However their destiny couldn’t had been worse
If a couple-seasons grace period expired and you can Jackson got kept place of work, their hands-picked replacement, Chairman Martin Van Buren, purchased the newest removing to begin. Militiamen charged on Cherokee country and you can drove brand new Cherokees of the compartments and you will properties. Which have rifles and you can bayonets, it round within the Indians and place them inside the prison stockades that had been erected “having event in and you can holding the new Indians preparatory to reduction.” These types of terrible, frightened and you may benighted innocents, and have food in their homes, “had been surprised from the abrupt gleam off bayonets throughout the door and you may flower around become inspired that have punches and you will oaths along the tired miles out of path hence resulted in the latest stockade. Males was indeed seized regarding the industries, lady were taken from the wheels and kids from their enjoy.” Because they turned into for 1 last glance of their house, they frequently saw them in flame, place burning because of the lawless rabble which adopted the newest soldiers, scavenging what they you will definitely. This type of outlaws took the newest cattle and other animals and even desecrated graves in their seek out gold pendants or other belongings. It looted and burnt. Told you you to definitely Georgia voluntary just who after served from the Confederate army: “We fought from Municipal Battle and then have seen males try so you’re able to pieces and you can slaughtered by plenty, however the Cherokee treatment is actually the fresh cruelest We previously saw.”
In a single month, certain 17,100 Cherokees were game up-and herded on that which was seriously an amount go camping. Of numerous sickened and passed away while they awaited transport toward west. Within the June, the original contingent of around 1000 Indians boarded an effective steamboat and you may sailed down the Tennessee Lake on the earliest lap away from their westward travels. Chances are they was basically boxed such as for instance dogs to your railroad cars drawn by several locomotives. Once more there are of numerous fatalities due to the oppressive heat and you may confined standards on the trucks. Going back base of your own travel, the brand new Cherokees stepped. Brief wonder it found label so it 800-mile nightmare “The road out-of Tears.” Of as much as 18,000 Cherokees who have been removed, about cuatro,100 passed away regarding stockades in the act, and many state the fresh new shape in reality hit 8,100. Because of the center regarding Summer 1838, the entire responsible for the latest Georgia military with pride stated that maybe not an individual Cherokee remained regarding 
state except as the inmates regarding the stockade.
The fresh new dominating manager, Standard Winfield Scott, and a few most other generals “were worried about the reputation for humaneness,” claims one modern historian, “and probably even for the Cherokee
At each action of its long-journey to your Indian Territory, this new Cherokees have been robbed and you can cheated because of the builders, lawyers, agents, speculators, and you will people wielding regional cops power. Restaurants provided by the federal government vanished or found its way to quick also have. Truth be told there just wasn’t far they may carry out about any of it.” This is why many passed away unnecessarily. “Oh! The fresh new misery and wretchedness that displays alone to our glance at during the supposed of these people,” published one man. “Sir, I have observed entire family prostrated having ailment-nothing capable of giving help additional, and they the poor have been made the various tools off enriching an excellent pair unprincipled and you may sinful contractors.”
From their house additional Nashville, the guy daily badgered Van Buren regarding the enforcing the newest pact
Hence, too, falls under Andrew Jackson’s legacy. Although it has been discussed a couple of times which he is actually no more chairman of your All of us in the event the Path off Rips occurred and had never designed such as for example a massive outcome of his rules, you to barely reasons him. It had been his insistence towards fast removal of the brand new Cherokees, even after he had remaining place of work, you to definitely triggered it nightmare. He previously feel in love with treatment. He cautioned one to Ross carry out exert all energy and you will function available to help you him to get the pact rescinded or put off hence, he said, need to be blocked. However the the latest chairman hoping him you to little manage hinder the newest exodus of the Cherokees and therefore no expansion of your own two-season elegance months would-be tolerated significantly less than any circumstance.