Secretary of War Lewis Cass believed this was yet another ploy to delay action on removal for an additional year , and threatened to sign the treaty with John Ridge . On December 29 , 1835 , the Treaty Party signed the Treaty of New Echota with the U.S. Most Cherokee thought the signatories unauthorized . However , Ross could not stop its enforcement . Under orders from President Martin Van Buren , General Winfield Scott and 7,000 Federal troops forced removal of Cherokee who did not emigrate to the Indian Territory by 1838 . This forced removal came to be known as the Trail of Tears . Accepting defeat , Ross convinced General Scott to allow him to supervise much of the removal process
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
John Ross (Cherokee chief)