The Cherokee Indians, who claimed all the territory north of the Chattahoochee River, and who had set up an independent nation similar to the United States, finally were induced to sign a treaty and agree to go to an assigned territory beyond the Mississippi. Their removal in 1838 was an event of national importance. It was a costly undertaking, requiring a vast expenditure of money, time and labor. The Indian population was about 15,000, and to the United States army was given the job of directing the migration from Georgia to their western home. Much suffering and many hardships were the inevitable experience of many. The old, the young, the sick, the well, all had to go. And it is claimed that as many as four thousand died on the way.

Gwinnett County was required to furnish two companies of volunteers to assist in guarding and protecting the Indians as well as the inhabitants along the line of the migrating throng. Captain Mathew T. Hamilton and Captain James Tuggle were in charge of the two companies as will appear from the following record:

Roll of the company of Captain Mathew T. Hamilton was dated at New Echota, Ga., May 16, 1838, and the company was ordered into service by requisition of Major General Winfield Scott for three months, unless sooner discharged, and mustered into service May 16, 1838, by Major M. M. Payne.

Captain, Mathew J. Hamilton; 1st Lieutenant, James McGinnis; 2nd Lieutenant, Thomas Maguire; 1st Sergeant, Robert Scott; 2nd Sergeant, Burton M. South; 3rd Sergeant, Bennett Lee; 4th Sergeant, John Garner; 1st Corporal, Archibald A. Dunlap; 2nd Corporal, Joseph W. Thompson; 3rd Corporal, Elijah Foster; 4th Corporal, David R. Brown; Drummer, Lewis R. Willis; Fifer, Wilson Camp.

Jesse Aired, Albert J. Atkinson, David Anderson, Elijah C. Athey, Pinckney Alred, Blewford Bailey, Daniel D. Born, Jefferson Britt, Robert R. Brown, Martin Brooks, Dennis S. Brown, David S. Brandon, Thomas Cockrum, Perry Compton, Joseph Christopher, Ira W. Cates, Moses N. Cruse, Rubin T. Conner, James Cobb, Abednigo Dempsey, Hardy Dover, William W. Duck, Joseph W. Dodd, Newton M. Drummond, Hezekiah W. Donaldson, Richard Davis, James Garner, John J. Glover, William Gordon, David Harris, Daniel Horton, Hardiman Hughes, Early Harris, Minard Harris, John Jones.

Hugh Johnson, William I. Keenum, William Kirk, Benjamin Knight, Thomas Kile, Robert A. Louthridge, William Langley, Hamilton Maffett, Howell Mangum, David Montgomery, James McGinnis, Joseph Mills, Jackson A. Monroe, Josiah J. Morgan, Elijah Osburn, James Parks, Sion Phillips, Daniel N. Pittman, Daniel Parker, Samuel Phillips, Benjamin Prewett, George Powell, Daniel W. Ross, James Sell, Silas Strickland, Joshua Teague, Middleton Taylor, Francis Taylor, Archy Terry, James Vaughn, Charles H. Whitworth, Stephen B. Westbrooks.

The company of Captain James Tuggle was enrolled in Gwinnett County March 8, 1838, and ordered into service of the United States by requisition of the Secretary of War for twelve months unless sooner discharged. It was mustered into service at New Echota, Georgia, after traveling 115 miles, on March 22, 1838, by Major M. M. Payne.

Captain, James Tuggle; 1st Lieutenant, A. D. Chandler; 2nd Lieutenant, John Cain; 1st Sergeant, John Tuggle; 2nd Sergeant, Enoch Lott; 3rd Sergeant, Edward Brown; 4th Sergeant, Jeremiah Skelton; 1st Corporal, James Wallis; 2nd Corporal, Edward Harrison, 3rd Corporal, Roger Gideon; 4th Corporal, John Ezzell.

Moses Anderson, Jacob Adams, N. B. Banks, Allen Banks, Stephen O. Bryant, James Boyd, Win. N. Brimer, Henry T. Brantley, Levi G. Brantley, James Butler, Armstead M. Bryant, Gaines Bryant, Henry Bradford, Ruben Bowler, Eli Bailey, Bartley Boyd, Henry Campbell, Wilson Cantrell, John Campbell, Asa Clements, G. W. Crenshaw, Anderson Cook, John Daniel, Samuel Estes, John Evans, James N. Estes, A. J. Fielder, Joseph T. Forester, Samuel Fraser, John Gideon, Stephen Hill, W. H. W. Hall, Lovick Horn, Thomas Kircus.

John Kilpatrick, W. A. Kircus, Green Kennedy, Thomas E. Lancaster, Zaza D. Lemons, Tyrrel Mauldin, Berry W. Martin, A. J McDaniel, Win. Murphy, Jr., Win. Murphy, Sr., James Mackey, William Mackey, Seaborn Maddox, Samuel Otwell, James Pearce, George W. Pirkle, William H. Pirkie, Ambrose Pirkie, Daniel C. Pearce, Charles Rogers, William Redmon, William Sandford, Obadiah Sanders, James B. Tuggle, Martin Thurmond, Michael Winningham, William Wallis, Solomon Wigley, James Wadsworth, Abel Winningham, John C. Wood.
 

Georgia, Gwinnett County,
February 7th, 1838.
To your Excelency, George R. Gilmer.

Sir: I Received on yesterday your letter which informed me that your Excelency have the offer of the two Infantry Companies to fill the Call of Col. Lindsey and on this day had a muster and while on perade informed the Company the contents of your letter to which the Company all agreed to stand in Readiness agreeable to your request, the objection they had against standing in Readiness was that they wished to Join the Company which would be first Rec’d into service which objection now appears to be entirely removed by believeing that this company by being in Readiness would be as soon Received as any other mounted Company we therefore forward this information to your Excelency and submit the Case

(Original letter on file in office of Georgia Department of Archives.)

Georgia, Gwinnett County,
February 7th, 1838.
To your Excelency, George R. Gilmer.

Sir our Capt. James Tuggle Received your letter Dated 30th January 1838 on yesterday and on this day had a muster and we the members of said Company receiving information that probably an additional force will in a short time be Called for by Col Lindsey and upon reconsidering the matter we unanimously agree to hold our selves in readiniss as a mounted Volunteer Company to aid and assist in defence of our neighbouring Cherokee Counties should the Indians become hostile and hoping that when your Excelency should be call’d on for a company of mounted Volunteers to go into United States service in said Cherokee nation that your Excelency will give us an opportunity to fill the Call should it be immediately We pray the opportunity and also we request your Excelency to organize our Company in the Commissioning of our officers according to the return of the former Election and we the members of said Company think it entirely unnessessary to furnish your Excelency with a roll of our names to this agreement as your Excelency has already a roll of said members with the Exception of a few additional names.

We remain your Humble Subjects
from members of Capt. Tuggles Company
(Original letter on file in office of Georgia Department of Archives.)

Rock Bridge Gwinnett Co. Feby 8th 1838.
His Excelency G. R. Gilmer

Sir I think I can make up a company of Mounted Volunteers by the first of March Next out of the Counties of Newton & Gwinnett in that case please let me know by return Mail if Conveynient if we will be received and if funds will be furnished and how. and all other information which you think necessary touching the organization of said Company your answer directed to Rock Bridge Post office Gwinnett Co will be thankfully Received

(Original letter on file in office of Georgia Department of Archives.)