Britten, Thomas A.

About the author: Dr. Britten received his PhD from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. He is currently Assistant Professor of History at Arkansas Tech University.

Brief History of the Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts

1999 0-7734-7963-5
This volume provides an excellent examination of the Black Seminoles: their history in Florida, the Indian Territory, Mexico, and Texas, and their important contribution to the pacification of the Rio Grande frontier. The study places them against the backdrops of African slavery, Indian wars, and frontier violence, and, using a host of archival and secondary sources, provides an up-to-date synthesis of these largely unknown people. In addition, the book provides new information, particularly about the scouts’ activities in the Big Bend. Working closely with historians employed at the Ft. Clark Historical Society, Britten retraced the scouts’ steps along the Rio Grande frontier. It is a major resource for those in frontier-western history, military history, and the complex interaction of minority peoples in the west.