Categories: History

The Trail of Tears and America’s Bataan Death March

In early April of 1942, about 54,000 US troops surrendered to the Japanese forces in the Philippines. They were forced to March 65 miles of treacherous terrain to a POW camp. Many died from malnutrition, disease, and Japanese brutality. It is estimated that only two out of three survived. The Japanese were ill prepared to care for this number of POW’s much less their own troops.

Flash back about 100 years earlier to the State of Georgia in the United States. The year was 1838. The beginning of the largest forced movement of people in American history was about to begin.

Earlier in 1830 the “Indian Removal Act” was passed. This would eventually allow for the round up of 15,000 Cherokee Indians in the State of Georgia and their removal to the State of Oklahoma some 1200 miles away. This was part of “The Treaty of New Echota.” The treaty was an agreement with the Cherokee nation to give them new land in Oklahoma so that Georgia land could be sold to new farmers in the State. This was a Treaty that the Cherokee never signed or was agreed to by the people of the Cherokee nation. Nevertheless, under President Andrew Jackson, 17,000 were rounded up by federal troops. Among the number was 2,000 black slaves that were owned by some of the weal tier Indians. They were forced to march also.

Only about 400 Cherokee were allowed to stay behind and that is because of William Holland Thomas. Thomas was adopted and cared for as a boy by the Cherokee. He let the Cherokee stay on his farm in North Carolina. This group was allowed to stay. They became known as the Eastern Cherokee.

Led by Major Ridge and his son John Ridge and two nephews Elias Boudinot and Stand Watie, also known as “The Ridge Party” or “The Treaty Party”, started to round up the Indians and hold lotteries for their land. Chief John Ross presented a petition signed by 15,000 Cherokee asking to stay in Georgia. But on May 17, 1838, then President Van Buren gave the order to General Winfield Scott to continue the round up and begin the removal to Oklahoma. On May 26 the movement began.

There were three major departure points. They were located at Ross’s landing in Tennessee, Gunter’s landing also in Alabama, and Fort Cass in Tennessee. From those three points, they were sent to Indian Terri toy traveling by boat, wagon and mostly foot.

The camps were plagued with illness and dysentery. This lead to many deaths. The Indians petitioned General Scott to wait for cooler weather. This was granted. The marches resumed on August 28th. It is estimated that 2,000 Indians died in camps and 2,000 died along the forced march. In 1984 a demographic study showed that the actual number of deaths was over 8,000.

A missionary with the Cherokee was Samuel Worcester. He translated the song “Amazing Grace” to the Cherokee language and they would sing it as they marched. Eventually the song would be adapted by the tribe as their national song.

The Cherokee that survived the journey, settled in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In the aftermath, Major Ridge, John Ridge and Elias Boudinot were assassinated. Only Stan Watie eluded assassination attempts.

Eventually the Cherokee nation rebounded from the forced to march to become largest American group of Indians. In 1987, Congress designated “The Trail of Tears National Park” to commemorate the event. The park is 2200 miles long across 9 States. In 2004, Senator Sam Brownback (R of Kansas) offered a bill to apologize to all the Indian Nations for all ill conceived plans by the US government. The US Senate has yet to take action.

Although not as brutal as the Bataan Death March, the Trail of Tears was just as devastating to the Cherokee Nation. Both events have left their mark on American and Tribal history.