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1836 - November 22 - Edward Deas to George Gibson
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Lieutenant Edward Deas to General George Gibson
Commissary General Subsistence
Strong’s Stand at St. Francis Post Office
2 miles west of St. Francis River Crossings
Arkansaw 22nd November 1836
To,
General George Gibson
Commissary General of Subsistence
General,
I take the present opportunity of detailing the operations of the
Indian Removal that have come to my knowledge, since I had the honour
to address you from Memphis on the 5th instant. On the
afternoon of that day, the larger portion of the Party under my charge
embarked on board of two steam boats & reached a point on White
River, 2 miles below Rock Row, the first within four days & the last
within seven days after starting. The latter was detained by running
aground. All arrived in good condition, but on reaching Rock Row, we
found to our surprise, that no adequate preparation had been made for
the reception of our Party. There was Corn sufficient for the
subsistence of the Indians to be had in the neighborhood, by the use
of a S Boat, but no fresh meat had been provided & for one week after
our arrival, none was issued & only a stinted allowance of indifferent
Bacon.
Before leaving Memphis a large number of our
party, refused to go by Steam, & left that place by land previous to
the departure of the Boats. A Sub agent of the company was sent
through to conduct them, as I understood, with several
assistants, and I consequently hoped they would join the main body of
the party, at Rock Row without difficulty. Very different however has
been the result, and I have to state that the whole of the land
operations, from Memphis to Rock Row have been badly conducted, & in
several aspects entirely at variance with the provisions of the
Contract. In the first place, there has been an entire failure in the
manner of issuing the provisions. There were but two stands
established between Memphis and Cache (which place is 8 miles
above Rock Row and 95 from Memphis) One of these was 17 miles from
Memphis, the other is the place at which I am now writing, and is 56
miles from Cache, and 39 from Memphis.
In the next place the Indians were not
conducted from Memphis to Rock Row. The Agent sent in charge of
them it seems had other matters to attend to. He accompanied a part
of the land Party to this point, and waited here several days, but
not until all had come up.
He then issued to those present, and posted on to
Rock Row, leaving most of the Indians under his charge, to shift for
themselves. I waited near Rock Row until the 19th instant,
hoping every day, from the statements of the above mentioned Agents,
that the Indians would all come up.
My hopes however were vain, & I therefore determined to return for
them, accompanied by an Agent of Company. The Roads from Rock Row, are
as bad as possible & I have been 3 days in watching this place. I
found between 3 & 4 hundred Indians, encamped at intervals of a few
miles along the whole road, many of them belonging to other Parties
than that under my charge, and the reasons assigned by them for their
desertion was fully sufficient. Some were tired & sick & had no
transportation. Others had had no provisions issued to them since
leaving Memphis, and I found the whole road from Rock Row full of dead
Horses and Indian Ponies. There should have been provisions
stands, throughout the whole route or as required by the Contract, and
the agents should have remained with the Indians, and continue to urge
them on, & assist & encourage them, until the whole of the Swamps had
been passed. I believe that all of our Party, & in fact all those now
emigrating, are now to the west of this, but it is possible that there
may still be a few families to the east of the St. Francis River. I
cannot however return further, with a due regard to the interest of
the Party under my charge. The main body of our Indians, due out from
near Rock Row, on the 20th inst. and are now probably,
between that place & Little Rock. Tomorrow I shall return & overtake
them, as speedily as possible & will take the proper measures to
enable the straggling Indians & overtake the main body of the party,
without delay.
It is an unpleasant duty I have to perform, to report the neglect of
others, but I shall not shirk from doing so, whenever it becomes
necessary.
In conclusion I have to say that unless more regard is paid by the
responsible agents of the emigrating Company, to the requirements of
the Contract, a due regard to the rights & interests of the Indians,
imperiously demands that they should be discharged from all further
connection with the emigration of these much oppressed & unfortunate
people.
I have the honor to the General,
Most respectfully,
Your Obedt Servant
Edw. Deas
Liuet U.S. Army & Disb Agent in the Creek
Emmigration
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