Photo of Georgia Militia reenactors. Most were mounted when arresting the Cherokee.
This article is adapted from "Cherokee Removal: Forts Along the Georgia Trail of Tears" by Sarah H. Hill.
Construction. Although Camp Scott was never identified as a fort, and, presumably, never had a stockade or barracks, some kind of construction would have been necessary to store the arms and supplies kept at the post. The 1836 occupation entailed weapons, munitions, forage, horses, and rations, all of which would require storage facilities. Although it is possible the troops rented stables in Rome, no rental invoices have been located. If the facilities remained intact, the second occupation may not have necessitated additional construction.
Supplies. In 1836, the state sent arms, ammunition, and supplies to Cherokee County, with instructions to Gen. Hemphill in Rome to send for them. In addition to munitions, the post apparently had wagons and teams for the fall transport of Creek prisoners.cccxcviii When Nelson mustered out, he left 100 stands of muskets, as well as cartridge boxes, bayonets, and scabbards. The state arms and ammunition were ordered sent to the Augusta Arsenal, and Wool took charge of the materials belonging to the federal government. Interestingly, Wool had no funds to pay for the supplies of the company and as a result, Nelson paid for them, on credit, for a period of three months.
Nearly two years later, an inventory of goods turned over by Nelson and left at Raymond Sanford’s home in Hall County included 120 stands of arms, two horses, six pounds of iron, medicines, muskets, tents, and camp kettles. In addition, Robert Ware of Rome reported that Nelson left at Camp Scott, “near my residence,” 100 stands of muskets, and cartridge boxes, bayonets, and scabbards. The state’s indifference to the collection of its own supplies, particularly stock and weapons, underscores the complexity it faced in the removal of Indians.
Although it is unclear when Camp Scott was reoccupied, in early April 1838, Hetzel sent bills for the transport of camp and garrison equipage and subsistence stores to Rome, presumably Camp Scott. All troops mustered in at New Echota received ordinance supplies there, and sometime around May 23, Story and Campbell received muskets, cartridge boxes, cartridge box belts, scabbards, bayonet belts, belt plates, screw drivers, wipers, ball screws, spring vices, musket ball cartridges, flints, and gun slings for more than 75 men each. By mid-June, plans were under way for the sale of all public property that remained at Camp Scott. As he did for several other posts, Col Cox planned to supervise the auction.
Prisoners. In the fall of 1836, Capt. McClellan escorted an unknown number of Creek prisoners from Camp Scott to Gunter’s Landing.cdvi In late May, 1838, Capt. Campbell reported that the company at Rome had captured 70 Indians, and by June 9, Floyd told Scott that
all Indians had been removed from the neighborhood of Rome. The records do not clarify questions about the route taken by the prisoners, nor their final destination. They may have taken the east-west Alabama road to Ft. Payne, Alabama. Alternatively, they may have gone north to Ft. Cumming and from there on to Ross’s Landing.
Sources:
Henderson, Dr. Charles K. Polk County History. 1897, chapter 3 p. 1.
Shadburn, Cherokee Planters, 124.
July 25, 1836, John E. Wool , headquarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 59.
Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Headquarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 142-43.
1842 Cherokee Claims, Tahlequah District, 36, 37,
171, 194, 195.
Aug. 27, 1836, John E. Wool, Headquarters Army, to Maj. C. H. Nelson, Wool Letterbook, 81-2.
Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Head Quarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 154.
Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Head Quarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 142-43.
Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Headquarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 142-43.
Feb. 26, 1841, Samuel Stewart, Rome, to Gov. Charles McDonald, http://neptune3.galib.uga.edu, 7 July, 2002.
NARA RG 393 m1475 r1 fr 0268-69.
NARA RG 393 m1475 r1fr 0363.
NARA RG 393 m1475 r1 fr0272-77.
June 19, 1836, William J. W. Wellborn, Milledgeville, to Gov. William Schley, http://neptune3.galib.uga.edu, 7 July, 2003.
Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Headquarters Army, to Maj. M. M. Payne, Wool Letterbook, 143.
GDAH, Letters and orders of Gov. Gilmer, 1837-1838. cd Sept. 28, 1836, John E. Wool, Headquarters Army, to Gen. Jesup, Wool Letterbook, 144-45.
NARA RG 393 m1475 r1 fr 0386-87.
GDAH Letters and Orders of Gov. Gilmer 1837-1838.
NA RG 92 Entry 350 Box 2 Vol. 2, 234. cdiv NARA RG 393 m1475 r1 fr 0351-53. cdv NARA RG 393 m1475 r1 fr 0637-39.
