Route

...after crossing the Cumberland Mountain our route of travelling will be very different... —Lieutenant Edward Deas

650 Cherokees, 707 miles, 89 days, 318 horses, 56 wagons
Conductor: J.A. Bell; Disbursing Agent: Lieutenant Edward Deas
Assistant Conductors: David S. Walker, David M. Foreman, Ellis Harlan, Luther Rankin
Interpreters: William Boling, John Sanders, Watt Foster; Physicians: J.W. Edington, R.L. Dodge

These records provide information about the Bell Route itself—the forced emigration of the detachment on the Trail of Tears. Letters include those written by Bell Detachment leaders and military officials. Vouchers include various sources about the expenses of emigration, especially receipts or paystubs for purchases of supplies and services along the route. 

Featured source: this receipt for coffins reminds us of the human cost of the Trail of Tears. While the coffin maker's name was recorded here, the names of the deceased were not.