Essay On John E Wool Treaty

December 29, 1835, in New Echota, Georgia, officials of the United States Government along with representatives from a Cherokee Indian minority party, signed a treaty which required the ceding of the Cherokee Indians territory in exchange for a payment of five million dollars. The Treaty had been negotiated by Cherokee leader Major Ridge, who claimed to represent the Cherokee nation, but only spoke for a small fraction of the tribe. The agreement became known as the Treaty of New Echota; although the treaty was not approved by the Cherokee council, it was ratified by the United States senate and became the legal basis for the forced removal of the Cherokee nation from Georgia known as the “Trail of Tears”. On March 22, 1837 a document of address

from General John E. Wool was presented to the Cherokees where he informs the Cherokees that they have until May 25, 1838 to move west of the Mississippi river which was specified in New Echota Treaty, he also threatened to force the Cherokees out of Georgia by way of United States soldiers. Wool intimidates them with harmful treatment and tells them their fate will be even worse than the Creeks if they do not cooperate and remove voluntarily.

The Cherokee government protested the legality of the treaty until 1838, when United States president Martin Van Buren, mandated orders to United States Army General Winfield Scott. The letter written by John E. Wool was written as a warning to the Cherokee Indians. The letter contained the actions and procedures that the United States Army would take to secure the territory and began the removal of the Cherokee nation Indians; this event led to a death one fifth of the Cherokee nation, distribution of land, and a “Gold Rush” in North Georgia. On June 20, 1836, Secretary of War Lewis Cass selected General John E. Wool as the commander of all federal troops in the Cherokee Nation. Cass ordered Wool to keep the peace between Indians and the whites, defend Indian rights and property, assist the removal commissioners, and to carry out relief operations by providing food and clothing to indigent Indians. His mission was designed to protect the Indians, in order to implement the War Department’s ultimate objective which was to convince the Indians to move west of the United States by 1838; he was ordered to use force only if necessary to

maintain peace. Wool came across several problems while trying to sustain peace among the Indians and white for years. Unfortunately, Wool only had three army officers and twenty-four regular soldiers to help him. (FN 1). He discovered that it was difficult to protect the Cherokees from the ruthless whites; who made an attempt to drive Cherokees from their lands by killing livestock, setting fires and sometimes murdering Cherokees. John E. Wool did his best to protect the Indians and their rights that were agreed to in the treaty. He ordered the East Tennessee troops to control the condition of the Cherokees, and if they accept it, provide them with protection for their lives and convince them that they should avoid the fate of the creeks and remove peacefully. He told the soldiers to respect the Cherokees and to omit all liquor from the soldier camp and from the Indians. He rationed food to each grown person, the ration for a child was one-half of an adult . Wool also ordered blankets, shoes, and clothes to the needy Indians. Some Indian tribes refused the bacon and flour he brought. Wool gave the Cherokees an ultimatum, which they must choose either peace or war that they should fight or leave. On March 3, 1837 Major Ridge and his family joined 466 Cherokees, who were willingly emigrating, in the first trip organized by the government after the treaty had been signed. They were transported by steamboats and then by railroad. When Martin Van Buren became President in March of 1837 he issued a statement in regards to the remaining Cherokees, he stated “No state can achieve proper culture, civilization, and progress in safety as long as Indians are permitted to remain.” Wool was relieved of his command, and he officially relinquished command in his Order no. 39 on July 1, 1837. The war department selected General Winfield Scott to command the United States army. On May 17, 1838 General Scott was put in command of 7,000 soldiers and given the orders to proceed with the removal of the remaining Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. At the time there were around 16,000 Cherokees left in the area, some Indians had already been leaving because of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. General Scott was forced to issue orders on conduct, troops were ordered to treat the Cherokees "with kindness and humanity, free from every strain of violence." Scott's orders were disobeyed by most soldiers who were not under his control. On May 25th General Scott and his soldiers gathered up all the Cherokees from their homes and imprisoned them in forts. When the soldiers arrived they would approach a home and enter the house. The residents would then be forced to leave. The Indians weren’t allowed to bring very many of their possessions; some were forced to leave immediately while others had enough time to sell valuables to local settlers at bargain price. The conditions at the stockades were horrible the food that was given for the tribe was sold to locals. The belongings the Cherokees had brought with them was either stolen or sold. The living spaces were filled with waste, the birth rates among the Cherokee dropped during the time of captivity, and the Cherokee women and children were repeatedly raped by soldiers. The initial plan for transport was to move the Indians by water. Unfortunately this meant most of the trip would be made during cold weather. There were several trails used, but the main one went through McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Nashville, and Port Royal before entering Kentucky.

From Kentucky, the groups traveled into Illinois and across Missouri before reaching their land in Oklahoma. Despite efforts of the Cherokee leader John Ross, the Cherokees underwent great hardship on the trail. It is estimated that approximately 4,000 died in the forts or on the trail. The Cherokees call it Nunna-da-ul-tsun-yi, which means the place where they cried. In history it is known as the Trail of Tears. In John E. Wool’s letter to Cherokee nation on March 22nd Wool explains his actions and the terms agreed to in the Treaty. Wool also explains how he tried to protect their culture and provide food and clothing but the Cherokee Indians did not cooperate. He stated in his letter “I told you, if you would submit to the terms of the treaty I would protect you in your persons and property, at the same time I would furnish provisions and clothing to the poor and destitute of the Nation. You would not listen, but turned a deaf ear to my advice. You preferred the counsel of those who were opposed to the treaty.” In the address Wool’s tone appears to be genuine as he tries to warn the Indians of the importance. Although John E. Wool sends a friendly reminder to the Cherokee Nation, on the day of removal 16,000 Indians left the land, an

estimate of more than 4,000 died on their cruel trail to Oklahoma. In Wool’s letter he is very persuasive in his message towards the Cherokees; he informs them to abandon a country because after May 25, 1838 he will no longer be able to protect them from invading soldiers. Also, Wool expresses that they will be able to operate under their own laws, and continue to practice their culture without intrusion and molestation from the whites when they move west. In Wool’s letter he very sincere as he expresses his understanding and for the treatment that was bound for the Indians. John E. Wool was a guardian to the Cherokees, he did everything in his power to protect their rights and culture. The letter he wrote to the Cherokee nations served as his last act of defense for the Indians. After his release of command, the Indians were no longer seen as people there were looked upon as objects who were standing in the way of the United States. The brutal treatment received during the removal of Cherokee Indians is heartbreaking however it serves as a cornerstone in American history.