. This guy has a political ax to grind and this is his treatise of his hate of white people...and cloaked in it all, a lot of others, too - If i may leave MY opinion.

Bad title, bad history, opinion that does not belong....

Bottom line: i strongly do not recommend this book. 0 out of 10 points.

[Diocletian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on one of the most interesting wars in history, the Second Seminole War. The only thing that almost made me rate this book lower was that I was hoping it would be more in depth- although, judging from how short it is, I really should not have expected otherwise. However, it is still a simple, excellent read on the subject.

This book, more than anything else that I have read on the subject (which, admittedly, is limited), shows the Second Seminole War as an important and influential war, much beyond its scale in numbers. It was a war for the freedom of all people. It was not just Native American Seminoles, but African American slaves and freedmen also, who put everything into resisting the United States government in order to preserve their independence. Reading about United States treatment of Native and African Americans, I am always struck by the extreme contradiction that is found in American mentality- the supposed equality and liberty of all men- which, in reality, did not extend beyond American citizens of European descent. In reading this, one can also see the ever increasing divide between North and South that would eventually lead to the American Civil War. It is at this point that movements starting in the North began to resist the ever increasing hunger for more land within the Southern states; and many in the South, in turn, will equate sympathy with the Native Americans with abolitionism, accusing those in the North of being weak and siding against the Southern whites.

Overall, this is a very interesting book on a sadly little known topic. The Seminole struggle for freedom is one of the most fiercely fought in history, where around four thousand people resisted the might of a government with millions upon millions living within its borders. The Seminole should be held as great heroes in the struggle for freedom- not the United States government, who, while claiming to be a country of liberty and equality, suppressed all people not part of a certain majority group.

[Anne Vandenbrink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first section which described Florida in early times, when Ponce De Leon and Hernando De Soto were there. Also interesting were the writings of William Bartram of the early Indian Tribes describing the houses (log) and way of life (communal gardening, clean premises) of the Alachula tribe. It was also interesting to read the debates in Congress as to whether to continue funding the war or let the Indians stay in Florida. (The funding always continued). The Seminoles were comprised of many different tribes, many from North of Florida and included many run-away slaves. The Seminole War lasted 7 years and went through numerous Generals. All of them frustrated with the cunning fighting techniques of the Indians. However, many chiefs and their followers were tricked into capture under the guise of peace talks. It appears the Indians fell for this over and over. In the end, while hundreds of Seminoles evaded capture and remained in the Everglades, most eventually surrendered and were moved to reservations.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short text on the Seminole Wars. His premise is the Second Seminole War, in particular, was really a war against the runaway slaves in Florida more than a war against the Indians. The southern slave holders couldn't handle the blacks in Florida encouraging runaways or slave insurrections. The book is lacking as it has no footnotes.

[larry g best · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book made me realize how horrible our past was and that we haven't learned or changed much from the past.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straightforward, schoolish narrative of the Seminoles in Florida

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the only thing I knew previously knew about this famous 19th Century war was no treaty was ever signed and the Seminoles of Florida are still, technically, at war with the United States. Perhaps with those that never left that may be true. But, the story is much more complicated than that. There were multiple Seminole wars with treaties along the way and the lion's share of treaty abuse falling on the American Government, settlers and the ambassador-imprisoning General Thomas S. Jesup. It reads to me like in the long, fitful century or more of American untangling its economy and morality from slavery this is a gory apex after the ban on importation of slavery and the illegalization of slavery after the Civil War. The land of the Seminoles feet was as wanted by Americans as the runaway slaves and Africans that lived with them and held high position.

[Austindcmac21]

I thought that the book was good. The plot and the setting of the story was realy good. I also liked it because it tells a true story and a war between the Seminole indian tribe and the sttlers of england.

[Susan Blackmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good high level view of the wars and not difficult to read. Lots of interesting information. It does tend to overlook the Indian's actions or reactions focusing more on the wrongheaded reasons why the government was fighting the war and the underhanded means used to do so.

[R B · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you get in the way of greed and Christianity in 19th century Florida? Read this book.