Note V-1 — Chapter V · WILKINSON'S REPORT ON THE ARKANSAW.[V-1]

The following Report was written by Lieutenant Wilkinson at a time when it was expected I had been cut off by the savages. It consequently alluded to transactions relative to the Expedition previous to our separation, which I have since corrected. But the adventures of his party, after our separation, are given in his own words.—Z. M. P.

The above explanatory note by Pike stood alone on p. 19 of the App. to Pt. 2 of the orig. ed. Wilkinson's Report, of which Chapter V. now consists, formed Doc. No. 2 of that Appendix, running pp. 20-32. It rehearses the movements of Pike's party to Oct. 28th, 1806, when the two officers separated at Great Bend, and Wilkinson started down the Arkansaw. It thus serves to some extent to check Pike's narrative, but is chiefly notable in this respect for some discrepancies which I have been unable to adjust. Lieutenant Wilkinson's health was not good during his descent of the Arkansaw, and he endured much hardship; to which causes is doubtless due in part the lack of anything very notable in his Report. James Biddle Wilkinson was the son of General James Wilkinson of Maryland. He entered the army as a second lieutenant of the 4th Infantry, Feb. 16th, 1801; was transferred to the 2d Infantry, Apr. 1st, 1802; became first lieutenant Sept. 30th, 1803, and captain Oct. 8th, 1808, and died Sept. 7th, 1813.