Wildcat (Seminole chieftain)
Wildcat was a prominent Seminole chieftain born around 1810 in central Florida, an area settled by the Seminole and Lower Creeks in the 18th century. As a nephew of the influential Seminole chief Micanopy, Wildcat emerged as a leader opposing the encroachment of white settlers into Seminole territory. His role became especially significant during the Second Seminole War, which began in 1835, as he actively fought against the U.S. military forces. In 1837, Wildcat was captured and imprisoned in St. Augustine but famously escaped from his cell. He was recaptured four years later near Fort Pierce, where he encouraged his followers, including Black Seminoles, to abandon the fight. In 1841, he left Florida on an American steamer and briefly lived with the Cherokee in Oklahoma. Concerned about potential reprisals from the Creeks, Wildcat ultimately led his group to Coahuila, Mexico, where they received land grants from the Mexican government. He passed away in Coahuila in 1857, leaving a legacy tied to the struggles of the Seminole people.
Wildcat (Seminole chieftain)
- Born: c. 1810
- Birthplace: Present-day Yulaka, Florida
- Died: 1857
- Place of death: Coahuila, Mexico
Category: War chief
Tribal affiliation: Seminole
Significance: Beginning with the Second Seminole War, Wildcat was the most aggressive of the Seminole chieftains during their crusade against the U.S. Army; he was known for carrying a rifle and a scalping knife
Wildcat was born in about 1810 in central Florida, where the Seminole, or Lower Creeks, had settled in the eighteenth century. A nephew of the Seminole principal chief, Micanopy, Wildcat became the leader of those who strongly opposed white settlement in Seminole territory. When a war began in 1835, the second of the three Seminole Wars, Wildcat was at the forefront.
In 1837, Wildcat was captured and put into a jail cell in St. Augustine but soon escaped through a small window 15 feet above the cell floor. Four years later, he was captured again near Fort Pierce. This time he urged his followers, including escaped slaves, or Black Seminoles, to give up the battle. In October, 1841, Wildcat left Florida aboard an American steamer sailing west.
For a brief time after leaving Florida, Wildcat lived with the Cherokee in Oklahoma. Fearing reprisals by the Creeks, however, Wildcat led his followers to Coahuila in northern Mexico, where large land grants were being given by the Mexican government. Wildcat died in Coahuila in 1857.