er
three months of captivity.

Dr. Wheedon sent the following interesting account of his death to Mr.
Catlin:

[Illustration: "MEDICINE MAN"]

"About half an hour before he died, he seemed to be sensible that he was
dying; and, although he could not speak, he signified by signs that he
wished me to send for the chiefs and for the officers of the post, whom
I called in. He made signs to his wives by his side, to go and bring his
full dress which he wore in time of war; which having been brought in,
he rose up in his bed, which was on the floor, and put on his shirt, his
leggings and his moccasins, girded on his war belt, bullet-pouch and
powder-horn, and laid his knife by the side of him on the floor.

"He then called for his red paint and looking-glass, which latter was
held before him. Then he deliberately painted one half of his face, his
neck, and his throat with vermilion, a custom practised when the
irrevocable oath of war and destruction is taken. His knife he then
placed in its sheath under his belt, and he carefully arranged his
turban on his head and his three ostrich plumes that he was in the habit
of wearing in it.

"Being thus prepared in full dress, he lay down a few moments to recover
strength sufficient, when he rose up as before, and with most benignant
and pleasing smiles, extended his hand to me and to all of the officers
and chiefs that were around him, and shook hands with us all in dead
silence, and with his wives and little children.

"He made a signal for them to lower him down upon his bed, which was
done, and he then slowly drew from his war-belt his scalping-knife,
which he firmly grasped in his right hand, laying it across the other on
his breast, and in a moment smiled away his last breath without a
struggle or a groan."

Osceola was buried with some ceremony near the fort. Officers attended
his funeral and a military salute was fired over his grave. This show of
respect comforted a little the grief-stricken friends of the chief.

It is said that Osceola was not allowed to rest in peace, even in death.
A few nights after his burial men of the race that despised him as a
barbarian came by night, opened his grave and cut his head from his
body. But openly only respect was shown to the remains of the greatest
chief of the Seminoles. His grave was inclosed with an iron railing and
marked with a stone bearing the following inscription:

Osceola,
Patriot and Warrior,
Died at F