Homeland

John Horse's goal was to meet with Porfirio Diaz, the de facto ruler (but not at the time president) of Mexico, to appeal directly for aid securing the land grant. Did he meet with Diaz? Porter relates the details of such a meeting, derived from Black Seminole oral traditions. It makes for fine reading. In truth, as Porter’s posthumous editors point out, almost no facts are known about John Horse’s final trip.

Two things alone are known for certain. Diaz did subsequently intervene to protect the Nacimiento grant. And during the trip John Horse died, most likely on August 10, in a military hospital in Mexico City.