On November 30 , 1836 , he was promoted to first lieutenant . In 1836 – 37 , he transferred to Fort Trumbull in Connecticut where he was placed in charge of public property . In 1838 he again served in the Second Seminole War before helping to supervise the Cherokee removal , part of the Trail of Tears . He was posted to northern frontier during the Canada border disturbances and then to Cleveland , Ohio . He was posted to Buffalo , New York in 1838 – 39 . He went to a camp of instruction at Trenton , New Jersey in 1839 . He was at Buffalo again in 1839 – 41 , helping to police Canada border disturbances . He transferred to Fort Hamilton in New York in 1841 – 42 , Fort Adams in Rhode Island in 1842 – 43 , and back to Fort Hamilton in 1843 – 45
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
James Duncan (United States Army officer)