Note 56 — Chapter III · {XI}[48] Red River—Exploring Expedition of 1806—Return to the Arkansa—Earthquakes

The official report of the expedition under Captain Sparks was never published, and the account here given is the only one extant, drawn from the notes of the party. Richard Sparks, the leader, first saw service in the "levies of 1791," under Gen. Arthur St. Clair. The next year he was made captain in the infantry, and later promoted to major (1806) and lieutenant-colonel (1807). During the War of 1812-15 he was colonel in the Second Infantry; at the close of the war he received an honorable discharge and died the same year (1815).

Freeman's given name was probably Thomas, but nothing more is known about him. "Lieutenant Humphrey" was probably Enoch Humphreys, of Connecticut, who entered the First Artillerists and Engineers in 1801 as lieutenant. He became an artillery captain in 1809, and remained in this branch of the service until his death in 1825, being breveted major for gallant conduct at New Orleans in 1814.—Ed.