▁War ▁John ▁C . ▁Cal h oun ▁regarding ▁a ▁claim ▁by ▁the ▁Ch ero kee ▁Nation ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁driven ▁from ▁a ▁village ▁along ▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁by ▁two ▁companies ▁of ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁Milit ia . ▁No ▁records ▁exist ▁indicating ▁whether ▁this ▁action ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁the ▁territorial ▁governor ▁or ▁was ▁done ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁local ▁authorities . ▁Cal h oun ▁respond ed ▁to ▁the ▁claim ▁and ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁lack ed ▁sufficient ▁evidence ▁to ▁appro ve ▁the ▁Ch ero kee ▁claim ▁for ▁dam ages ▁resulting ▁from ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁their ▁villages ▁but ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁protect ▁Ch ero ke es ▁if ▁they ▁established ▁villages ▁in ▁areas ▁assigned ▁to ▁whites ▁by ▁treat y . ▁ ▁The ▁P ec an ▁Point ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁The ▁Os age ▁tribe , ▁who ▁r anged ▁over ▁much ▁of ▁north west ▁Ark ansas , ▁were ▁a ▁fier ce ▁and ▁war like ▁pla ins ▁tribe . ▁Mount ed ▁on ▁their ▁pon ies , ▁the ▁Os age ▁frequently ▁attacked ▁villages ▁of ▁neighbor ing ▁Indian ▁tribes . ▁Occ asion ally ▁white ▁sett lers ▁would ▁fall ▁victim ▁to ▁the ▁Os age . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁Re uben ▁East on , ▁a ▁pract ically ▁ill iter ate ▁Ark ansas ▁sett ler , ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁compla ining ▁of ▁the ▁Os age ▁men ace : ▁ ▁" There ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁mur ders ▁committed ▁on ▁this ▁river ▁by ▁the ▁Os age ▁ind ians ▁and ▁a ▁vast ▁number ▁of ▁Rob be