by Betty Turso (Author)
This is the story of John Horse, the Black Seminole leader during the Second Seminole War. When John Horse was small, he tricked Colonel Brooks of the U.S. Army by selling him the same gopher turtles over and over again. Brooks nicknamed him Gopher John to remind him of his dishonesty. John Horse grew up to be one of the major forces in the success of the Seminoles during the Second Seminole War. He rode with Osceola and Wild Cat. The story begins with John Horse, a toddler, running from Andrew Jackson's army during the First Seminole War. The story concludes with the Battle of Okeechobee, the decisive battle that essentially ended the Second Seminole War. After he left Florida for the Indian lands in Oklahoma, he ended up in Mexico where his descendents live free today realizing the dream to which John Horse dedicated his life. His people were free from the threat of slavery. This story is woven around the actual events of the Second Seminole War. All the characters lived and fought for Florida, freedom, or both.