Volume 2 — CHAPTER VI. CONGRESSIONAL REPORT AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.[VI'-1]

CHAPTER VI. CONGRESSIONAL REPORT AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.[VI'-1]

(Orig. No. 6, pp. 64-68, and No. 13, pp. 73-77.)

The committee of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, to whom was referred the resolution to inquire whether any, and if any, what compensation ought to be made to Captain Zebulon M. Pike, and his companions, for their services in exploring the Mississippi river, in their late expedition to the sources of the Osage, Arkansaw and La Platte rivers, and in their tour through New Spain, report:

That it appears by the documents accompanying this report, that the objects of each of the exploring expeditions, together with the instructions for executing them, were communicated to and approved by the president of the United States; that the conduct of Captain Pike, in each of the expeditions, also met with the approbation of the president, and that the information obtained and communicated to the executive on the subjects of his instructions, and particularly in relation to the source of the Mississippi and the natives in that quarter, and the country generally, as well on the Upper Mississippi as that between the Arkansaw and the Missouri, and on the borders of the latter extensive river to its source, and the country adjacent, is highly interesting in a political, geographical, and historical view; and that although no special encouragement was given to the individuals who performed these laborious and dangerous expeditions, yet it was but reasonable for them, should they fortunately succeed in the objects, to expect some reward from government; that the zeal, perseverance, and intelligence of Captain Pike, as commander, have been meritorious, and the conduct of the individuals generally who composed the parties respectively, has been faithful, and the exertions arduous. The committee therefore are of opinion that compensation ought to be made by law to Captain Pike and his companions.

[ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.]

War Department, Dec. 7th, 1808.

Sir:

I herewith inclose copies of the instructions to Lieutenant Pike, for the government of his conduct on the two exploring expeditions alluded to in your letter; and likewise lists of the names of the men composing those parties. You will perceive that the instructions were given by General Wilkinson; the objects, however, of each party, together with the instructions, were communicated to and approved by the president of the United States.

Although no special encouragement was given to the individuals who performed these laborious and dangerous expeditions, yet it was but reasonable for them, should they fortunately succeed in their objects, to expect a liberal reward from the government; and as there can be no reasonable doubt of the zeal, perseverance, and intelligence of the commander, or of the faithful conduct and arduous exertions of the individuals generally, composing the respective parties, it may, I trust, be presumed that no objection will be opposed to a reasonable compensation for such meritorious services.

I am very respectfully, Sir, Your obedient servant, H. Dearborn. [Secretary at War.]

Hon. J. Montgomery, Chairman, etc.

Headquarters, St. Louis, July 30th, 1805.

Sir:

Having completed your equipments, you are to proceed up the Mississippi with all possible diligence, taking the following instructions for your general government, which are to yield to your discretion in all cases of exigency.

You will please to take the course of the river, and calculate distances by time, noting rivers, creeks, highlands, prairies, islands, rapids, shoals, mines, quarries, timber, water, soil, Indian villages and settlements, in a diary, to comprehend reflections on the winds and weather.

It is interesting to government to be informed of the population and residence of the several Indian nations, of the quantity and species of skins and furs they barter per annum, and their relative price to goods; of the tracts of country on which they generally make their hunts, and the people with whom they trade.

You will be pleased to examine strictly for an intermediate point, between this place and the Prairie des Chiens, suitable for a military post, and also on the Ouiscousing, near its mouth, for a similar establishment; and will obtain the consent of the Indians for their erection, informing them that they are intended to increase their trade and ameliorate their condition.

You will proceed to ascend the main branch of the river until you reach the source of it, or the season may forbid your further progress without endangering your return before the waters are frozen up.

You will endeavor to ascertain the latitude of the most remarkable places in your route, with the extent of the navigation and the direction of the different rivers which fall into the Mississippi, and you will not fail to procure specimens of whatever you may find curious, in the mineral, vegetable, or animal kingdoms, to be rendered at this place.

In your course you are to spare no pains to conciliate the Indians and to attach them to the United States, and you may invite the great chiefs of such distant nations as have not been at this place, to pay me a visit.

Your own good sense will regulate the consumption of your provisions, and direct the distribution of the trifling presents which you may carry with you, particularly your flags.

I wish you a speedy, pleasant, and safe tour, and am, Sir, with sentiments of respect and esteem,

Your obedient servant, [Signed] James Wilkinson.

P. S. In addition to the preceding orders, you will be pleased to obtain permission from the Indians who claim the ground, for the erection of military posts and trading-houses at the mouth of the river St. Pierre, the falls of St. Anthony, and every other critical point which may fall under your observation; these permissions to be granted in formal conferences, regularly recorded, and the ground marked off.

[Signed] J. W.

Lieutenant Z. M. Pike, 1st Regt. Infantry.

War Department, Feb. 24th, 1808.

Sir:

In answer to your letter of the 22d instant, I can with pleasure observe, that although the two exploring expeditions you have performed were not previously ordered by the president of the United States, there were frequent communications on the subject of each between General Wilkinson and this department, of which the president of the United States was from time to time acquainted; and it will be no more than what justice requires to say that your conduct, in each of those expeditions, met the approbation of the president; and that the information you obtained and communicated to the executive, in relation to the source of the Mississippi and the natives in that quarter, and the country generally, as well on the Upper Mississippi as that between the Arkansaw and the Missouri, and on the borders of the latter extensive river to its source and the country adjacent, has been considered highly interesting in a political, geographical, and historical view. And you may rest assured that your services are held in high estimation by the president of the United States; and if any opinion of my own can afford you any satisfaction, I very frankly declare that I consider the public much indebted to you for the enterprising, persevering, and judicious manner in which you have performed them.

I am, very respectfully, Sir, Your obedient servant, [Signed] H. Dearborn. [Secretary at War.]

Captain Zebulon M. Pike.

Sketch of an Expedition made from St. Louis, to explore the internal parts of Louisiana, by order of his Excellency, General James Wilkinson. (Orig. No. 13, pp. 73-77.)

I embarked at Belle Fontaine, on the Missouri, near its confluence with the Mississippi, with a command of one lieutenant, one doctor (a volunteer), two sergeants, one corporal, 17 [16] privates, and one interpreter;[VI'-2] having under my charge eight or ten Osage chiefs who had recently returned from a visit to the city of Washington, together with about 40 men, women, and children of the same nation, redeemed from captivity from another Indian nation; and two Pawnees who had likewise been to the city of Washington [making a total of 51 Indians].

We ascended the Missouri river to the river of the Osage, up which we ascended to the Osage towns, and arrived on or about the 18th of August [p. 385], and delivered to their nation in safety their chiefs, women, and children, with speeches to the nation.

Here I remained making astronomical observations, and preparing for my march by land, until the 1st of September, when we took our departure for the Pawnee Republic, accompanied by some Osage chiefs, who were deputed by their nation to form a treaty of peace and amity with the nation of the Kans with whom they were then at war, under the auspices of the United States. I arrived at the Pawnee Republic about the 25th of said month [p. 409], where I caused to be held a conference between the Osage and Kans chiefs, and mediated a peace for the two nations. Having held councils with the Pawnees, made astronomical observations, etc., I marched from the said village on the 7th of October, and arrived at the Arkansaw on the 11th [read 15th] of said month, where we remained until the 28th, preparing canoes, etc., for Lieutenant Wilkinson, who descended the said river, with one sergeant, six men, and two Osage Indians.[VI'-3] During my stay at said river, I likewise made astronomical observations.

On the said day I marched with the remainder of the party up the Arkansaw. Nothing occurred worthy of note until about the middle [on the 22d] of November, when we met a party of Pawnees, of 60 warriors, who were returning from an expedition against the Kayaways. At first our conference was of the most friendly nature, and I made them some small presents; but as they commenced to steal and plunder whatever they could with impunity, we were finally obliged to take to our arms, and were on the point of coming to hostilities, when the Pawnees retired, and we pursued our march.

We arrived where the Arkansaw enters the mountains, on the 4th or 5th [5th] of December, where we remained until the 9th [10th], searching for the route across the mountains, when we marched by a trace which we discovered, leaving the main Arkansaw to our left. Much to our astonishment we arrived about the middle of said month [Dec. 13th] on a water of the Missouri, which I ascertained to be the [South fork of the] river Platte, on which we discovered signs of immense numbers of Indians. Here we remained a few days searching for those Indians, in hopes to obtain from them information as to a route to cross the mountains to the west; but not discovering any, we crossed a large chain [Park range] by a practicable route [Trout Creek pass] and fell on a large branch of water which I then conceived to be the head of the Red river [but which was the Arkansaw]. Here we remained a few days [till Dec. 21st] to recruit our horses and ourselves, when I ordered the party to proceed down said river, and I with two men ascended it [nearly] to its source, where I made some observations. I then returned and overtook the party, when we continued to descend said stream, until the perpendicularity of the rocks [of the Grand Cañon of the Arkansaw] and other difficulties rendered it impossible to proceed any further with horses, several of which had already been killed by falling from the rocks, etc.

I then caused sleds to be constructed, and soldiers to draw the baggage on the ice, and ordered a few men to endeavor to conduct the horses by a more eligible route out of the mountains; at the extremity of which we all arrived by the 9th of January, and found that we had descended the main branch of the Arkansaw, conceiving it to be the Red river, and were again at the same point [Cañon City] we had left on the 9th [10th] ult.

My remaining horses not being in a situation to allow me to hope for any further assistance from them, unless permitted further to recover, and as this would have engrossed a long time, I determined to leave some men with the horses and part of the baggage, and proceed with the remainder and the articles absolutely necessary, on foot. On the 14th of January, having constructed a small place for my men and baggage who remained, we marched, proceeding up a western branch [Grape creek] of the Arkansaw, which appeared to lead in a direct route through the mountains. On the 20th of said month, being obliged to cross a prairie [Wet Mountain valley] of some leagues in breadth, late in the evening, and many of the soldiers having their feet wet, we had it not in our power to make fire until eight or nine o'clock at night. We were so unfortunate as to ascertain that nine of the party were frozen. The ensuing day, discovering that they were not all able to march, we remained a few days to lay in provisions. Here I left two soldiers and four loads of our baggage, and proceeded on our march; but on the third day, finding another of my men not able to march, I was obliged to leave him encamped, having previously furnished him with sufficient provision. We then crossed another chain [Sangre de Cristo] of mountains, and on the 1st of February [31st of January] arrived on the waters of the Rio del Norte, which I then conceived to be the Red river, as some maps which I held portrayed the source of the Red river to lie between those of the Arkansaw and Rio del Norte. I then proceeded to choose a station [on the Rio Conejos] where there was sufficient wood to form canoes or rafts, in order to descend the supposed [Red] river to Natchitoches.

Having in many instances experienced the insolence and presuming dispositions of the Indians, when in superior numbers, I conceived it proper to throw up a small work for the protection of ourselves and baggage, until we should be prepared to descend the river.

Four or five days [seven] after I dispatched five men to return to those I had left in the mountains, and bring them on, if capable of marching; if not, to supply them with provision and bring on the baggage. Dr. Robinson, who had hitherto accompanied me as a volunteer, having some pecuniary demands in the province of New Mexico, conceived that this would be the nearest point from which he could go in and probably return, previous to my being prepared to descend the river. He left me on the 7th of February with that view.

A few days after [on Feb. 16th], hunting with one of my men, I discovered two men on horseback. I would have avoided them, agreeably to my orders; but, finding they continued to pursue us, I conceived it most proper to bring them to a conference. This, with great difficulty, I effected, as they appeared to be apprehensive that my intentions were hostile toward them. I conducted them to my camp, informed them of my intention to descend the river, and made them some small presents. Had they then informed me of my being on the Rio del Norte, I should have immediately retired; but, having executed their commission, they returned the following day on the immediate route to the [Spanish] settlements. The following day [Feb. 17th] the party I had detached for the men whom I had been compelled to leave in the mountains, returned with one only, and all the baggage, the other two not being able to come on. I then immediately [Feb. 19th] dispatched my sergeant and one man, to order and conduct on the men, horses, and baggage left on the Arkansaw, by a route which I conceived practicable.

On the 24th or 25th [26th] of February, in the morning, two Frenchmen arrived at my camp, and informed me that an officer and 50 men of his Catholic Majesty's troops had marched from Santa Fe, in order to protect me from the Utahs, who had exhibited a disposition to attack me, and would probably be at my camp in two or three days. In the course of two or three hours, I was informed by a sentinel, whom I always kept on a hill, of the approach of a party of strangers; and in a short period there arrived two officers and 100 men, at a small distance from the camp. The lieutenant commandant, having entered my works by my invitation, informed me that the governor of New Mexico had been informed of my situation; and, understanding I was bound for Red river, offered me any assistance which lay in his power to accommodate me. I replied that I stood in no need of assistance; that I could descend the river with craft which I proposed constructing. He then informed me I was on the Rio del Norte, which astonished me extremely, and that the source of the Red river was eight days' march below Santa Fe; and that the governor, being informed that I had missed my route, offered mules, horses, etc., to conduct me to the Red river, and wished to see me at his seat of government. I told him that if the whole of my party were here, I would not hesitate to pay my respects to his Excellency, with one or two men. He then assured me that there was not the least constraint; that I could go in before or after the arrival of my party, as my inclination dictated; that if I went in now he would leave an Utah interpreter and one man, with the men of my party I chose to leave, in order to conduct the sergeant and party when they arrived. I finally concluded it would be more consistent with the good understanding which existed between the government of the United States and his Catholic Majesty, to proceed to Santa Fe, and give to Governor Allencaster an explanation of my being on his frontiers. We then marched for his [the Spanish lieutenant's] camp, about 12 miles distant, leaving the [Utah] interpreter, one Spanish soldier, a corporal [Jackson] and one private [Carter] of my detachment, with orders for the conduct of my sergeant [Meek] when he should arrive.

The next day I was much surprised to find that the lieutenant and all the regular troops, except 10, were to remain, and that the militia officer was to conduct me to Santa Fe; the lieutenant giving as a reason the particular orders to see all my party in safety at the capital. We arrived at the town in four or five days [Mar. 3d], where I was received at first in a manner very different from what I had been taught to expect from the proffers of the lieutenant in the name of the governor. The arms of my men being taken possession of by the guard the first night of my arrival, without my knowledge, and my being likewise informed that Dr. Robinson was a prisoner at some leagues' distance, they induced me to believe that a rupture had taken place between Spain and the United States, and to address a letter to the governor, demanding if I was to consider myself and party as prisoners of war, and if the expense arising from the detention of myself and party was to be defrayed by the United States or his Catholic Majesty. To this his Excellency gave me a very polite verbal answer, assuring me that I was by no means to consider myself as a prisoner; that the arms of my men were taken unknown to him, and should be immediately restored; but that it was necessary I should march immediately to join Lieutenant Malgares and party, who were waiting for me at the village of St. Fernandez, in order to conduct me to Chihuahua, to be presented to the commandant-general with my papers for an explanation. On my arriving at said village, I addressed a letter to the governor, informing him that Dr. Robinson had accompanied my party as a volunteer. This I had not acknowledged at Santa Fe, as I was apprehensive that his coming on to the frontiers of the province with a military party, in case of a rupture between the two governments, might place him in a critical position.[VI'-4]

The lieutenant [Pike] only further observes that he has not entered into the particulars of the hardships undergone, such as enduring thirst or famine for three or four days, at different periods; marching over rugged mountains, through snows three or four feet deep, exposed to every inclemency of the weather for want of clothes, carrying at the same time packs of 60 or 70 pounds' burden—in short, every hardship to which a savage life in its greatest state of barbarity is exposed. These are circumstances only calculated to excite humanity, and not to give explanation as to the general chain of events connected with the voyage. He therefore refers his Excellency [President Jefferson] to the commander-in-chief of the United States army, for an explanation of the general intent and nature of the expedition, and to his notes, astronomical observations, and charts, for the courses, situations, etc., of the different points and rivers alluded to in the foregoing sketch.

Return of persons employed on a tour of discovery and exploration to the source of the Mississippi, in the years 1805 and 1806 [and to the source of the Arkansaw in the years 1806 and 1807].

Lieutenant Z. M. Pike; Interpreter Pierre Rosseau; Sergeant Henry Kennerman; Corporal William E. Meek; Corporal Samuel Bradley.

Privates John Boley; Peter Branden; John Brown; Jacob Carter; Thomas Dougherty; William Gorden; Solomon Huddleston; Jeremiah [R.] Jackson; Hugh Menaugh; Theodore Miller; John Mountjoy; David Owings; Alexander Roy; Patrick Smith; John Sparks; Freegift Stoute; David Whelply.

This party left St. Louis the 9th of August, 1805, but had been detached for that duty from the 1st of July. They returned the 30th of April, 1806.

From this time until the 15th of July, I was preparing for the second expedition, to the westward, which consisted of the following persons, to wit:

Captain Z. M. Pike; Lieutenant James B. Wilkinson*; Dr. John H. Robinson; Interpreter Baroney Vasquez†; Sergeant Joseph Ballenger*; Sergeant William E. Meek†; Corporal Jeremiah [R.] Jackson†.

Privates John Boley*; Samuel Bradley*; John Brown; Jacob Carter†; Thomas Dougherty†; William Gorden; Solomon Huddleston;* Henry Kennerman [deserted]; Hugh Menaugh; Theodore Miller†; John Mountjoy†; Alexander Roy; Patrick Smith†; John Sparks†; Freegift Stoute; John Wilson*.

* Those thus marked descended the Arkansaw river, and arrived at New Orleans some time about the —— of February, 1807.

† Those thus marked are still detained in New Spain.[VI'-5]

The balance [except Kennerman] arrived at the Nachitoches on or about the 1st of July, 1807. But it may probably be better to leave the whole time undefined, to be regulated by the honorable secretary of war.