Toward the Setting Sun: John Ross, the Cherokees, and the Trail of Tears

by Brian Hicks

“Richly detailed and well-researched,” this story of one Native American chief’s resistance to American expansionism “unfolds like a political thriller” (Publishers Weekly).  Toward the Setting Sun chronicles one of the most significant but least explored periods in American history—the nineteenth century forced removal of Native Americans from their lands—through the story of Chief John Ross, who came to be known as the Cherokee Moses.   Son of a Scottish trader and a quarter-Cherokee woman, Ross was educated in white schools and was only one-eighth Indian by blood. But as Cherokee chief in the mid-nineteenth century, he would guide the tribe through its most turbulent period. The Cherokees’ plight lay at the epicenter of nearly all the key issues facing America at the western expansion, states’ rights, judicial power, and racial discrimination. Clashes between Ross and President Andrew Jackson raged from battlefields and meeting houses to the White House and Supreme Court.   As whites settled illegally on the Nation’s land, the chief steadfastly refused to sign a removal treaty. But when a group of renegade Cherokees betrayed their chief and negotiated their own agreement, Ross was forced to lead his people west. In one of America’s great tragedies, thousands died during the Cherokees’ migration on the Trail of Tears.   “Powerful and engaging . . . By focusing on the Ross family, Hicks brings narrative energy and original insight to a grim and important chapter of American life.” —Jon Meacham

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History, Native Americans, Native American, Indigenous

449 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 4, 2011

Reviews

[Elgin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an outstanding book. I would have given it a 4.5 if possible. I liked this one on many levels. First and foremost, it is the
story of John Ross, principal chief of the Cherokees in the mid 1800's and the man who worked long and hard for decades to protect
the Cherokee homeland in Georgia and Tennessee. It is a very sad and disturbing story about about broken promises, compromised treaties, and racism.
It is an embarrassing and shameful account of our countries never-ending disdain for a non-white race. (And unfortunately these kinds of behaviors are still sanctioned by the U. S. government.) This was a riveting story..even though I knew how the tale would end, I could not put it down.

My only criticism was that the book was pro Cherokee to an absurd degree. I have no doubt that the Cherokee were shamefully mistreated, but
it is hard to believe the story was as one sided as Hicks writes. l would have liked a more balanced account. For example Hicks mentioned that the Cherokees kept slaves (and John Ross had as many as 50). However this side of Cherokee life and beliefs was almost completely ignored.

But bottom line - read this if you get a chance.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched, well-written, very readable account of the life of John Ross and his effect upon his tribe, the Cherokees. Sympathetic without being mawkish. Very well done. I had previously had a somewhat negative perception of Ross as having tilted at windmills while the people suffered on the Trail of Tears; I have a much better understanding of the complexities of the time and the pressures both Ross and the Cherokees were under.

[Helen Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! Chief John Ross was my great great grandfather, so I have known of him all my life. And I had heard the stories about his trying to save the Cherokee homeland. This is an amazing book of which is part of my history and how the Cherokee people came to live in what is now Oklahoma. I studied Oklahoma history in junior high school with limited information about the Cherokee. Brian Hicks sheds so much more light on the tragic history of the Cherokee people of that period. I’ve visited the log house in Rossville 4 times and come away each time with strong feelings of what the Cherokee Nation lost by the removal. Through Quatie, Jane, Henrietta & my mother, I have tried to keep that part of our history fresh in my children’s memory. Thank you Brian Hicks for investing your time into exploring this tragic piece of history.

[Gary Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

For 50+ years I have studied history in-depth, seeking to find the truth of our country's history. We have been deeply indoctrinated with and constantly promoted myths, legends, and lies. As a young Airman, taking my first Oath of Office, something tugged at my curiosity when the most important pledge was to defend our Constitution against enemies, foreign and domestic.

I received my indoctrination in the LA County school system of the 60s and early 70s. As much as I had learned about Patrick Henry, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and other heroes of our proud history, I realized I had not deeply studied our Constitution. I have not stopped studying our history since.

I share this snapshot so that you may have a clearer understanding of my review of this exceptional book by Brian Hicks. I am forever grateful to Mr. Hicks for the depth of original source research and unbiased presentation of what he discovered on his journey in writing Toward the Setting Sun: John Ross, the Cherokees, and the Trail of Tears.

I learned an important lesson long ago: to get to know our historic heroes the best, we must study how our government leaders treated the Native Americans and why. Most books fall short because of either a lack of research or an adulteration of the story because of biased views of those leaders involved in dealing with Native Americans.

There are a few, like the excellent honesty of Forgotten Allies, but none has moved me as much as this book. We need truth to learn important lessons of history if liberty and freedom for self-governing pursuits are important to us and to our grandchildren's children.

I can best sum up my appreciation for the engaging story this special author has woven and shared (with the help of many, as he shares as well, like a roadmap for me to follow, it makes my journey easier), clipping a few notes from the hundreds I made as I read, verified sources, and grew in my respect for Chief John Ross.
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Setting out on a speaking tour to help his people understand their plight after yet another failed trip to Washington DC, simply seeking the government to honor their treaties with his people. He urged them to take part in a period of fasting and prayer. The Cherokee were a Christian nation by this point.

"Fasting and prayer in the same manner, to the same savior as the government leaders driven by demons to crush them. Like two sports teams praying for victory, while only one would win. Is this the way of our Judeo-Christian roots? If so, what kind of fruit does this bear? What are the true measurements of success?"

As he was preparing to lead the Cherokee Nation onto the trails, after a brutal beginning by government troops, he led them in prayer (he was a devout convert and led his nation to adapt and convert as well).
"Remember this and share it. He led them in prayer before they left. Who is the true Christian nation?"
From when he finally arrived in the new lands, at the end of the Cherokee Nations horrific journey along the Trail of Tears.

"As flawed as humans are, I have more respect for Chief John Ross than the legends of the USA that my teachers taught me to believe in. Truth really shines an interesting light on our myths, legends, and lies."
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This is well-written and reads like a page-turning, fictional novel. Yet, for me, it was among the most heartbreaking experiences I have had along my journey for truth. There were many. Faith, beliefs, and convictions of our past legends were deeply ingrained in me. I deeply loved our history and the legends of the men who 'made us great' in my early years, from the beginning to the early 60s, when my love of history began.

Brian Hicks has helped me to find a truly historic hero, the Cherokee Moses, as he would be called by his people. It is fitting. He was stronger in his faith and resolve for liberty and freedom than any other I have studied.

Today, we face another growing call for restoring our Judeo-Christian principles that 'made us great' and created the finest country ever blessed by God. I am a big believer in our Creator, but the religious push of today is based on the lies of our mythology. Mt. Rushmore needs a facelift, and we need far better examples of how God can help us restore liberty than those pressing us today know or share.

Chief John Ross lived a more devout life than the political figures who fought duels in Congress and took part in two-party politics less than 50 years after our Declaration of Independence was signed.

Without Brian Hicks's devotion to accuracy and an unbiased spirit in sharing what he discovered, I would never have fully realized just how much John Ross devoted his life to God and the people of his nation.
Enough of my ramblings, written poorly compared to what you should read right now.

Get this book. It is a very important story!

[Dan Pool · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, I really hate Andrew Jackson. Not that he was the only one dishonorable in his treatment of the Cherokees, but he was one of the biggest. Living on some on some of that former Cherokee homeland, I can't help but feel guilty. The period this book covers should get more treatment in Georgia and Tennessee schools. I grew up within 10 miles of one of the stockades the federal troops held the Cherokees before they started the journey west and very little was ever mentioned of it and the site isn't even marked.
One flaw, the author does an exceptional job of making the tale exciting, going to the point that it's almost historical fiction with Ross taking on a first person account. The footnotes make it clear that Mr. Hicks researched and drew from real quotes in Ross's extensive letters. But I would preferred him working more of the attribution in to the text. As in Ross told his brother in a letter that he was troubled rather than just Ross was troubled by this.

[Carl Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written account on the life of Cherokee Chief John Ross, though very sympathetic towards Ross. Hicks makes his argument and sometimes I agree others I don't. Reading other books, articles, and sources I see Ross more of a power mad control freak (he would be typical and fit right in with today's Congress). Typical of Ross apologists regarding slavery Hicks points out that Ross inherited his slaves (true), and most of them stayed with him after being free (true again), however point is Ross did not free his slaves till emancipation, in other words till he was forced to, among other thins I don't put him on the pedestal most historians do. Still a really intense, enjoyable book.

[Elena Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heart-wrenching book is story of the Cherokees’ loss of their native land leading up to the Trail Of Tears. It is primarily a biography of tribal leader John Ross, the half-white half-Cherokee chief who tried every strategy he could think of to preserve their land, including a lawsuit in federal court. Ross is a hero who should be remembered for his statesmanship, his ability to strategize and his eventual graceful surrender of a hopeless cause. These are the details I never saw in my history books. The book was incredibly well researched.

[Tom]

Another non-fiction author who really wants to write fiction.

[Henry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh.
The story of the Cherokee nation within the new United States is a complicated one and Hicks does little to make it easier to understand. Telling the story through the life of John Ross seems like a good angle, but, unfortunately, Ross doesn't seem to be a historical figure of vision, gravitas or charisma, more like a Zelig or Forrest Gump type, who just happens to show up at every point. There are pages on end of trips without purpose, wilderness wanderings without timelines, dates shifting back across half decades at a time. Confusion, no real story, a lot of imagining what people might have been thinking........move on, folks

[Sarah O · Rating 4 out of 5]

though very detailed unnecessary at times, this book was amazing reading like a novel yet so informative and engrossing. but being a descendant from a cherokee indian it saddens me the horror this history reveals. I reccomend reading "Trail of Tears" book as well in however order you please...reccomend highly for anyone to gain a saddened trial of history and the shit gore through thousands 0f people in this end.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Ross was the principal chief of the Cherokee for decades despite his small parentage. The work captures his life as well as the struggle of the Cherokee with the United States government over their lands and the expulsion to present day Oklahoma under the Indian Removal Act. This migration is know as the Trail of Tears. The work is well annotated.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting and an easy read. Even though I knew the basic history, I learned so much from reading this book. Even knowing how it all ends, I just wanted to keep reading because it was so well written. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn about Cherokee history or American history.

[Steven Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A competent narrative history of the struggle over removal from John Ross’s perspective. Interesting to me as I’m finishing the edits on a novel about one of the actors in the drama: Major Ridge. Good book. If you care about Native American history, check it out.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering I've lived in Georgia and/or East Tennessee for over 25 years, I knew remarkably little about the background of the Trail of Tears. This book is very well researched and readable, and helped me fill in some important gaps in my history education.

[Glen J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended

Brian Hicks brings us a great book--reads like a novel ,researched as a historical treatise. The story of yet another American tragedy... A proud people nearly destroyed.

[Matt Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed about the events leading up to the Trail of Tears, but not a full biography of John Ross.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gary Schantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent book.

I had never heard of John Ross before I read this book and now I amazed his name had never come up in all the years I had read about history.

[Caleb J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, intense, political, historical but about a not so well known leader of the Cherokee indians. Highly recommended. Thoroughly engrossing.

[Gary Dewolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a history book of a great (Native) American. A man most people never heard of, John Ross. Yup, me either! It was well written and researched. Very glad I read it!

[Tim Lightfoot · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What happened to the Cherokees, and other natives of this country, is one of the greatest sins ever perpetuated by the United States, second only to slavery.” - author’s notes. This is the story of those sins, told in a beautiful narrative, that is painstakingly researched and noted.

[Neysa Zurkammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very informative book about the Cherokee and the events leading up to the Trail of Tears, and the aftermath. The main character is John Ross, who was the chief during most of these is tragedy, even though he was only 1/8th Cherokee and did not speak the language. I highly recommend this read!

[Tom Vickers]

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...

On the heels of my last post:
This highly inaccurate irresponsible type of journalism needs to be addressed! The three federally recognized Cherokee tribes including American Indian Institutions like the Smithsonian has a duty to espouse truth as recorded by the treaties and O.I.A.(Office of Indian Affairs ) as well as. the Cherokee Nation agency papers located in Microcopy 208-Record group 75 of the National Archives.There is a federal law that prohibits the misuse of these records.
This book ( Towards The Setting Sun: John Ross The Cherokees And The Trail of Tears , By Brian Hicks Atlanta Monthly Press c.2011)
Is the common and typical Cherokee Nation history.It however is a story that fails to even closely resemble what happened.This is achieved by not using the treaties that illustrates who the Chiefs were- the real Chiefs.
In reality,Black Fox,Pathkiller,Glass,Dick Justice,Doublehead,Little Turkey were the top tier Chiefs.
In this article the twist that misleads the unwitting reader is the point where Ross,Ridge,Hicks and Richard Taylor enter the story.They were traders( Ross), Interpreters( Hicks & Taylor) and 2 nd class Chiefs ( Ridge). This group was selected in 1809 to perform the duties of commissioners and ambassadors in a subordinate capacity to the Cherokee National Council.
In this article there is no mention of the authentic Chiefs and Ross and co. just appear.
They are then hailed as great leaders because they filed in U.S. and State courts that led to unprecedented court trials that are referred to to this day.The flaw in this is 1: The Cherokee Nation dealt with the U.S. via commissioners in a sovereign capacity.This goes back to the first treaty in 1785.
2: Ross and co.were chosen for this role so they were fully aware of the proper functionality of a true Nation.
3: They were chosen in 1809 and helped facilitate the removal treaty of 1817.Note how this article try to imply that those who agreed did so as result of bribes.
This article from the Smithsonian fails to mention that the Chiefs that went west were Black fox,Glass,Dick Justice,Tohluntuskee,Takatoka and most of the important leaders.This is because from this point on the treaty was supposed to stay open for any tribal citizen to remain and be granted a 640 acre allotment on lands ceded by this treaty or move west to modern n.Arkansas and remain a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
This failed to materialize because Ross,Hicks and others who were not Chiefs following a mass removal went back to Washington with agent Meigs met with president James Monroe who in 1818 met with the immigrating Chiefs telling them he was happy that they finally decided to heed the advice of him and the U.S. government by choosing to become established in Arkansas.
Ross ,Hicks and others entered into another treaty ( unauthorized- they had no authority).that discontinued the immigration to Arkansas or better the Arkansas Cherokee Territory.They signed away approximately 3 million acres surrounding the Cherokee Nation allowing all surrounding states on the north,east and western boundaries to expand into the Cherokee Nation,all Cherokee s living their were denied their allotments except Ross and about 20 others many of whom in 1819 developed New Town later New Echota,began making laws and consider d themselves the Cherokee Nation government.All who received an allotment were U.S. citizens.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent biography of John Ross. The book kept my interest and really showed how thoroughly Ross battled to preserve his Cherokee Nation. Ultimately he failed to preserve Cherokee lands, but history can now agree who the civilized nation really was in the 1830's. The demise and removal of the tribe is heart wrenching, but Ross maintained his character throughout. Would have liked more details on the Cherokee tribe itself, but ultimately this was about the story of Ross, and it worked.

[Kenneth Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history you read after you graduate high school is never the same as what is in text books. A true history lesson is what we need to be presenting to our youth. Not some sugar coated, don't make us look bad because we're really the good guys, twist. This book tells it like it is. This book is part of the "forgotten" history of this country.

[J. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative, well researched, eye opening, emotionally charged roller coaster ride due to the historical facts revealed that caused so much unwarranted extreme sufferings.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive history of the Cherokee tribe and the Trail of Tears. Even thought his was non-fiction, it was written somewhat in the style of fiction so wasn't like reading a text book.

[Lindsay L. Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out:

www.bibliofreaker.blogspot.com

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which covers a part of American history largely unknown, should be read as a potent antidote to excessive belief in American exceptionalism.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less sentimental than many books but still gives a view into the frustrations and outright horrific treatment of native people by the invading hoards.