The Trail of Tears as Told by Johnny Cash - pt 2

In the year 1828, a little Indian boy living on Ward creek had sold a gold nugget to a white
trader, and that nugget sealed the doom of the Cherokees. In a short time the country was
overrun with armed brigands claiming to be government agents, who paid no attention to the
rights of the Indians who were the legal possessors of the country. Crimes were committed that
were a disgrace to civilization. Men were shot in cold blood, lands were confiscated. Homes
were burned and the inhabitants driven out by the gold-hungry brigands.
Chief Junaluska was personally acquainted with President Andrew Jackson. Junaluska had
taken 500 of the flower of his Cherokee scouts and helped Jackson to win the battle of the
Horse Shoe, leaving 33 of them dead on the field. And in that battle Junaluska had drove his
tomahawk through the skull of a Creek warrior, when the Creek had Jackson at his mercy.

Chief John Ross sent Junaluska as an envoy to plead with President Jackson for protection for
his people, but Jackson�s manner was cold and indifferent toward the rugged son of the
forest who had saved his life. He met Junaluska, heard his plea but curtly said, "Sir, your
audience is ended. There is nothing I can do for you." The doom of the Cherokee was sealed.
Washington, D.C., had decreed that they must be driven West and their lands given to the
white man, and in May 1838, an army of 4000 regulars, and 3000 volunteer soldiers under
command of General Winfield Scott, marched into the Indian country and wrote the blackest
chapter on the pages of American history.

Men working in the fields were arrested and driven to the stockades. Women were dragged
from their homes by soldiers whose language they could not understand. Children were often
separated from their parents and driven into the stockades with the sky for a blanket and the
earth for a pillow. And often the old and infirm were prodded with bayonets to hasten them to
the stockades.

In one home death had come during the night. A little sad-faced child had died and was lying
on a bear skin couch and some women were preparing the little body for burial. All were
arrested and driven out leaving the child in the cabin. I don�t know who buried the body.

In another home was a frail mother, apparently a widow and three small children, one just a
baby. When told that she must go, the mother gathered the children at her feet, prayed a
humble prayer in her native tongue, patted the old family dog on the head, told the faithful
creature good-by, with a baby strapped on her back and leading a child with each hand started
on her exile. But the task was too great for that frail mother. A stroke of heart failure relieved her
sufferings. She sunk and died with her baby on her back, and her other two children clinging to
her hands.

Chief Junaluska who had saved President Jackson�s life at the battle of Horse Shoe
witnessed this scene, the tears gushing down his cheeks and lifting his cap he turned his face
toward the heavens and said, "Oh my God, if I had known at the battle of the Horse Shoe what I
know now, American history would have been differently written."

At this time, 1890, we are too near the removal of the Cherokees for our young people to fully
understand the enormity of the crime that was committed against a helpless race. Truth is, the
facts are being concealed from the young people of today. School children of today do not
know that we are living on lands that were taken from a helpless race at the bayonet point to
satisfy the white man's greed.

Future generations will read and condemn the act and I do hope posterity will remember that
private soldiers like myself, and like the four Cherokees who were forced by General Scott to
shoot an Indian Chief and his children, had to execute the orders of our superiors. We had no
choice in the matter.

Twenty-five years after the removal it was my privilege to meet a large company of the
Cherokees in uniform of the Confederate Army under command of Colonel Thomas. They were
encamped at Zollicoffer and I went to see them. Most of them were just boys at the time of the
removal but they instantly recognized me as "the soldier that was good to us". Being able to
talk to them in their native language I had an enjoyable day with them. From them I learned that
Chief John Ross was still ruler in the nation in 1863. And I wonder if he is still living? He was a
noble-hearted fellow and suffered a lot for his race.
...

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[tsasuyeda]

Sgi! (thanks) for posting!

[hurchel]

Tsi Li Gi, trail of tears, jackogreene, there is an excerpt from one of the journals of the trail of tears, "it says buried goddards grandson" I am of them.

[jst601]

"I am glad I am not WHITE!" How ridiculous. Human greed, pure unbridled greed fed this fire in the "whites" that did this. And it feeds evil deeds of *ALL* races: red, yellow, black, brown, white.

[thepeacekeeper6610]

this is a true story sad but true and i hte the fact that its true and yes the kids these days never hear we live on land that is not rightfuly ours witch is also true

[BelleAndTheBoy]

"Murder is murder". No truer words. Murder is murder, aggression is aggression, theft is theft. No uniform can excuse these crimes.

[willholl69]

@murrayoflight

WELL! I am glad I am not WHITE! I am Scot Irish Cherokee German. Humans do despicable things to other humans!!!!.

[clarkie194108]

It just does not seem possible that after the way a l ot of the white man was used in Europe that they could come over in Native American Territory called "TURTLE ISLAND" and use the RED MAN in this fashion and it still goes on even now maybe not just Native Americans but all Nations Let IT QUIT NO MORE

[davidaycock]

such shame

[murrayoflight]

@KYMAMI I Believe im from the tribe Ephraim

[KYMAMI]

@murrayoflight may i ask what tribe you are a part of i have questions ill message you privatly if you dont mind..

[murrayoflight]

@KYMAMI Your most welcome may the most high YHWH lead you to all knowledge and understanding Bless you friend.

[KYMAMI]

@murrayoflight Thank you..