BlackHawk War And Seminole War

Two monumental wars began because of these disagreements, the Black Hawk War and the Second Seminole War. With these two wars the Tribal Indians classical fought on the grounds where they didn’t feel it was right they as the land owners would be kicked off their rightful land because the government wanted it for their own use. The Second Seminole War was lead by an Indian named Solaces (Hatch, 2012). Solaces was the son of a white man and Indian women.

Solace’s father would beat his mother in front of him often until one day she chose to run (Chance, 2003). Solaces was captured one time after running which gave him a greater hatred for the ones he called “The White Man” (Chance, 2003). In 1819 Spain had turned Florida into the Unites States and the Native Americans that had fled south Were Once again caught in U. S territory who they knew would try to relocate them away from their home. Solaces was a part of one of the tribes, the “Seminole” tribe that was going to have to move towards the Mississippi.

Solaces did not want him or his people to have to move, so when there was a meeting that was going to be held most of the other tribes signed their treaties agreeing to move their tribes out of Florida, but the Seminole tribe refused to move, Solaces stated as he stood up at the meeting with a knife in his hand “This is the only treaty I will make with the whites” (Hatch, 2012). From that point on it was a war between the government and the Seminole. For years the Generals could not take over the Seminole Tribe.

The tribe was strong like their leader Solaces and the tribe knew the area well to know how to take advantage of anyone coming to hurt them or their people (Hatch, 2012). The Seminole Tribe fought many small wars and never lost until their leader got very sick with malaria and became very weak (Hatch, 2012). Solaces had two leaders under him which guided and ran the troops, but the tribe depended on Solace’s strength and when he got weak so did all of his Indian Army.

Towards the end of the war a General Hernandez was allowed to come to the Seminole camp, the Seminole hung its white flag at half mass as it’s flag of truce, but since the Seminole had such a stubbornness to them when it came to the Generals and their Army, General Hernandez had his men silently surround the camp and when given the sign they took it over and the invincible Solaces was captured and imprisoned (Hatch, 2012). A year later Solaces died and when he died about only 100 Seminole were left in Florida (Hatch, 2012).

The Blackjack War also happened during the sass’s. Black Hawk himself as one of the Auk Indians. Two chiefs had agreed to a treaty that the Auk Indians would leave the land east of the Mississippi and let the government have it. Back Hawk and other Auk Indians did not believe these chiefs had the right to give this land away (Wisconsin, 2014). A quarter century later settlers began to start taking over the land with no respect for any treaties at the time and the Auk Indians thought it was futile to resist the overwhelming white forces (Wisconsin, 2014).

Black Hawk decided to lead 1,200 Auk’s in the hope of reoccupying their home and land (keep in mind Black Hawk didn’t hind the treaty was real and thought it was fraudulent because of who had did the signing) and if anything bad Was to happen the British would come to his aid (which they did not) (Wisconsin, 2014). In 1832 for 16 weeks Black Hawk and his followers had plans. The warriors would fight and the non- combatants would try to find ways across the Mississippi River to safety.

Many died from hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and were buried on the trail (Wisconsin, 2014). Troops were able to attacks when the Auk’s Indians reached the banks of the Mississippi near the mouth of the Bad Axe River Wisconsin, 2014). In the end Black Hawk left his followers to surrender and only 150 Indians survived out of the 1,200 that began with Black Hawk. The two tribes didn’t want to just give up land they believed was there, but who can blame them.

Imagine if someone came into your home and said they were going to take it and you had to move with your family. These two tribes suffered a great deal and the families all suffered with so many dead. There is one big difference between the two wars though. Each tribe had one main leader Solaces and Black Hawk. Solaces did retreat as did Black Hawk, but Black Hawk just ended up giving up on his followers completely where Solaces didn’t. Solaces tried to finally work with the military and come up with a treaty for his followers.

Solaces didn’t just give up and walk away from his followers in hopes they make it. Regardless of all the history, all the Indian tribes were treated unfairly and were always bullied by the government to due whatever the government thought was best (which was always best for the government, not everyone involved). The Tribes did fight and did try to stand their ground and hold onto their land. In the end the tribes just weren’t strong or big enough to fight off he militias and troops involved against them and lost both battles.