HUNTED LIKE A WOLF

The Seminole War is unique because it combined the goal of Indian removal with a campaign to recapture a large number of escaped slaves — many of whom had chosen a more benevolent bondage under masters from the Civilized Tribes. Meltzer describes the ways of the newly formed Seminole tribe (which was principally a southern offshoot of the Creeks) by calling on the observations of contemporary traveller William Bartram. But while the Seminoles were establishing a unique lifestyle and welcoming large number of former slaves — both as free neighbors and as bondsmen — Congress was beginning to debate the annexation of Florida because, as Henry Clay said, "It fills a space in our imagination." Some of the war's background, including Tecumseh's call to arms and the tactics practiced by the whites in obtaining treaties, will be familiar to those who've read about the Cherokees' removal from Georgia; and the rhetoric of the war's supporters, who renamed bloodhounds "peace hounds" and opined in congressional debates that "we should not stop to inquire whether your war was just or unjust. . .We should hold it to be out country's cause. . .", has a tragically contemporary ring. As usual, Meltzer's strength lies in his conscientious crediting of his sources, his ability to select apt quotations from primary materials, and his talent for illuminating personalities without undue fictionalization. This dramatic, self-contained case study brings the researches of John K. Mahon (History of the Seminole War, 1967) and the earlier studies of Kenneth Porter on Seminole-black relationships before a popular audience.