H.R. No. 13
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Members of the United Warrior Band of the Seminole
Nation/John Horse Band take great pride in their rich history; and
WHEREAS, In the early 18th century, Spanish Florida welcomed
both African Americans escaping slavery and Seminoles moving away
from encroaching colonialism in Alabama and Georgia; the two
imperiled groups intermingled, and people with Seminole cultural
traditions and African forebears eventually became known as Black
Seminoles; after the United States purchased Florida in 1819,
President Andrew Jackson waged the Second Seminole War to drive out
the Seminoles and Black Seminoles; and
WHEREAS, Black Seminole hero John Horse, a famed warrior and
diplomat, resettled his people in Indian Territory in the 1840s;
life there proved precarious, with the threat of re-enslavement by
the Creeks as well as by Whites; in 1848, the acting U.S. attorney
general ruled that the Black Seminoles were property that could be
reclaimed; John Horse and his ally, Seminole Chief Coacoochee, led
their followers across the Red River into the frontier, and they
camped near Waco, Fredericksburg, and Fort Duncan in Texas before
finding greater safety in Mexico; in the ensuing years, many of the
Black Seminoles aided the Mexican Army's defense of the border, and
they were rewarded with a land grant; Mr. Horse reportedly attained
the rank of colonel; and
WHEREAS, After the Civil War, the U.S. Army began recruiting
experienced Black Seminole warriors from Mexico to help battle
raids along the border; the Seminole Negro Indian Scout Detachment
was established in 1870, and the scouts were instrumental in
quelling hostilities on the Texas frontier; they engaged in 26
campaigns, and several received the Medal of Honor for their valor;
many went on to serve alongside the Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Duncan
and Fort Clark; while John Horse did not join the scouts, he served
as an advisor and as an interpreter during negotiations with Indian
tribes; he died in Mexico City in 1882, during a mission to settle a
dispute over Black Seminole land; and
WHEREAS, John Horse and the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts
played pivotal roles in the early history of the Lone Star State,
and it is indeed fitting to recognize the United Warrior Band of the
Seminole Nation/John Horse Band for celebrating and preserving a
remarkable legacy of courage, resilience, and independence; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby honor the United Warrior Band of the Seminole
Nation/John Horse Band and extend to the members sincere best
wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Morales of Maverick
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 13 was adopted by the House on March
6, 2025, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House