n, wasconfiscated by the Georgia militia, and the Moravian mission and school was convertedinto a militia headquarters. When Ross travelled to Washington to protest, Jacksonrefused to see him. Instead overtures were made to Major Ridge, his son John Ridge, andnephew Elias Boudinot (Buck Oowatie), editor of the Phoenix (Cherokee newspaper).The hopelessness of the situation finally convinced these men to sign the Treaty of NewEchota (December, 1835) surrendering the Cherokee Nation's homeland in exchange for$5,000,000, seven million acres in Oklahoma, and an agreement to remove within twoyears. Known as the Treaty Party (Ridgites), only 350 of 17,000 Cherokee actually endorsed theagreement. Threatened by violence from their own people, they and 2,000 family membersquickly gathered their property and left for Oklahoma. The treaty was clearly a fraud, anda petition of protest with 16,000 Cherokee signatures was dispatched to Washington tohalt ratification. After violent debate, Jackson succeeded in pushing it through the Senateduring May by the margin of a single vote. The Cherokee Nation was doomed. For thenext two years, Ross tried every political and legal means to stop the removal, but failed.When the deadline arrived in May, 1838, 7,000 soldiers under General Winfield Scott(virtually the entire American Army) moved into the Cherokee homeland. The Cherokeefound that their reward for 'taking the white mans road' was to be driven from theirhomes at gunpoint. It was the beginning of the Nunadautsun't or 'the trail where we cried.'History would call it the Trail of Tears. Forced to abandon most of their property, the Cherokee were herded into hastily-builtstockades at Rattlesnake Springs near Chattanooga. Little thought had been given tothese, and in the crowded and unsanitary conditions, measles, whooping cough anddysentery took a terrible toll throughout the summer. After most of the Cherokee hadbeen collected, relocation by boat began in...
