Before. therefore. the actual location granted to the Seminoles. and which was to constitute their national domain. could be determined. it was necessary that the Creek dividing line should bo established. This duty was devolved upon the Secretary of the Interior by the eighth article of th&Creok treaty. the expenses to bo paid by the United States. and an appropriation of 84.000 was inado by Congress for this purpose July 28. 1866. (Stats. 14. page 430. third paragraph from top of page.) At this time a large part of the Seminoles were homeless. During the war of the rebellion a portion of them had cast their fortunes with the South. anld those declining to do so were refugees in Kansas. in the neighborhood of Neosho Falls. whence in the fall of 1865 they were removed to the west sido of the Arkansas River. in Indian Territory. upon Cherokee lands. It had been found impracticable to remove them to their old homes in toie Seminole country. for the reason that no supplies could be had there. and the long distance from Fort Gibson (about one hundred and sixty miles) to transpor supplies. induced the Department to abandon the idea of settling them on thecir own domain. ani to locate them for the time being near Fort Gibson. where Indian supplies were then delivered. In September. 1060. the agent for the Seminoles reported that a considerable portion of the tribe had removed to their now homes. and that the remainder were preparing to emigrate that fall. In October the agent reported an follows : "On my arrival here (Fort Gibson) I find this state of facts to exist: The Seminoles were living on Cherokee lands. They have raised small crops of corn and garden produce. which is now all gone. here is no game or meat nearer than their own country. one hundred and twentyfive miles from here.
Keywords matched
emigrate refugees