"Tuesday, July 15,1806. We sailed from the landing at Belle Fontaine about 3 o'clock p.m., in two boats. Our party consisted of two lieutenants, one surgeon, one sergent, two corporals, 16 privates, and one interpreter. We had also under our charge chiefs of the Osage and Pawnees, who, with a number of women and children, had been to Washington. These Indians had been redeemed from captivity among the Potowatomies, and were now to be returned to their friends at the Osage towns. The whole number of Indians amounted to 51."
With this entry in his journal, Zebulon Pike registered the start of his expedition to the Southwest; an expedition with apparently straightforward objectives as outlined by General James Wilkinson, commander of the Army and Pike's immediate superior. Wilkinson directed Pike to travel to the villages of the Osage and Pawnee Indians and work to build alliances between these tribes and Americans, no easy task considering the tribes' firmly entrenched allegiances to the Spanish and French at the time. Pike was also to seek every opportunity to meet, develop relationships with, and influence the Comanche. (neither the Spanish or French had enjoyed much success attempting the same). Furthermore Wilkinson ordered Pike to seek the sources of the Arkansas River, and lastly gave Pike the orders whose execution by Pike would give rise to much speculation as to the real objectives of the expedition among historians over the almost 200 years since Pike's foray?rdering Pike to seek the elusive sources of the Red River.
Read Full Article »