"SEMINOLES"

Corrections:

Wildcat did not move peaceably to Oklahoma. He and John Horse were two of the Seminole leaders who were very active in fighting against the US troops. The both finally agreed to move when it became clear that it was impossible to resist any longer. Despite his agreement to come in on his own, Wildcat actually never brought his people in and was finally captured and shipped in chains to Oklahoma.

Wildcat and his people fled to Mexico from Oklahoma for a number of reasons - bad weather being only one of them. Primary among the reasons were the proximity of Creek and southern slavers who would steal the black members of the Seminoles and sell them into slavery. Even members of John Horse's own family were stolen. Frustration at his inability to protect his people, along with political battles with the other Seminoles and land battles with the Creeks led Wildcat to join with his battle comrade John Horse and his band of Black Seminoles in leading both their people to safety in Mexico.

It was Major Zenas R. Bliss, not Colonel Mackenzie, who first enlisted and created the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts at Fort Duncan. They later moved to Fort Clark. Mackenzie did make use of the Scouts frequently and was lavish in his praise of them.

An interesting side note to the Medal Of Honor information is that early on New Years Morning, 1877, at a New Years party in the scouts encampment, Medal of Honor winner Claron Windus shot and killed ex-scout and Medal Of Honor Winner Adam Paine. This is the only known case of one Medal of Honor Winner killing another. Windus was acting in his role as Deputy Sheriff, attempting to apprehend Paine, who was wanted for the murder of a soldier in Brownsville. However, Paine was shot with a shotgun at such close range that it is reported that his clothing was set on fire. Windus and his companions were also attempting to arrest cattle thief Frank Enoch, and scouts Isaac Payne and Dallas Griner. Enoch died of wounds which he received during the encounter. Isaac Payne and Dallas Griner escaped to Mexico and later were cleared of charges of horse theft and re-enlisted as scouts.