Near Birchwood in Meigs County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

"Your Fate is Decided"

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, January 2, 2011

1. "Your Fate is Decided" Marker

Inscription. Both the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Treaty of New Echota aimed to accomplish removal through voluntary emigration. Such efforts largely failed and by 1838 only about 2,000 Cherokee affected by the treaty had moved west. For those remaining, hope for success remained alive as John Ross continued to negotiate with the American government.

During 1837, American military leaders prepared to act. They marshaled soldiers and militiamen from Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee within the Cherokee Nation. These troops began to build temporary forts from which they could base their moves against the roughly 16,000 Cherokee who remained in the Nation.

The American government, led by Andrew Jackson's picked successor, President Martin Van Buren, however, persisted in enforcing the treaty. With a deadline for voluntary emigration set to expire in May 1838 (two years after Senate ratification of the Treaty of New Echota), preparations to force the Cherokee from the homeland hastened.

"President Martin Van Buren, however, persisted in enforcing the treaty."

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #07 Andrew Jackson, the Former U.S. Presidents: #08 Martin Van Buren, and the Trail of Tears series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1838.

Location. 35° 24.423′ N, 85° 0.383′ W. Marker is near Birchwood, Tennessee, in Meigs County. It can be reached from Blythe Ferry Road 2 miles north of Hiwassee Highway (Tennessee Highway 60), on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Birchwood TN 37308, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At

Photographed by Lee Hattabaugh, January 2, 2011

2. "Your Fate is Decided" Marker

Marker is on the far left in this view.

least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: General Winfield Scott (here, next to this marker); "Orders No. 25" (here, next to this marker); "To Learn and not Forget" (here, next to this marker); "Chains of Friendship" (here, next to this marker); "Given by the Great Spirit above" (here, next to this marker); "A Desire to Possess" (here, next to this marker); "Not a treaty at all" (here, next to this marker); "Forced from this country" (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Birchwood.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 6, 2011, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. This page has been viewed 1,029 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 6, 2011, by Lee Hattabaugh of Capshaw, Alabama. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.