What was the role of the U.S. Army during the Trail of Tears?

The U.S. Army played a significant role during the Trail of Tears by enforcing the removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States. This period, particularly during the 1830s, involved the forced relocation of multiple tribes, most notably the Cherokee, from their homes to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River, which is present-day Oklahoma.

The army was tasked with implementing the Indian Removal Act, signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. This act aimed to clear the southeastern territories for American settlers by uprooting Native American populations. Troops were mobilized to oversee the round-up of Native people, escort them along perilous routes, and ensure they reached the new territories, often under harsh and inhumane conditions. The goal was to complete the relocations regardless of the suffering that ensued, including disease, starvation, and exposure, which tragically resulted in thousands of deaths along the journey.

While the role of the U.S. Army was not to support or negotiate with the tribes, these functions were overshadowed by the army’s primary directive to enforce the removal, making the enforcement of the removals their central duty during this tragic chapter of American history.