GREETINGS OF THE VOYAGE.
An interesting souvenir.--Greeting at Lake Glazier.--Petition to
Geographical Societies.--Voice from Aitkin, Gate City of the
Upper Mississippi.--Tributes from Brainerd.--An old friend at La
Crosse.--Welcome at Davenport.--Greetings at St. Louis.--Senator
Lamar.--Royal welcome at Bayou Tunica.--Sentiment of Port Eads.--
Congratulations of the officers of the "Margaret."--Greetings from
New Orleans.--"Fame's triple wreath."--Closing remarks.
Such an expedition as Captain Glazier has recently concluded inevitably
gives birth to many souvenirs and trophies of the undertaking which are
always interesting, not only to their immediate recipient but also to
the public generally; for a man of his calibre is in one sense public
property, and as such everything associated with any important
enterprise of his, is loudly demanded by men of all classes without
regard to what would be considered its privacy under other
circumstances. It was the author's good fortune to see such a souvenir
of the voyage--an album in which are inscribed the autographs of eminent
men from various points along the entire route traversed, the first
being dated at the source of the Mississippi, and the last on the shores
of the Gulf of Mexico; and the thought occurred to him that this memento
of the latest exploit in Captain Glazier's exciting life could not fail
to be an object of some interest to the reader who had thus far followed
the soldier, author, and explorer in his eventful and successful
career. He therefore obtained permission to make a few extracts from the
large number before him, and these Greetings of the Voyage are now
presented to the public as a fitting conclusion to the story of the
Captain's journey from source to sea.
The first in order is naturally that of Barrett Channing Paine, his
constant companion during the entire voyage. Standing by the
discoverer's side at the fountain-head of the Great River, he wrote:
Lake Glazier, Minnesota,
_July 22, 1881_.
My Dear Captain:--From this beautiful lake where the mighty
Mississippi rises, my best wishes follow you down the course of the
"Father of Waters" till it mingles its flood with the sea.
Very truly yours,
Barrett Channing Paine.
We next quote a petition of Captain Glazier's companions to the
Geographical Societies of the country, although it is not found in the
album. It was published in the Missouri "_Republican_" and various other
newspapers, but being dated Schoolcraft Island, the first stopping place
after leaving the source of the river, it seems quite naturally to
follow the greeting of Mr. Paine:
Schoolcraft Island,
Lake Itasca, _July 22, 1881_.
To Geographical and Historical Societies:--We the undersigned,
companions of Captain Willard Glazier, in his voyage of exploration
to the headwaters of the Mississippi, are fully convinced that the
lake located by him is beyond question the source of the "Father of
Waters."
The privilege of bestowing a name upon the new discovery having
been delegated to us, we hereby name it LAKE GLAZIER in honor of
the leader of the expedition, whose energy, perseverance and pluck
carried us through many difficulties and brought us at last to the
shores of this beautiful lake--the True Source of the Great River.
We respectfully petition all Geographical Societies to give it that
recognition which has heretofore been accorded to Lake Itasca, and
to which it is justly entitled as the primal reservoir of the
grandest river on this continent.
Barrett Channing Paine, }
Indianapolis, Indiana. } _White_
George Herbert Glazier, } _Companions._
Chicago, Illinois. }
Moses Lagard, } _Interpreter_
Chenowagesic, } _and_
Sebatise Lagard, } _Indian_
Leech Lake, Minnesota, } _Guides._
The inhabitants of Aitkin, the first town of importance on the Upper
Mississippi, took great interest in the expedition, and did all they
could to show their appreciation of the intrepid explorers. The
following is from the pen of Warren Potter, one of the pioneer citizens
of the place:
Aitkin, Minnesota,
_August 15, 1881_.
Captain Willard Glazier:--As you float in your birch canoe upon the
bosom of the "Father of Waters" toward the sea, remember Aitkin,
the Gate City of the Upper Mississippi.
Yours very truly,
Warren Potter.
Brainerd, situated at the point where the Northern Pacific Railroad
crosses the Mississippi, is a thriving town, and has the honor of
possessing the first newspaper encountered in the descent of the river.
This paper, the Brainerd "_Tribune_," exhibited much cordial interest in
Captain Glazier and his successful explorations, and from time to time
published accounts of the voyage. The autographs of its editor, Arthur
E. Chase, is found in the album, as is that of Hon. Chauncey B. Sleeper,
district attorney for the county, who introduced him to the first
audience before which he delivered his lecture on the "Pioneers of the
Mississippi:"
Brainerd, Minnesota,
_August 19, 1881_.
Dear Captain:--That your voyage down the Great "Father of Waters"
may be fraught with experiences both pleasant to yourself and
beneficial to the public; and that your undertaking may prove a
worthy epoch in American history, is the wish of
Your sincere friend,
Arthur E. Chase.
Brainerd,
_August 19, 1881_.
To Captain Willard Glazier:--My cordial good wishes go with you on
your long and interesting journey. May it result in benefit to
yourself and your fellow-man.
Chauncey B. Sleeper,
District Attorney.
At St. Cloud, Judge L. A. Evans introduced Captain Glazier to his
audience on the evening of his lecture in that city, and wrote as
follows in the album:
St. Cloud, Minnesota,
_August 23, 1881_.
To Captain Glazier:--May your life voyage and your contemplated
voyage to the mouth of our Great River prove pleasant and
profitable.
L. A. Evans.
Hon. Samuel E. Adams, whose patriotic greeting we quote next, is the
editor of the Monticello "_Times_," and was one of the early pioneers of
Wright County, Minnesota.
Monticello,
_August 24, 1881_.
Love of one's country is always commendable, and may your labors in
its defence in the past, and its development in the future, be
crowned with imperishable renown.
Very truly yours,
Samuel E. Adams.
At Hastings, Captain Glazier was cordially and hospitably entertained by
the proprietor and editor of the Hastings "_Gazette_," and other
prominent citizens. On parting Mr. Todd writes the following in the
album:
Hastings, Minnesota,
_September 5, 1881_.
With the cordial good wishes of the "_Gazette_" for a prosperous
voyage to the Gulf.
Fraternally,
Irving Todd.
The friendly writer of the following is loyal to his State while
greeting the man who evokes the sentiment:
Davenport, Iowa,
_September 25, 1881_.
Dear Captain:--As you plough the "Father of Waters" in your frail
bark, think of "Iowa the Beautiful."
Charles G. Plummer.
At Davenport, Iowa, Captain Glazier had the pleasure of again meeting
Colonel P. A. J. Russell, city editor of the "_Democrat_." This
gentleman had been the first to greet him on his arrival in that city
during his journey across the continent in 1876, and it was with much
cordiality that he now shook hands with the Captain and congratulated
him upon the success of his latest expedition. But we will let him
express his sentiments in his own language:
Davenport, on the Mississippi,
_September 25, 1881_.
To Captain Glazier:
Safety and success--thus far
Adown this mighty stream;
May Heaven guard your progress still
And grant fulfilment of your dream.
Very truly yours, P. A. J. Russell.
The first man to welcome Captain Glazier at La Crosse was Pearce Giles,
an old acquaintance whom he had known for many years in the East. Mr.
Giles tenders his congratulations in these words:
La Crosse, Wisconsin,
_September 10, 1881_.
My Dear Captain:--I congratulate you on your important discovery of
the True Source of the Mississippi--a discovery which must
associate your name forever with the "Father of Waters." The
intelligence, earnestness, pluck and persistence you have displayed
in this, as in numerous other ways, are such as to give you a place
among the great Americans who have not lived in vain for their
country.
Always sincerely yours,
Pearce Giles.
The visit to Trempealeau, on the left bank of the river, introduced the
canoeists to some extremely agreeable people, whose hearty and
disinterested welcome will be long remembered by Captain Glazier. The
sentiment of one of them is thus kindly expressed:
Trempealeau, Wisconsin,
September 11, 1881.
Captain Glazier:--My best wishes follow you down the "Father of
Waters" and through Life's Voyage.
Very sincerely yours,
M. H. Melchior.
While at Bellevue, Captain Glazier was entertained most agreeably by
Hon. W. O. Evans, editor of the Bellevue "_Republican_" who welcomed him
on his arrival, and launched his canoe when he resumed his voyage. He
seemed greatly interested in the Captain's explorations, and expressed
his interest in this manner:
Bellevue, Iowa,
September 18, 1881.
Dear Captain:--That health, wealth, success and perpetual youth may
attend you in all your grand schemes and enterprises through the
Voyage of Life is the wish of your new-made friend,
W. O. Evans.
At Hannibal, Captain Glazier landed and remained three days, during
which interval he met one or two valued friends. Before launching his
canoe this entry found a place in the album:
Hannibal, Missouri,
_October 3, 1881_.
Dear Captain:--May the Mississippi--that Grand Old Patriarch of
Rivers--carry you safely to the Gulf!
A. M. Paget.
The "_Post-Dispatch_" one of the leading newspapers of St. Louis, was
foremost in publishing accounts of the explorer's voyage from the time
he left the headwaters of the Mississippi until he reached the Gulf, and
hence the autograph of its editor, Colonel John A. Cockerill, now editor
of the New York "_World_," is of special interest:
St. Louis, Missouri,
_October 8, 1881_.
The "_Post-Dispatch_," sailing on prosperous sea, sends greeting
and good wishes to Captain Glazier and all daring navigators.
John A. Cockerill.
Thomas E. Garrett, of the staff of the "_Republican_," inscribed the
following poetic tribute:
Missouri Republican Office,
St. Louis, _October 14, 1881_.
On land and water--staunch and true,
You steer and paddle your own canoe,
Strong arm, brave heart, will pull you through.
Very truly yours,
Thomas E. Garrett.
The editor of the Helena "_Yeoman_" writes:
Helena, Arkansas,
_October 22, 1881_.
Captain Glazier:--May your present voyage down the great
Mississippi redound to your credit, and add to the honors you have
already won.
W. L. Morris,
"_Yeoman_" Office.
Prof. J. J. Flahift, Superintendent of Public Instruction at Helena,
greets the navigator in these terms:
Helena, Arkansas,
_October_ 26, 1881.
"Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost;
Every good deed nobly done,
Will repay the cost;
Leave to Heaven in humble trust
All you will to do,"
But, to reach the Gulf, you must
Paddle your own canoe.
J. J. Flahift.
At Natchez, Captain Glazier had the pleasure of hearing Senator Lamar
deliver a political speech, and was afterwards introduced to him at the
Foster House, where both were registered. The Senator seemed much
interested in the Captain's explorations, and so signifies over his
autograph:
Natchez, Mississippi,
_November_ 3, 1881.
Glad to have met you, Captain Glazier, and I leave with you my best
wishes for the success of your undertaking.
L. Q. C. Lamar.
Bayou Tunica will always be held in pleasant remembrance by Captain
Glazier, for he was there most hospitably received and entertained by
John J. Winn, a prosperous merchant and planter. Mr. Winn insisted upon
his remaining with him for two days during the progress of a violent
storm which rendered the river unnavigable, and every effort was made to
make the time pass agreeably. His greeting to the explorer is short but
to the point:
Bayou Tunica, Louisiana,
_November 5, 1881_.
Captain Glazier:--May your voyage to the Gulf be a pleasant one.
John J. Winn.
Captain Glazier's first acquaintance with a sugar plantation was made on
reaching the estates of Messrs. V. U. Lefebre and son, who are
extensively engaged in the production of this staple of commerce. This
firm is counted among the wealthiest sugar planters of Plaquemine
Parish, owning and controlling three large plantations. The Captain made
the most of his opportunity to learn something of the art of sugar
manufacture. The cane-field and sugar-mill and every detail were
explained by his polite host, from the cutting of the canes to the
refining process. The Captain and his companion were hospitably
entertained an entire day, and on parting the senior Mr. Lefebre greeted
him in French, the tongue of his mother country:
Eliza Plantation, Louisiana,
_November_ 9, 1881.
Cher Capitaine:--J'espere que votre voyage au Golfe sera agreable
que vous garderes un bon souvenir de la Louisiane.
Votre sincere,
V. U. Lefebre.
The inhabitants of Port Eads, the terminal point of the voyage,
displayed, if possible, a more lively interest in the expedition than
those of any other town along the river, for here it was that the goal
was reached and the Captain's long and hazardous undertaking placed
beyond the risk of failure. Some description has already been given of
the triumphant manner in which the arrival of the "Alice" at the Gulf
was proclaimed by the people, and the following lines of F. C.
Welschaus, one of the citizens, expresses, in all probability, the
general sentiment of Port Eads:
Port Eads, Louisiana,
_November_ 15, 1881.
To THE DISCOVERER OF THE MISSISSIPPI'S SOURCE:--May all your
undertakings prove as successful as this one.
F. C. Welschaus.
This kindly wish of Mr. Welschaus in reality concludes the greetings of
the voyage proper, but when Captain Glazier returned to New Orleans from
Port Eads, and afterwards to St. Louis, others were added to the number,
some of which are of so much interest that the author takes pleasure in
quoting them.
The first in point of time was written by the officers of the steamship
_Margaret_, on board of which Captain Glazier steamed back to New
Orleans. This vessel was engaged in the fruit trade between the Crescent
City and ports in Central America. His reception and entertainment by
the officers was characteristic of sailors in general, cordial and
hospitable in the extreme. They expressed great wonder that a mere
landsman could make such an extended voyage in so small a boat, and many
questions were asked and answered upon this subject. Their farewell
greeting is thus entered in the album:
On Board Steamship "_Margaret_," _November_ 16, 1881.
To Captain Willard Glazier:--We congratulate you upon the
successful completion of your great undertaking, and ask you to
accept the following as our sincere wish and fervent prayer:
"May your bark of mortality
Glide down the stream of Time,
And land at last at that glorious haven
Where nothing reigns supreme
But joy, health, prosperity and happiness."
John Otteson, _Commander_.
Richard Hunter, _Chief Officer_.
Albert J. Schlesinger, _Purser_.
While in New Orleans, Captain Glazier had an opportunity to listen to a
sermon by Rev. B. M. Palmer, a prominent clergyman of that city. The
Captain afterwards had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Palmer, who inscribed
this beautiful wish in the album:
New Orleans, Louisiana,
_November_ 22, 1881.
Captain Glazier:--May your exploration of the Mississippi from its
source to its mouth be typical of your Voyage of Life, as it rolls
with its swelling flood into the bosom of God.
Yours in the Faith of the Gospel,
B. M. Palmer,
Pastor First Presbyterian Church.
The greetings from New Orleans would be incomplete without some
reference to H. Dudley Coleman, a member of the New Orleans Academy of
Sciences, and also of the Washington Artillery, of that city, who
extended many courtesies to Captain Glazier. Mr. Coleman was a cavalry
officer in the Confederate Army, and his command had been frequently
opposed to that of the Union soldier on the battle-fields of Virginia.
His Southern gallantry, however, prompted a cordial greeting, and the
true gentleman appeared in the numerous attentions he showered on his
former adversary in arms. Captain Glazier was greatly impressed by this
display of good feeling, and the evident desire manifested on the part
of many Southern gentlemen who received him to bury the animosities of
the late war and promote a state of harmony and cordial friendship. The
blue and the grey are no longer estranged, or such a hearty reception
could not have been accorded to Captain Glazier, whose name and
reputation were well known to many in the Crescent City as of a prolific
writer on military subjects from a Union standpoint. Mr. Coleman's
apparently sincere expressions of a deep friendly interest in the
Captain's exploits on the Mississippi impressed him very sensibly. Want
of space must be our excuse for not including his long and very cordial
greeting in the album.
Albert G. Blanchard, also a member of the New Orleans Academy of
Sciences, and formerly a brigadier-general, C. S. A., shows his
appreciation of the explorations which Captain Glazier had successfully
completed in these terms:
I congratulate you on your successful exploration of the headwaters
of the Mississippi River. Your name will always be honored with
that of Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the discoverer of the outlet
of this river as you are of its source.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
Albert G. Blanchard,
Deputy City Surveyor.
New Orleans,
_November_ 22, 1881.
We next quote from the pen of Dr. J. S. Copes, the learned President of
the New Orleans Academy of Sciences. Dr. Copes manifested an intense
interest in the results of Captain Glazier's expedition, and endeavored
by every method within his power to show the high estimation in which he
held the intrepid explorer:
Captain Glazier:--I congratulate you upon the successful completion
of your search for the primal reservoir of the Mississippi River.
It would be well for the country to erect before the view of its
youths and young men two monuments, three thousand miles
asunder--the one at the source, the other at the mouth of the great
river of North America--upon which should be chiseled "Enterprise,
Courage, Faith, Fortitude, Patriotism, Philanthropy," leaving to
posterity the selection of an illustrative name to be engraven on
each one when events shall have pointed conclusively to the
benefactors most worthy of this honor.
With great respect,
Yours very truly,
J. S. Copes,
President New Orleans Academy of Sciences.
New Orleans,
_November_ 19, 1881.
We will conclude this pleasing souvenir of the voyage by quoting the
sentiment of Judge Albert Todd, who, it will be remembered, introduced
Captain Glazier to his audience at St. Louis upon the occasion of his
lecture on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi," and the presentation of
the "Itasca" to the Missouri Historical Society. Judge Todd is one of
the oldest and most reputed citizens of St. Louis, and showed an
especial appreciation of the Captain's endeavors to increase the
geographical lore of the Mississippi River:
To Captain Willard Glazier--Greeting:
With triple wreaths doth Fame thine head now crown;
The patriot-Soldier's, in fierce battles won;
The "Pen's," than the "Sword's," mankind's greater boon,
The bold Explorer's finding where was born
The rivers' King, till now, like Nile's, unknown.
* * * * *
May years of high emprise increase thy fame,
And with thy death arise a deathless name.
Albert Todd,
Vice-President Missouri Historical Society.
St. Louis, _January_ 14, 1882.
* * * * *
The career of Captain Glazier up to the present time affords much food
for thought and speculation. His life is pre-eminently a life of
success, and is a brilliant example of what can be accomplished by the
aid of an indomitable will and untiring energy. Although his early
advantages of education and position were of a most ordinary
description, nothing he has ever attempted failed, and none of his
successes have been mediocre. As a soldier he rose from a private to the
rank of captain, and was known as one of the bravest officers on the
field--one of the best disciplinarians in camp; as an author his works
are found in nearly every home in the land, and are read with interest
by people of all ages, classes, and conditions of life; as a lecturer,
the press has ever spoken of him in the kindliest and most favorable
terms; as an equestrian traveler he accomplished a feat never before
attempted, and probably knows more about the wide stretch of country
through which he passed than any other man living; as a navigator and
explorer he not only discovered what had baffled the most determined of
all previous explorers, the source of the Mississippi River, but also
"paddled his own canoe" down the entire course from its fountain-head to
the Gulf of Mexico. He has then unquestionably succeeded in all that he
has undertaken; and, as all men aim at success, the query naturally
arises, why is it that Willard Glazier occupies so high a position in
each of his many fields of labor? The answer in all probability lies in
the fact that while _many_ men have ambition, _few_ have the untiring
industry, the calm perseverance, the determined will, and unfaltering
faith in themselves to grasp and hold the objects of that ambition.
Captain Glazier has never known what failure means, and recalling the
events of his life as portrayed in this narrative, now drawing to a
close, we can understand why this is true. Unceasing labor seems to have
been his motto. As soon as he had pursued one path of industry or
research until it could lead him no further, he sought out and traversed
another with unexampled patience and unflagging zeal. What wonder in the
light of such energy that unqualified success has crowned his
well-directed efforts!
His career affords an example which all men would do well to reflect
upon and imitate. May the Youth of America, by the contemplation of a
life still comparatively young and yet so fraught with mighty deeds, be
especially inspired with the ambition to follow in his footsteps, and a
will to "carve with many a sharp incision," from the shapeless block
which lies before each, the rounded outlines of a strong and noble
character.
"SWORD AND PEN" COMMENDATIONS.
EXTRACTS FROM NOTICES OF THE PRESS.
_Syracuse Times._
"Sword and Pen; or, Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier," is
written in a very entertaining style. It gives interesting sketches of
Captain Glazier from boyhood down, and many amusing incidents are
related, in which is embraced a period covering the lively war times.
Near the end of the work is given a minute description of Captain
Glazier's discovery of the source of the Mississippi River, in 1881; in
which, of course, Lake Itasca loses its claim. The captain, after many
adventures, reached the true head of the Great River, which lies many
miles back and beyond Lake Itasca, and from thence he made a voyage down
the "Father of Waters" in a birch canoe, to the Gulf of Mexico. The book
is written by John Algernon Owens, contains 516 pages printed in
attractive style, adorned with numerous fine wood cuts, and is generally
attractive; in fact, people who have read "Battles for the Union" and
"Heroes of Three Wars" with so much interest will be equally interested
in the adventurous life of the soldier-author.
_Chicago Tribune._
"Sword and Pen" comprises incidents and reminiscences in the life of
Captain Willard Glazier, and in addition to his army experience gives
details of a novel and adventurous feat accomplished in 1876. In that
year he rode on horseback across the Continent from Boston to San
Francisco. Over 200 days were occupied in making the trip, and the
distance traveled was more than 4,000 miles. His object in undertaking
this journey was to study at comparative leisure the section of country
through which he would pass, and note the habits of the people he came
in contact with. During this trip he was captured by the Indians after a
severe fight, and one of the herders comprising the party was burned at
the stake. In 1881, Captain Glazier started on an expedition to discover
the source of the Mississippi River. In this he was successful, and
immediately thereafter commenced the descent of the river, passing its
entire length from the source to the Gulf of Mexico, in a small open
canoe. The new book entitled "Sword and Pen" gives a minute and graphic
description of the overland ride and the trip down the Mississippi, as
well as the early army experience of the well-known soldier and author.
_Hamilton_ (_Ont._) _Times._
"Sword and Pen" is a work replete with stirring pen-pictures of events
in the history of the United States during a critical period of its
history. Its description of the principal incidents in the late war, and
the suffering of the author and others in that detestable "Black Hole of
Calcutta"--the Libby Prison--are most graphic. Willard Glazier's life
was not confined to warfare, though he saw service in nearly all the
great battles between the North and South. A few years ago he rode on
horseback from ocean to ocean, and his observations on that
extraordinary trip are also included in this handsome and interesting
volume. He discovered the true source of the Mississippi in northern
Minnesota, and afterwards performed the journey of 3,000 miles to the
sea board in an open canoe, and a very interesting account of these
journeyings is given in the concluding chapters of the work which is
throughout beautifully illustrated.
_Troy Daily Times._
The Works of Captain Willard Glazier, the soldier-author, are so well
known and popular that a life of the writer cannot fail to be
interesting to a large portion of the public. A very complete and
excellent account of Glazier and his achievements has been prepared by
John Algernon Owens, and published by P. W. Ziegler & Co., Philadelphia.
The book bears the title of "Sword and Pen," and recounts the ventures
and adventures of the subject of it in war and literature, comprising
incidents and reminiscences of his childhood, his checkered life as a
student and teacher, and his remarkable career as a soldier and author;
embracing also the story of his unprecedented journey from ocean to
ocean on horseback, and an account of his discovery of the source of the
Mississippi river, and his canoe voyage from thence to the Gulf of
Mexico. The story is told in the simple, direct way that appeals at once
to one's favorable attention. It is an exciting, in some portions a
thrilling narrative, recounting some of the most dramatic and tragic
scenes of the war, in which Glazier, as a youthful cavalry officer, bore
a brave and manly part, being then but nineteen years old. The lad
abandoned his studies and his school teaching and went from Troy to
become a member of the Harris light cavalry, with which he served during
many a bloody fray. He was captured by the rebels and shared the hard
fate that fell to many a poor Union soldier in the prison pens of the
South, and the recital of this part of his experience will recall the
angry blood to the face of every old soldier who reads it, and arouse
the sentient sympathies of every patriot who peruses the volume. The
book contains an appreciative yet discriminating criticism of Glazier's
literary achievements, and is in every sense worthy of the hero with
whom it deals. It is profusely illustrated with battle and other scenes,
and is accompanied by a map giving an accurate presentation of the route
pursued by Captain Glazier in his trip to the source of the Mississippi.
Altogether this is a book well worth reading.
_Scranton Republican._
"Sword and Pen" by John Algernon Owens, a story of endurance, patient
toil, danger and daring, very entertaining, as well as instructive. In
Mr. Owens Captain Glazier has found a biographer who has done him
justice, and who has made a book that will be widely read.
_Oswego Times and Express._
We have before us a new book, entitled "Sword and Pen; or, Ventures and
Adventures in War and Literature." It is a biography of the
soldier-author, Willard Glazier, a type of the adventurous American of
which we may justly be proud. It takes up the boyish life of Willard
Glazier, takes him from the school-room as a pupil to the school-room as
a teacher, until the war of the Rebellion called him to the army. It
details his adventures as a member of the Ira Harris Cavalry until his
capture by the rebels, and the life he led in the prisons of the South;
and is detailed in a graphic manner. When the war was over the same
spirit of adventure which sent him to the front in the army drove him
into other adventures. The horseback ride from ocean to ocean is
described in an interesting style, followed by the search for the true
source of the Mississippi River and its successful termination, together
with an account of his canoe voyage to the Gulf of Mexico. The book is
full of action, and is interesting as giving a correct history of the
life of this remarkable man. It is profusely illustrated, and is
accompanied by a map of the section covered by the source of the
Mississippi.
_Boston Transcript._
The biography of Willard Glazier, under the title of "Sword and Pen,"
has achieved a large sale in the Eastern, Western and Middle States.
The subject of the biography, who is still living, was a bright,
wide-awake lad, whose childhood was not more eventful than that of
hundreds of other boys of like condition. He was ambitious, energetic,
and wholly free from any bad habit which would operate as a drawback
upon his advancement in life. His parents were not able to do more for
him in the way of an education than to send him to a common district
school, but he thirsted for an education, and his mind was continually
busy devising ways and means to secure it. The much-needed money to pay
his expenses at the Albany Normal School was at last gained by trapping
minks, whose skins were worth from two to four dollars. From the Normal
he went to teach school, and was engaged in this profession when the
civil war broke out. He was then nineteen years old. The first shot
fired at Sumter changed his whole life plans, and the summer of 1861
found him in the field as sergeant in the Second New York Cavalry. He
participated in a good many exciting contests, and was finally wounded
and captured at Brandy Station, in October, 1863. The story of his life
in prison is vividly told. He made his escape after fourteen months'
imprisonment, and made his way through the enemy's lines into Sherman's
army. After the war he wrote a volume made up of his war experiences,
entitled "Capture, Prison Pen, and Escape," over 400,000 copies of which
have been sold. In 1876, Captain Glazier started from the Revere House,
in this city, to cross the Continent on horseback, a feat which he
successfully performed, reaching San Francisco in two hundred days from
the time of starting--a distance of 4,133 miles. In 1881, he made a
canoe voyage down the Mississippi of 3,000 miles. Captain Glazier is the
author of several books, and has won considerable reputation as a
lecturer. The book before us will be read with deep interest, not only
for what it is worth historically, but as showing what can be
accomplished by pluck and brains without the backing of money.
_Buffalo News._
The readers of Captain Willard Glazier's works will be pleased with the
biography of this remarkable man, published by P. W. Ziegler & Co., of
Philadelphia. Captain Glazier's life is full of exciting interest, and
the well-written biography holds the reader's attention to the last. The
account of the discovery of the true source of the Mississippi is
especially interesting from the fact that it gives the best account of
that memorable event that has ever been published.
_Albany Sunday Press._
"Sword and Pen." This work is the biography of a man already well-known
by the American public as a soldier and an author. The subject is an
especially interesting one to the people of this section, as Captain
Glazier was born in St. Lawrence county of this State, and spent some
years of his life in this city. His works have been read with interest
by thousands, and now those who have enjoyed them will have the
opportunity to learn something of the author who has for so long
delighted them. This biography gives a very full and interesting account
of the principal events in Captain Glazier's life, among which we notice
especially his remarkable journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
on horseback, his discovery of the true source of the Mississippi River,
and his canoe voyage thence to the Gulf of Mexico. All these episodes
are profusely and elegantly illustrated.
_Newark Register._
"Sword and Pen" is the suggestive title of a very readable and
interesting biography of Captain Willard Glazier, the soldier-author, by
John Algernon Owens. "Biography," the author tells us in his preface,
"to be interesting, must be a transcript of an eventful as well as a
remarkable career; and to be instructive, its subject should be
exemplary in his aims and in his mode of attaining them." The subject of
this biography certainly fulfills these requirements, and a much bolder
and less graceful narrative of his adventures and exploits would,
without doubt, be interesting and instructive. Mr. Owens has, however,
heightened the interest, and pointed the moral of his subject's
remarkable career by his clear and correct style, and lively and
picturesque narrative. Captain Glazier was born in northern New York,
near the St. Lawrence, in 1841. His boyhood was passed in the country,
and filled with all a rustic lad's delights and exploits as well as
disadvantages and privations. Fighting hard for an education, he became
a teacher, continuing in this peaceful vocation until the outbreak of
the rebellion summoned him to his country's defence. Passing through a
succession of the most remarkable adventures and escapes in the war, and
rising from the ranks to a captain's post, Captain Glazier has, since
the war, become widely known as the soldier-author, and the triumphs of
his pen have been fully as great as, if not greater than, those of his
sword. The work is well printed and handsomely bound, and will prove
very popular.
_Boston Globe._
The adventures of Willard Glazier admirably narrated by John Algernon
Owens, under the title of "Sword and Pen," is a fascinating biography in
which the author has woven many pleasing incidents, sometimes quite out
of the line of his story, yet always to the point and always
entertaining. The war adventures of Glazier, who is called the
"Soldier-author," have already been largely read and appreciated,
particularly by old soldiers. Willard Glazier has enjoyed quite a
literary renown, the sale of his first book, "Capture, Prison-Pen, and
Escape," having been over 400,000 volumes. Mr. Owens has now given us
Captain Glazier's life in a neatly bound volume, from the press of P. W.
Ziegler & Co. of Philadelphia. The hero of this story had an eventful
career which made it interesting. Born of parents of small means, but of
the old Puritan stock, and excellent character, and bred and nurtured in
the midst of the wildest and grandest scenery in the rugged county of
St. Lawrence, with no opportunities for culture, except such as he made
for himself, he rose by his ambition, and was the builder of his own
fortune. There is a strong lesson pointed out by the graphic history of
his career. It teaches to the young uncompromising duty in every
relation of life--self-denial and pluck.
_Newark Daily Journal._
"Sword and Pen; or, the Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier."
Willard Glazier is an author who has risen into popularity almost
unprecedented in this country. It is said that his first book, "Capture,
Prison-Pen, and Escape," written from facts noted in his diary after a
wonderful career on the battle-field, and in prisons of the South,
reached the enormous sale of 400,000 volumes. "Sword and Pen" is the
story of Captain Glazier's life. Born in obscurity, and toiling for an
education with great perseverance and against obstacles that seemed
almost unsurmountable, he became a teacher of the first rank when only
eighteen years of age. Enlisting in the Second New York Cavalry, at the
very beginning of the war, he served gallantly under General Kilpatrick
in all the battles of Virginia up to October 19, when he was taken
prisoner at New Baltimore, after having two horses shot under him. He
participated in digging the tunnel out of Libby Prison, through which
one hundred and fifteen Union prisoners escaped. Glazier, however, was
left behind. From Richmond he was sent to Danville and other prisons,
frequently attempting to escape. He was sent to Charleston jail, where,
with other prisoners, he was placed under fire of the Union guns on
Morris Island. Next he was sent to Columbia, and then comes a thrilling
recital of escapes and recaptures; wading through swamps and across
rivers at night, and lying hidden in thickets or negro huts by day;
tracked by blood-hounds, frequently shot at; enduring the pangs of
starvation, thirst, cold and rain, the hero finally reached Sherman's
lines after encountering a hundred deadly perils. The brave boy was a
prisoner when the term of his enlistment expired, but he immediately
applied for and obtained a new commission, and after a brief visit to
his parents, he re-entered the army and served until the end of the war.
The story is thrillingly told, yet between the many tragic events
depicted, there occur frequent humorous episodes, especially those
delineating negro character. Young Glazier's brilliant career as the
writer of "Soldiers of the Saddle," "Capture, Prison-Pen, and Escape,"
"Battles for the Union," "Heroes of Three Wars," "Peculiarities of
American Cities," etc., is fully given, with copious extracts from each
work, together with highly favorable notices from the _Boston Post_,
_New York Tribune_, _Chicago Inter-Ocean_ and other leading newspapers.
The last part of the book is devoted to a voluminous and somewhat
roseate description of Captain Glazier's highly successful lecture tour
on horseback from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean; his discovery of
the source of the Mississippi River, and his canoe voyage from thence to
the Gulf of Mexico. Captain Glazier is unquestionably a hero, possessing
genius of a high order, and as he is now only forty-two years of age, it
would seem that there are still brilliant achievements before him.
Whatever may be said of the literary merits of his biography, the
history is of absorbing interest. It is such that takes hold of the
popular heart, and the hundreds of thousands of Grand Army men who read
it will seem to "fight their battles o'er again."
_New York Herald._
"Sword and Pen; or, Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier," by John
Algernon Owens, is a well-written book and altogether readable. It
describes the humble origin of one who afterwards became one of the most
dashing officers in the Federal cavalry service during the war for the
Union. It tells of the vicissitudes of a life restless but resolute, and
which bears the stamp of heroism and success. There are stories of
school-days full of the activity and frivolity of youth, of failure and
fortune, and a graphic sketch of the turning point in Glazier's career,
which came with the rebellion. From the day he entered the ranks of the
Harris Light Cavalry his course was steadily onward and upward, rising
from corporal to be the captain of brave men nerved to the utmost
endurance and inured to the dangers and hardships of war. The ensuing
pages ring with the enthusiasm of martial achievements, of peril by day
and night, of capture, of the dungeon, and the thrilling escape. The
book closes with a vivid account of his famous ride on horseback from
ocean to ocean, from Boston to San Francisco. This unparalleled ride was
accomplished by Captain Glazier in 1876, the Centennial year, and serves
as a fitting conclusion to a career marked by indomitable industry, true
courage and unquestioned success, showing that
"Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part, there all the honor lies."
The book is profusely illustrated and will be an interesting addition to
either a public or private library.
_Hartford Courant._
"Sword and Pen; or, Ventures and Adventures of Willard Glazier," the
soldier-author, by John Algernon Owens. Captain Glazier has had a very
lively career both during the war and since, in explorations on the
upper Mississippi. He is the author of a long list of war books himself,
which have been much commended by the press, for their thrilling
narrative style, patriotic enthusiasm, and dash. He is evidently of the
stuff of which American heroes are made. The book claims for him high
rank as an explorer and discoverer in being the first to definitely
locate the True Source of the Mississippi. It is a readable story of an
adventurous life, and being fully illustrated, commends itself to all
classes of readers.
_Cincinnati Commercial Gazette._
John Algernon Owens has compiled incidents and reminiscences in the life
of Willard Glazier, the soldier-author, and the work should occupy a
position on the shelf of every library. The writings of Captain Glazier
are too well known to need any words of commendation from us, his
"Capture, Prison-Pen, and Escape," issued soon after the close of the
war, having been among the most extensively read annals of the war. The
"Sword and Pen" gives a sketch of the early life and adventures of the
soldier-author, his school-boy days, and the incidents of that halcyon
period of youth, all of which reads like a romance. His academic life is
then detailed, after which the stern realities of life are encountered.
His military life follows, and his capture by the Confederate troops.
Then follows a recital of the dreary and monotonous routine of prison
life, together with a vivid account of the scenes enumerated, the
escape, and the final entry into the Federal lines. His life after
re-entering the cavalry is given, and finally his career as an author
and travels across the Continent. The work is written in an attractive
style with a recital of much that has never been told before, while the
old is so garnished that it cannot fail to interest all classes of
readers.
_Wilmington Morning News._
"Sword and Pen" is the life of Willard Glazier, who was born in St.
Lawrence county, New York, in 1841, of parents of narrow means, who was
a bright, mischievous boy, who educated himself by his own efforts, and
became a country school-teacher; who enlisted in the Harris Light
Cavalry (a New York regiment), at the beginning of the war; who was
promoted from the ranks on account of soldierly qualities and personal
bravery, to the office of first lieutenant; who was captured by the
rebels and imprisoned in Libby Prison and other rebel pens; who finally
escaped and made his way on foot under great privations to General
Sherman's lines during that commander's "march to the sea;" who had made
full notes of his varied army experience, and from these had written
several very popular books about military life at that time, and who,
hence, is designated, "The Soldier-Author," and appears to be enjoying
all the quiet rewards of a patient, industrious, and resolute effort to
improve himself and his fortunes in every legitimate and proper way. As
an account of a boy of the people it is clear and instructive; as a
picture of patriotic and courageous military service at a time of public
peril, it is graphic and often thrilling; as a picture of a determined
and honorable effort by a young man of generous instincts, to make his
own way in the world, it is wholesome and useful. Its style will
probably make its obvious lessons the more impressive to the mass of
readers; and its general circulation among the young men of this
country, nine-tenths of whom must make their own fortunes if they are to
have any, will be a public benefit. It teaches honesty, self-help and
patriotism; and we cannot have too many teachers at work upon these
things.
_New York Tribune._
The history of a famous man can never fail to interest the reading
public, especially when it records such adventures and dangers as those
through which the hero of the "Sword and Pen" passed. Willard Glazier's
connection with the great civil war is a fact rendering unusually
fascinating his biography, as perhaps no other fact could have done.
The battles in which he fought are those around which centre the deepest
interest, and the vivid descriptions of his life in Libby Prison, his
unsuccessful attempt at escape therefrom, and his later imprisonment at
Camp Oglethorpe, are replete with interest to both old and young. The
book is written in a bright, attractive style, and is well illustrated
with many cuts of true war life and its thrilling incidents. For the
old, and especially the young, it is a book calculated to work much
good, teaching lessons of patriotism, self-reliance, and perseverance.
His life was one of unusual events, and his indomitable ambition to
advance was not the least of his many excellent qualities. Like many
other well-known men, he began life in humble circumstances, and only to
his own efforts was due the great success he achieved. The author, John
Algernon Owens, brings out vividly the strong points of his hero's
character, and throws around the whole narrative a halo of bright fancy,
which renders the book as attractive as the most highly wrought romance.
_Baltimore American._
"Sword and Pen." Willard Glazier has made himself prominent both in war
and literature. He cast his lot with the Federal cause, and served for a
time as a private soldier in the Second Regiment, New York Cavalry. A
little later he won laurels at the battles of Cedar Mountain, Manassas,
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Brandy Station, and other historic spots,
and rose rapidly in rank, until at the sharp skirmish near Buckland
Mills he led his comrades as their captain, and was himself captured.
All these features in the career of the soldier-author are portrayed in
the most interesting style, and are followed by a graphic description of
life in Libby Prison. Mr. Owens winds together the thread of detail in
the ventures and adventures of his hero, so that the book reads more
like a romance than a veritable history. The book is divided into three
parts, which are so closely interwoven that the whole forms one
continuous story of a very adventurous life. The hero escapes from
Libby, but is recaptured and confined at Camp Oglethorpe, in Georgia. He
also escapes from this prison, and with the assistance of negroes,
finally reaches the Federal lines. In 1876, he crossed the Continent on
horseback, and was captured by hostile Indians. He escapes and
subsequently planned the way for an expedition to the source of the
Mississippi River.
_Philadelphia Ledger._
"Sword and Pen" by John Algernon Owens. Captain Glazier, the
soldier-author, is the writer of several popular works about the
war--"Soldiers of the Saddle," "Battles for the Union," etc. Though
still a young man he has had a most eventful life, serving throughout
the war, and passing through many adventures of which he has since made
good use in his life as an author. He has also accomplished the
remarkable feat of riding from Boston to San Francisco on horseback.
This memoir tells the story of his life in attractive narrative form,
and is full of interesting tales of the war.
_Philadelphia Evening Star._
Captain Willard Glazier, who is well known as the author of several
popular works about the late war, some of which have had an
extraordinary sale, has himself been made the subject of a book by Mr.
John Algernon Owens. Captain Glazier has had an eventful life; has been
a teacher, a soldier, an author, explorer and a horseback tourist; and
there is much in his career inculcating the value of self-reliance and
other sterling qualities. He has found an appreciative biographer in Mr.
Owens, whose work will more especially interest soldiers and those fond
of reading of adventure.
_Philadelphia Evening Bulletin._
"Sword and Pen" is a book describing the ventures and adventures of
Captain Willard Glazier, who was one of the many gallant heroes of the
civil war, and who wrote some clever books about it after he had laid
aside the sword for the pen. The author of the present work is John
Algernon Owens, and the account he gives of Glazier's youth and young
manhood, his experiences in battle, in prison, after peace came, in
domestic life and in literature, is full of interest, entertainment and
instruction. We heartily commend it to our readers.
_Philadelphia Inquirer._
Of course all Americans remember Captain Willard Glazier, the well-known
soldier-author, who has made himself prominent in war and in literature.
The present volume is a more than usually interesting one, and is most
carefully and effectively gotten up. It relates graphically the ventures
and adventures of Glazier from his youth to the present time; and many
of the adventures through which he passed are so thrilling as to seem
almost impossible, yet facts prove them true. Glazier's youth is
minutely detailed; we are treated to a series of adventures by the
youngster, which induce us to believe that his bump of reverence for his
teachers and elders was represented by a cavity. But passing through the
incidents that precede the age of manhood, he turned up in the Second
Regiment, New York Cavalry. From that time until the close of the war,
Glazier's career was a stirring one. From the early fight at Flipper's
Orchard, he successively took part in the battles of Cedar Mountain,
Manassas, Fredericksburg, Brandy Station, Gettysburg and other
engagements. At the cavalry engagement of New Baltimore he was taken
prisoner, and soon thereafter made the acquaintance of the inside of
Libby Prison. We get many glimpses of life in that well-known
Prison-Pen, and are treated to numerous pathetic and humorous incidents
that fell under Glazier's notice. All have read of what was endured by
such of the Union soldiers who passed that ordeal, and the reader can,
therefore, imagine what fell to the lot of this dashing cavalryman. The
great tunnel attempt at escape is graphically told. Glazier also got a
taste of prison fare at Camp Oglethorpe in Georgia. But he made his
escape, and fed and sheltered by negroes, at last, after a second
capture, reached the Federal lines. Soon after the war he wrote a book,
called "Capture, Prison-Pen and Escape;" later he wrote another volume,
called "Three Years in the Federal Cavalry." After this came "Battles
for the Union," speedily to be followed by "Heroes of Three Wars." After
this he rode across the Continent on horseback, and then took the
lecture field, and indeed he has proved himself a thorough American in
being able to do anything and everything equally well. Being possessed
of an energy and audacity that were perfectly marvelous, he rushed in,
as Shakespeare observes, "where angels feared to tread." It is a miracle
that he ever lived to relate them, for Libby Prison experience alone was
sufficient to destroy the constitution of the majority of the prisoners.
"Sword and Pen" will have a large sale.
APPENDIX
BY THE
PUBLISHERS OF
"DOWN THE GREAT RIVER."
ADDENDUM.
The following Appendix to "Down the Great River," by Captain Willard
Glazier, is here reproduced in verification of his claim to the
discovery of the TRUE SOURCE of the Mississippi.
P. W. Ziegler & Co., Publishers.
720 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, May 10, 1889.
* * * * *
The publishers of Captain Willard Glazier's Works, having recently had
their attention drawn to sundry articles in the public prints calling in
question his claim to have located the source of the Mississippi,
conclude to invite the consideration of the reader to a few of the many
press notices, letters of endorsement and other papers placed at their
disposal by friends of the explorer, bearing directly upon the subject
of the primal reservoir or true source of the Great River. In view of
the apparent incredulity of some critics, it is thought expedient to lay
this matter before the public in connection with Captain Glazier's
latest work, "Down the Great River," which gives a detailed account of
his discovery, in order that a sound and enlightened conclusion may be
arrived at upon the merits of the claim presented.
I. LETTERS FROM BARRETT CHANNING PAINE.
We commence with the press correspondence of Mr. Barrett Channing Paine,
who, at the period of the Glazier expedition, was a reporter on the
staff of the Saint Paul _Pioneer Press_, and subsequently Managing
Editor of the Saint Paul _Globe_. This gentleman accompanied Captain
Glazier to the source of the Mississippi, and thence down the river in a
canoe to the Gulf of Mexico. During the entire voyage Mr. Paine was in
constant correspondence with the _Pioneer Press_ and leading papers of
various cities on the banks of the Mississippi, to which he furnished
detailed accounts of the discovery and incidents of the journey. We
present only a few of these letters, selected from a large number, for
the perusal of the reader. The writer was certainly in a position to
know the truth of the matters upon which he so intelligently reports.
_Letter to the Brainerd (Minnesota) Tribune from Channing Paine:_
"Schoolcraft Island,
"_Lake Itasca, Minnesota,_
"July 22, 1881.
"_To the Editor of the Tribune:_
"Captain Glazier's party arrived at this much-talked-of lake last
evening, reaching the south-eastern arm by a three mile portage,
and then paddling down to the Island, where we encamped. We left
Leech Lake on the sixteenth, after cordial farewells with the
gentlemen then at the Agency, especially Mr. Nichols and Rev. Edwin
Benedict, to whose kindness we were greatly indebted. Launching our
little fleet of canoes, three in number, on the billowy surface of
the lake, we started for our first objective, Lake Itasca. After
leaving Leech Lake our way lay up a river called by the Indians
Gabakauazeba. The river broadens out a short distance from the
lake, but narrows again and becomes tortuous and full of snags.
Passing safely through all these, we reached, late in the
afternoon, a fine lake nearly ten miles long, upon the shore of
which we encamped. Next morning we paddled to the upper end of the
lake, and were there introduced to our first real portage. Two
miles and a half over a very rough country--the hardest work we
ever undertook--brought us to another but smaller lake, and then,
for five days, lakes and portages followed each other in rapid
succession, until at length the waters of Itasca burst upon our
view. The talk of our guides, coupled with what we had heard at
Leech Lake, had led Captain Glazier to the conclusion that,
whatever the source of the Mississippi might be, there was
reasonable ground for the belief that Lake Itasca was not. Chief
among the theories advanced by the Indian guides, one of whom,
Chenowagesic, had hunted and trapped for years at the headwaters of
this river, was that there existed a lake of good dimensions and
wooded shores _above_ Itasca, which poured its waters into the
so-called source, and which was itself really the source of the
Great River. They also stated (correctly, as we afterwards learned)
that the stream which flowed from the lake spoken of by Paul
Beaulieu as perhaps the source, contributed much less water to the
main stream at its confluence with it than did the stream from
Itasca. Resolved to explore the lake _above_ Itasca, the captain
started with two canoes, next morning, from Schoolcraft Island, and
pushed up to the head of the lake. Chenowagesic piloted us through
the rushes with which this end of Itasca is filled, and presently
we found ourselves in a small but rapid stream, up which we went,
and after following its windings, paddled again through some
rushes, and then shot out upon the smooth surface of a beautiful
lake. This lake is about two miles long by a mile and a half broad,
and its shape is that of a heart. The shores are beautifully
wooded, and its waters are deep and clear. On its one promontory
our party landed. After exploring its shores, and first slaking our
thirst at a spring of ice-cold water which bubbled up near by, we
were marshalled in line, and Captain Glazier made a few remarks
pertinent to the discovery of the _true source_ of the Father of
Waters. After this six volleys were fired in honor of the occasion,
and then the question of a name for the new lake arose. This being
left for the party to decide, I addressed my companions, and after
alluding to the time, money and energy expended by the leader of
the expedition, proposed that it be named LAKE GLAZIER in his
honor. This proposition was received with applause and carried by
acclamation, and it was further decided that the name and date
should be blazed on a pine tree which stood conspicuously on the
point. After this we re-embarked in our canoes and returned to the
Island."
* * * * *
In the following letter Channing Paine gives a further account of the
discovery of the head of the Great River:
"Douglas House,
"_Aitkin, Minnesota_,
"August 11, 1881.
"_To the Editor--Saint Louis Globe-Democrat:_
"Lake Itasca, for many years, has been regarded, both by
geographical societies and map-makers, as well as by the public
generally, as the source of the grandest of rivers--the mighty
Mississippi. But geographical knowledge, like all other knowledge,
is of little consequence if it is not progressive, and in its
history we have seen the firmly-rooted beliefs of centuries torn up
and tossed aside by the explorations and reasoning of intrepid
travellers, who, respecting truth and facts more than mere theory,
have accepted nothing without proof, merely because others have so
accepted it. This is the ground occupied by Captain Willard Glazier
in his explorations in search of the source of the Mississippi.
"Starting for the headwaters of this great river in July last, he
learned that the dense forests which surround the source of the
Father of Waters were rarely penetrated by white men, or even by
Indians, at any time except in winter, when lakes and rivers were
frozen up, and the whole surface of the country covered with a
mantle of snow.
"He also heard through the interpreter and Indian guides who
accompanied him that the aboriginal inhabitants of these primeval
forests did not regard Itasca as the source; but, while rejecting
it, differed among themselves as to what lake really was the
fountain-head. Some claimed that the stream from Itasca was not
itself the main stream, but flowed into the river proper some three
miles below the lake. The stream to which it was tributary, though
narrower, was, they claimed, deeper and swifter, bringing to the
united streams more water than the one from Lake Itasca.
"Others considered the Itascan stream as the main one, but spoke of
another lake, broad and beautiful, which lay above Itasca and
poured its clear waters into the accepted source through a small
stream which entered the southern arm of Lake Itasca. Captain
Glazier determined to thoroughly examine all this region, and to
settle definitely and forever the true source of the Mississippi.
"Acting in accordance with this resolution, he pushed on toward
Itasca, intending to make it a starting-point for further
exploration. Reaching this objective point after innumerable
hardships, he camped on Schoolcraft Island, and after a day of rest
directed operations toward the lakes and streams of the surrounding
country.
"Thoroughly surveying the stream that the Indians claimed to be the
main one, he found it much inferior in volume to that from Itasca.
This point settled, he closely examined the shores of Lake Itasca
for tributary streams, finding but three of any importance. Of
these three the one by far the largest came in at the extreme head
of the lake, at a point where it is nearly filled with bulrushes.
"Taking two canoes, Captain Glazier ascended this stream, which,
though shallow, is rapid, yet so narrow in places that to jump
across it would be an easy task. Following its windings, he entered
what appeared to be a lake filled with rushes. Pushing through
this barrier, however, the canoes soon glided out upon the still
surface of a beautiful lake, clear as crystal, with pebbly bottom,
and its shores covered with a thick growth of pine. This lake is
formed in the shape of a heart, having but one marked promontory.
Its greatest length is about two miles and its width a mile and a
half.
"Captain Glazier found that this fine lake was fed by three
rivulets, which rose in swamps a few miles from the lake, and
thoroughly convinced that this body of water was the true source of
the Mississippi, he proclaimed it as such. Without waiting for
discussion, the members of the party decided unanimously to call it
Lake Glazier in his honor. Modestly expressing his thanks for this
mark of their appreciation, Captain Glazier said that, though he
firmly believed this lake to be the source of the river, he should
relax none of his vigilance on the trip through the unknown part of
the stream, but would carefully examine all water flowing into the
Mississippi, in order to be positive as to the main stream."
* * * * *
On reaching Hastings, Captain Glazier and his fellow-voyagers were
hospitably entertained by some of the leading citizens and Mr. Paine
addressed the following letter to the Editor of the _Hastings Gazette_:
"Foster House,
"_Hastings, Minnesota_,
"September 5, 1881.
"_To the Editor of the Gazette:_
"For many years the source of the Mississippi was as much a mystery
as is at present that of the Nile. But when in 1832 Schoolcraft
made his official exploration of the headwaters of this great
water-course, and after a long and arduous journey up the stream
reached a lake which he named Itasca, and pronounced it the head of
the river, the matter was considered settled, and speculation was
no longer rife in regard to this point. Now, however, it has been
proved by Captain Willard Glazier beyond doubt that the lake which
has so long enjoyed the honor of being the source of our greatest
river had an honor it did not merit.
"Going thither with the object of visiting the head of the river,
Captain Glazier was led to suspect by the talk of his guides, one
of whom, Chenowagesic, had hunted and trapped for years in the
region around the source, that Lake Itasca had really no greater
claim to be considered the head of the river than Cass Lake, or
Bemidji or Winnibegoshish, all larger and finer lakes than Itasca.
Above and beyond Itasca lay another lake. This, with its feeding
springs, was the source of the mighty river, and this lake, if it
existed, Captain Glazier resolved to visit and explore. After a
long and severe journey he reached it, being the first white
traveller to float upon its surface; and after thoroughly examining
its feeders and the narrow stream through which it flowed into
Itasca, he felt that he had found the _true source_ of the
Mississippi. Nevertheless, he continued his explorations along the
river below Itasca after passing through that lake, and satisfied
himself thoroughly that the new lake was at the head of the main
stream. In speaking of the source of the Mississippi, therefore, we
should henceforth call it LAKE GLAZIER instead of Lake Itasca."
The following description of Lake Glazier from the pen of Channing Paine
appeared in the _Dubuque Herald_ of September sixth, 1881:
LAKE GLAZIER.
"The new-found source of the Mississippi is a sparkling little gem
of a lake, situated above and beyond Lake Itasca. It nestles among
the pines of an unfrequented and wild region of Northern Minnesota,
many miles from the nearest white settlement, and just on the
dividing ridge which forms the great watershed of North America.
Within a few miles of it can be found lakes and streams, whose
waters are tributary to the Red River of the North and the
Yellowstone, thus reaching the sea thousands of miles from the
mouth of the mighty Mississippi, which flows in a limpid brook from
LAKE GLAZIER. This lake, discovered to be the source of one of the
greatest rivers of the world, by Captain Willard Glazier, on the
Twenty-second of July, 1881, is about two miles in greatest
diameter, and would be nearly round in shape but for a single
promontory, whose rocky shores give it in outline the form of a
heart. The waters of the lake are exceedingly clear and pure,
coming from springs, some being at the bottom, but the three most
prominent rise a few miles back, in low, wet land enclosed by
sand-hills, and flow into the lake in little rills. On the very
point of the promontory is a spring whose waters are as cold as
ice, and at which the Glazier party slaked their thirst while
exploring the shores of the new lake. So lonely is the region
around the lake that for fourteen days not even a red-skin was
seen, and wearied by the hardships of this rough country, yet with
a feeling of having added something to geographical knowledge, the
Captain and his party were glad to return to civilization."
* * * * *
The Saint Louis _Post-Dispatch_ published the following, with several
other communications, from Mr. Paine:
"1310 Olive Street,
"_Saint Louis, Missouri,_
"October 10, 1881.
"_To the Editor--Post-Dispatch:_
"Lake Itasca has been considered to be the source of the
Mississippi for so many years that any man who disputes its title
to that honor is looked upon as a radical and one bent upon
upsetting all our preconceived geographical ideas. Still it is a
fact that Lake Itasca is _not_ the source, and has no greater claim
to being called so than has Cass Lake or Lake Bemidji or Lake
Pepin. This fact was discovered beyond all doubt by Captain Willard
Glazier, who equipped an expedition last July and started for the
headwaters of the Mississippi. Reaching Lake Itasca after a journey
of great hardship, he camped on Schoolcraft Island, and, using this
as a base of operations, he thoroughly explored the lakes and
rivers which contribute their waters to the infant Mississippi. The
various theories and stories heard from his Indian guides were
considered as clues and faithfully followed up until their truth or
falsity was ascertained. Success at length crowned his efforts, for
a beautiful lake was found above Itasca, and in the direct line of
the course of the river below Itasca, which lake proved to be the
farthest water--the extreme head of the Mississippi. The lake,
which the members of the expedition voted to call LAKE GLAZIER, in
honor of their leader, is about two miles in diameter, with clear
and beautiful water, fed by springs, and altogether one of the
prettiest lakes of its size in Minnesota. The stream which flows
from it into Itasca is quite rapid, though so narrow that in some
places one can easily jump across it."
The following account of an interview with Mr. Paine is extracted from
the New Orleans _Democrat_ of November twentieth, 1881:
"There arrived at the Jetties on the fifteenth a tiny cedar canoe,
bearing aloft at the bows a pennant with the inscription _Alice_,
and at the stern a United States flag. Its officers and crew
consisted of Captain Willard Glazier, a distinguished writer, and a
reportorial companion, Mr. Barrett Channing Paine, of the Saint
Paul _Pioneer Press_, who had come all the way down the
Mississippi, from its source, in this frail bark. Great, indeed,
was the joy of the voyagers as they glided down to the mouth of the
river, and saw the salt spray of the Gulf dash high over the
seaward wall of the Jetties. After clambering up by the beacon, and
standing gazing at the broad expanse of water, toward which they
had been paddling for the last four months, until they were
drenched by an unusually heavy wave, the two men again descended
slowly, scarcely conscious that their long voyage was finished.
Hailing a passing boat, they boarded her, and the light canoe was
made fast behind and towed back to Port Eads, where the travellers
were most hospitably entertained until the arrival of an inward
bound steamship to bring them to New Orleans.
"As this is by far the longest canoe voyage ever made, and extended
the whole length of the Great River, some account of the
expedition, its aims and incidents, cannot fail to be of interest.
"A representative of the _Democrat_ had the pleasure of meeting
Barrett Channing Paine, who accompanied Captain Glazier, and from
him learned the following particulars of the voyage:
"Captain Willard Glazier is a serious, soldierly-looking man, and a
military author of repute. Among his best known works are 'Soldiers
of the Saddle,' 'Capture, Prison-Pen and Escape,' 'Battles for the
Union,' 'Heroes of Three Wars,' and 'Peculiarities of American
Cities.' The Captain does not look like a man of thoughtless,
adventurous disposition, and it seems strange at first that he
should have made the voyage in the manner he did; but it looks
sensible enough when his reasons are taken into consideration. The
Captain made the trip avowedly for the purpose of study and
observation, as he did his horseback ride across the continent,
from Boston to San Francisco, in 1876. He wished to thoroughly
understand the people of the great valley, their social conditions,
industries and modes of life. He also expected to obtain much
enjoyment from the changing scenery and climate. Had he travelled
by steamboat or railway, he would have been whisked through the
country in a week or so, and would have had absolutely no
opportunity for obtaining an inside view of the condition of
affairs. In addition to seeing the country, the Captain designed
delivering a lecture prepared specially for the purpose on the
'Pioneers of the Mississippi,' in all the important towns on his
route. The lecture treated chiefly of the early explorers--De Soto,
Marquette, La Salle, and Hennepin.
"Actuated by these motives, he procured a fine cedar canoe of the
Rushton model, which he shipped to Aitkin, the most northerly point
on the river reached by rail. He then went forward, himself, to
Saint Paul, accompanied by his brother, where he was joined by his
present companion, and there made final preparations for the long
voyage.
"At Brainerd the party left the line of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, and proceeded by wagon over a road, which was hardly more
than a trail, to Leech Lake, where the Government has an Indian
Agency. The country traversed was exceedingly wild, being almost
without inhabitants, and covered with a growth of jack-pines. It
being the blueberry season, quite a number of Indians were seen
picking that fruit, which grows there in abundance. As a rule the
braves lay in the shade, smoking or sleeping, while the squaws and
children did the picking. At night they found a stopping-place at
Pine River, and the following afternoon arrived at the Agency,
where there are two trading-posts and a number of white men.
"Here three birch-bark canoes were purchased, and the services of
an equal number of Indian guides procured, one of whom also acted
in the capacity of interpreter. All of these were required to reach
the source of the river, which was a matter of great difficulty and
some danger. Lake Itasca, which was then supposed by most people to
be the source of the Mississippi, lay five days' journey away,
through an almost impassable wilderness. Indeed, it was well-nigh
impossible to find even an Indian who had visited it. But at last
one was found in the person of Chenowagesic, a Chippewa brave, who
consented to pilot the party to that lake.
"On July seventeenth everything was in readiness, the three birch
canoes were launched on Leech Lake, and the voyage had fairly
commenced. After crossing Leech Lake the voyagers pushed up the
Gabecanazeba River, which was filled with rushes and wild rice.
Laboriously paddling through these, they reached another lake, and
encamped for the night. Next morning this lake was crossed, and the
first real hardship of the expedition confronted them in the shape
of a portage. The provisions and luggage were taken out of the
canoes and transported on the backs of the Indians across the
country, a distance of three miles, through underbrush so thick
that they could not see ten feet in advance. Five days were spent
in this manner--first paddling across a little lake, and then
making a long portage, until at last Lake Itasca was reached, and
the party encamped on Schoolcraft Island. By this time the Captain
felt convinced from the talk of the guides, particularly of
Chenowagesic, the chief guide, whose words were translated to him,
that Itasca was not the source of the Great River.
"Determined to ascertain the truth, he proceeded at once to make a
thorough exploration of the headwaters of the river, guided in a
great measure by Chenowagesic, who had hunted and trapped for years
in this region. Various streams joining the infant Mississippi were
examined, and found to contain less water than that stream, thus
establishing the fact that Itasca is on the main stream. Then a
thorough exploration of the shores of the lake itself was made.
Several creeks were found to enter it, the chief of which came in
at the southern end of the south-western arm of the lake. Itasca,
at this point, is filled with bulrushes, through which, with great
difficulty, the explorers forced their way, but were rewarded by
finding themselves in a clear, swift-running stream, having an
average depth of about ten or twelve inches, and a width of about
five feet. Up this tortuous stream the canoes were pushed and
dragged, and finally the voyagers shot out upon the surface of a
beautiful heart-shaped lake, which proved, upon careful
exploration, to be the true source of the Father of Waters. After
examining the shores, the party landed on a rocky point, and
Captain Glazier made a short speech, expressing his confident
belief that they had found the true source of the Great River, and
added something to the geographical knowledge of the country. He
was followed by Mr. Paine, who, after a few introductory remarks,
moved that the new lake be called LAKE GLAZIER, in honor of the man
by whom it had been discovered. This motion was adopted by the
Captain's companions, and after drinking from a spring of ice-cold
water which bubbled up at their feet, the party re-embarked. LAKE
GLAZIER is about two miles in greatest diameter, with clear, deep
waters and wooded shores, being altogether a prettier lake than
Itasca and both wider and deeper, to whose honors, as source of the
mighty Mississippi, it succeeds.
"_Reporter._--Then which way did you proceed?"
"_Mr. Paine._--From LAKE GLAZIER the descent of the river began.
Below Itasca it runs in a northerly direction for a hundred miles
or more, and then swings round to the eastward, finally bending
toward the south, which general direction it afterwards maintains.
For the first few miles it runs between rich meadows, and the
canoeists expected from this that the voyage would be easy and
agreeable. Such was not our fortune, however, for we soon found the
river to be obstructed by snags, drift-wood and boulders of all
sizes. Huge trees had in many places fallen completely across the
river. These obstacles were surmounted in different ways. Sometimes
the canoes could be pressed down and made to go under the logs;
again, they would have to be carried around; sometimes the drift
would be removed, and sometimes the canoes would be lifted over. At
last they had to be carried across a portage for half a mile, then
launched again, until at length the obstructions were passed.
Meanwhile, and all through the journey, the mosquitoes hovered
around us in clouds, making life a burden, and causing all the
members of the expedition to forget their early Christian training.
"Leaving the obstructions behind, we sped smoothly between the
waving meadows once more lining the river. But a new hardship now
threatened us--our rations gave out entirely, and most of the
ammunition having become wet, starvation stared us in the face. To
buy anything in that wild country was, of course, impossible. This
danger was barely averted by the marksmanship of our leader, and
the dexterity of the Indian guides, who would occasionally kill a
duck with their paddles. We got down at last to 'hard pan,' and had
gone without any breakfast or supper the day we reached Lake
Bemidji. Here we were lucky enough to meet an Indian, who had a
little flour and pork, and having replenished our larder, we
crossed the lake and continued our course down the river.
"A new danger now beset us in the shape of rapids which would occur
every few miles, rendering canoe navigation extremely hazardous.
Several times holes were stove in the thin birchen canoes, and a
number of times we were precipitated into the water, but no one was
dangerously hurt, and the guides were very deft in repairing the
canoes.
"A half-day's journey from Lake Bemidji is Cass Lake, a fine sheet
of water, twenty miles in length by ten wide. The next day,
Winnibegoshish, the largest lake of the Mississippi, was reached.
It is twenty miles in diameter, and greeted us with a heavy sea,
which nearly swamped us as we paddled across the corner to a few
scattered wigwams which form the little Indian village on its
banks. Two days we were wind-bound, getting away on the morning of
the third. That night our camp was invaded by a number of hostile
Indians, but, owing to our vigilance, bloodshed was avoided.
"In three days more Pokegama Falls were reached, and we saw the
first white man since leaving Leech Lake. Making a portage around
the falls, we shot Grand Rapids a few miles below, and slept that
night beneath the shelter of a roof. Nothing worthy of mention
occurred between this point and Aitkin, which we reached in four
days, and at last found ourselves within the bounds of
civilization, and bade farewell to our Indian guides. Captain
Glazier tried to induce these dusky sons of the forest to accompany
him to the Gulf, but the stories they had heard of the alligators
and snakes of the Sunny South terrified them, and they refused. A
short rest was taken at Aitkin, and then we re-embarked in the
pretty modern canoes which awaited us there. The descent of the
river in these canoes was easy and pleasant. At all the principal
towns the Captain delivered his lecture, 'Pioneers of the
Mississippi,' which was listened to with great interest.
"Between Aitkin and Saint Paul numerous and dangerous rapids were
met, all of which were shot in safety; and the Falls of Saint
Anthony reached without accident. Below Saint Anthony Falls the
scenery is very beautiful, high bluffs arising with more or less
abruptness from the water's edge.
"Among other points of especial interest along the Upper
Mississippi, Lake Pepin occupies the most prominent position after
Saint Anthony Falls. Environed by majestic bluffs and with a length
of thirty miles it forms a very beautiful sheet of water. But
though beautiful it is treacherous, and the winds sweeping down
between the high bluffs frequently make navigation on its waters
perilous. In the morning when we reached its upper end we found to
our dismay that the elements had possession, and the waves ran so
high that a number of river steamers had been compelled to tie up
and wait for the storm to subside. Captain Glazier, however, having
a lecture appointment at Lake City, half way down the lake,
determined to keep his appointment despite the weather, and
ventured forth regardless of the warning of the river men. It took
us all day to paddle a distance of sixteen miles, and many times it
seemed that our frail boats would be engulfed by the waves which
dashed over them; but the danger was passed in safety.
"From this point things went smoothly until the canoe fleet was
just below Winona, when a sudden and violent squall struck the
boats and came near sending us to the bottom. Fortunately, this too
was weathered, and then the only drawbacks encountered were the
continuous and strong headwinds and the seas consequent upon them,
which tried our nerves so frequently that they came at length to be
naturally expected. While on the Keokuk Rapids the wind blew so
strongly that it actually carried the boats up stream, and it was
only by the hardest paddling that any downward progress could be
made.
"At La Crosse the expedition was reduced in number to the Captain
and myself, who proceeded to the Gulf in the _Alice_. Some days
were spent in all the principal towns. On October eighth Saint
Louis was reached, and we were welcomed by the various boat-clubs
of the city and congratulated on having completed the first great
section of the navigable river. On October tenth we re-embarked and
pushed on towards the mouth of the river. Everywhere we were
received with the greatest cordiality. Cairo, Memphis, Vicksburg,
Natchez and Baton Rouge were the chief halting places, but
frequently night overtook us near some plantation house, and then
we were the guests of the planters, and were entertained with true
Southern hospitality.
"Special occasion was taken by Captain Glazier to investigate the
cotton and sugar crops, the relations of the white and colored
races, and the future possibilities of the South; and with very
gratifying results. At last New Orleans was reached.
"As it was so near his journey's end, and as it was his intention
to return as soon as he had passed through the Jetties, the Captain
determined to pass the city on his downward trip without halting.
This was accordingly done, and three days' paddling brought us to
Captain Eads' great work. Remaining there a day we returned to the
city.
"Thus far Mr. Paine; and thus ended the longest canoe voyage ever
made, and one which perhaps entailed more hardships on those who
made it than any other on record. Starting from the cold springs at
its source Captain Glazier followed the windings of the greatest
river on our continent from the pine forests and the wheat lands of
the extreme Northern States, through all the varying phases of
climate and industries, to the cotton and sugar-cane section of the
South; past the orange and banana groves, and on to the broad Gulf.
Such a journey is full of interesting and strange experiences,
pleasures and hardships intermingled, and has, Captain Glazier
thinks, fully repaid the cost in time, money and labor of the
undertaking.
"The canoe in which this long voyage was made has been presented by
the Captain to the New Orleans Academy of Sciences.
"It may be well to mention that no one else has ever traversed
either in canoe, steamboat or otherwise more than two-thirds of the
course of the Mississippi; and when it is taken into consideration
that the distance is considerably over three thousand miles, and
that the upper portion is filled with rapids, logs and other
obstructions, it is not to be wondered at."
II. RECEPTION AT NEW ORLEANS AND SAINT LOUIS.
On his return to New Orleans from the Gulf, with the purpose of viewing
the great maritime city of the South, Captain Glazier was met by Dr. J.
S. Copes, President of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences. This
gentleman introduced him to Mayor Shakespear, and arrangements were at
once made for a public reception by the Academy. The following
interesting account of the ceremony is taken from the New Orleans
_Picayune_ of November twenty-first, 1881, and shows the estimate placed
on the Captain's exploratory labors by many of the most prominent
residents of the Crescent City:
"The termination of the exploring expedition and canoe trip of
Captain Willard Glazier, extending from his new-found source of the
Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, culminated, after a voyage of
one hundred and seventeen days, in a very general and complimentary
recognition and ovation on the part of the officials and citizens
of New Orleans. In company with Dr. J. S. Copes, President of the
Academy of Sciences, Captain Glazier was presented to His Honor,
Mayor Shakespear was warmly welcomed, and the freedom of the city
tendered him.
"In appreciation of the generous hospitality extended to him, the
Captain expressed a wish to present his beautiful canoe, which had
safely carried him through his long voyage, to the Academy of
Sciences, and the following letter accompanied the presentation:
"'Saint Charles Hotel,
"'_New Orleans, Louisiana_,
"'November 21, 1881.
"'_Joseph S. Copes, M. D._,
"'_President--New Orleans Academy of Sciences:_
"'Dear Sir:--I have just concluded upon the border of the State of
Louisiana a voyage of observation, exploration, and discovery; and,
as you have expressed considerable interest in the results, and
manifested a desire to possess the canoe in which the voyage was
made, I find pleasure in presenting it to your honorable society as
a souvenir of my expedition.
"'During this canoe journey of over three thousand miles, beginning
at the headwaters of the Mississippi and extending to the Gulf of
Mexico, I had the satisfaction of locating the source of the Great
River which we have traversed, and feel a pride in having corrected
a geographical error of half a century's standing.
"'I will not now enter into a detailed account of my explorations
on the upper Mississippi, but shall take the earliest opportunity
of transmitting to your Secretary a complete narrative of the
voyage, which will be issued in book form as soon as the matter
can be prepared for publication.
"'Very respectfully yours,
"'Willard Glazier.'
"A special meeting of the Academy of Sciences was held--Dr. J. S.
Copes, President, in the chair--for the purpose of receiving from
Captain Glazier the handsome cedar canoe _Alice_, with which he had
navigated the Mississippi from Aitkin to the Gulf.
"By invitation, Captain Glazier gave an account of his explorations
on the Upper Mississippi, and especially of that section of country
beyond Lake Itasca, a body of water which has hitherto been
considered the fountain-head of the Great River.
"Dr. Copes, in the name of the Academy, thanked Captain Glazier for
his valuable gift, which would be highly prized, and then
congratulated him upon his contribution to American geographical
knowledge. In the course of his remarks, the learned doctor said
that De Soto penetrated the continent of North America in pursuit
of gold, and accidentally discovered the Mississippi. Marquette,
the zealous missionary, traversed the river from the mouth of the
Wisconsin to the mouth of the Arkansas. La Salle pursued his
explorations from the mouth of the Illinois to the Gulf, his sole
aim seeming to be the conquest of North America in the name of the
King of France. Hennepin explored but a small section of the
stream, extending from the mouth of the Wisconsin to Saint Anthony
Falls; while Willard Glazier had made the discovery of its primal
reservoir, and traversed its entire length from source to sea.
"The members of the Academy listened with great interest to Captain
Glazier's account of his explorations and discovery, and also to
the historical address of the President.
"Dr. J. R. Walker then offered the following resolutions:
"'_Resolved_, That the thanks of this Academy are due, and are
hereby tendered, to Captain Willard Glazier for the donation of his
beautiful canoe, _Alice_, and for the brief narrative of his
explorations at the source of the Mississippi River, and of his
voyage thence to the Gulf of Mexico.
"'_Resolved_, That this Academy not only gratefully accepts this
handsome gift, but promises to preserve and cherish it as a
souvenir of Captain Glazier's high qualities as an explorer and
contributor to the increase of American geographical knowledge.'
"Mr. H. Dudley Coleman then moved that a copy of the resolutions be
appropriately written and framed, and presented to Captain Glazier;
and that a committee of three be appointed to prepare the same.
"The resolutions were unanimously adopted, when Dr. Copes appointed
as the committee Messrs. Coleman, Walker, and Blanchard.
"At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Coleman escorted Captain
Glazier to the Washington Artillery Arsenal, and introduced him to
Colonel J. B. Richardson, commanding the battalion, who extended to
Captain Glazier the hospitalities of the battalion during his stay
in the city."
* * * * *
BEFORE THE MISSOURI HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Captain Glazier returned to Saint Louis from New Orleans, having engaged
to deliver a lecture in that city on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi."
On his voyage down the river and visit to the city, he was unable to
remain long enough to fulfil the engagement, as winter was rapidly
approaching, and it was expedient to reach the Gulf as soon as possible.
Moreover, he wished to present one of his canoes--the _Itasca_--to the
Missouri Historical Society, in return for the hospitality he had
received during his previous brief visit; and it was arranged that the
presentation should take place on the night of the lecture. Accordingly,
on the evening of January fourteenth, 1882, an audience consisting of
members of the Historical Society, the Academy of Sciences, clergy,
officers and teachers of the public schools, and the several boat clubs
of the city, assembled at Mercantile Library Hall, to listen to his
lecture on the pioneer explorers of the Great River, and to witness the
presentation of the _Itasca_.
At eight o'clock, Captain Glazier, accompanied by Judge Albert Todd,
Vice-President of the Historical Society, appeared on the platform, and
the Judge introduced the lecturer in the following terms, as reported in
the local press:
"Mark Twain wrote that in his Oriental travels he visited the grave
of our common ancestor, Adam, and, as a filial mourner, he
copiously wept over it. To me the grave of our common ancestress,
Eve, would be more worthy of my filial affection, but, instead of
weeping over it, I should proudly rejoice by reason of her
irrepressible desire for knowledge. She boldly gratified this
desire, and thereby lifted Adam up from the indolent, browsing life
that he seemed disposed and content to pass in the 'Garden,' and
gave birth to that spirit of inquiry and investigation which is
developing and elevating their posterity to 'man's pride of
place'--'a little lower than the angels'--by keeping them ever
discontented with the _status quo_, and constantly pressing on to
the 'mark of their high calling' beneath the blazing legend
'Excelsior.' It is this ceaseless unrest of the spirit, one of the
greatest evidences of the soul's immortality, that is continually
contracting the boundaries of the unknown in geography and
astronomy, in physics and metaphysics, in all their varied
departments. Of those pre-eminently illustrating it in geography
were Jason and his Argonauts; Columbus, De Gama, and Magellan; De
Soto, Marquette, and La Salle; Cabot and Cook; Speke, Baker,
Livingstone, and Franklin; and our own Ledyard, Lewis, Clarke,
Kane, Hall, and Stanley. And this evening will appear before you
another of these irrepressible discontents who would know what is
still hidden, at any risk or privation.
"Impelled by this spirit of enterprise, in search of truth, Captain
Willard Glazier has discovered, at last, the true source of our
grand and peerless river, the 'Father of Waters,' down which he has
floated and paddled in frail canoes, a distance of more than three
thousand miles, to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. One of these
canoes is now placed here in your view, and will be presented
to-night by its navigator to our Historical Society. Nearly two
hundred years ago La Salle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi,
yet only now in this year of grace, 1881, was ascertained its true
fountain source.
"This, the latest achievement of Captain Glazier, is only in the
natural course of his antecedents. Born as late as 1841, he has
already gone through the experiences of the Adamic labors of a
tiller of the soil, the hard toils of the student and of the
successful teacher; of the dashing and brilliant cavalry officer in
the Union army through the whole period of our late war, from its
disastrous beginning to its successful ending; of the sufferings of
capture and imprisonment in the notorious 'Libby,' and other
prisons, and of a daring and perilous escape from their cruel
walls; of an adventurous tourist on horseback through the most
civilized and savage portions of our continent, beginning with the
feet of his horse in the waters of the Atlantic, and ending with
their splash in the waters of the Pacific. He delivered lectures
along his route wherever a civilized audience could be collected,
and suffered capture by the Indians, with all its sensational
romance and hideous prospects.
"From the material of these antecedents he has written and
published several books of singular interest and national value.
"From this brief sketch we would naturally expect to see a stalwart
man, massive and powerful in form and muscle. Our conceptions of
men of big deeds is that they are also big. But David was a
stripling when he slew Goliath of Gath. Napoleon was characterized
by the society ladies of the period of his early career as 'Puss in
Boots,' Our own Fremont and Eads would seem at sight capable of
only the ordinarily exposed duties of life. Of like physique is the
subject of this introduction.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasant privilege to introduce
to your acquaintance Captain Willard Glazier as the lecturer for
the evening."
Captain Glazier then delivered his interesting historical lecture on the
"Pioneers of the Mississippi." The adventures and discoveries of De
Soto, Marquette, La Salle, Hennepin, Joliet, and others, including the
more recent explorers, Pike, Beltrami, Schoolcraft, and Nicollet, were
intelligently discussed, and the attention of all present absorbed by
the interest of the subject. He spoke of the ambition of De Soto to
found an empire like that of Cortez in Mexico; of his arrival on the
banks of the Great River, and finally of his death and burial in its
depths. Concerning Father Marquette, the lecturer dwelt upon the zeal
with which he preached the Gospel to the benighted Indians, and his
premature death and burial in the wilderness. La Salle was then
presented as an intrepid pioneer, pushing down the mighty river to plant
his banner on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and taking possession of
the country through which he had passed in the name of the King of
France. The exploits of Hennepin, Joliet, and others were then
recounted, and the lecturer gave evidence of great familiarity with the
lives of these heroic pioneer explorers of the Mississippi. The
following letter was then read:
"1310 Olive Street,
"_Saint Louis, Missouri_,
"January 14, 1882.
"_Edwin Harrison, Esq.,_
"_President Missouri Historical Society_:
"Dear Sir:--In my recent canoe voyage down the Mississippi it was
my good fortune to receive many courtesies at the hands of the
press, boat clubs, and citizens of Saint Louis. This, coupled with
the fact that you have expressed considerable interest in the
result of my explorations, inclines me to present to you the
_Itasca_, one of the canoes used in the expedition, for the museum
of your Society, as a memento of my voyage and discovery.
"During this tour of observation, extending from the headwaters of
the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, I had the satisfaction
of locating the true source of the mighty stream down which we
paddled our canoes to the sea.
"I am not now able to give you a detailed account of my voyage, but
shall avail myself of the earliest opportunity to transmit to your
Secretary a complete history of it, which will be issued in book
form as soon as the material can be put in proper shape for
publication.
"Very truly yours,
Willard Glazier."
Captain Silas Bent, late of the U. S. N., accepted the canoe for the
society, in the following words:
"Captain Glazier:
"It becomes my pleasant duty to accept, for the Missouri Historical
Society, this beautiful canoe, which has itself become historic by
reason of the service it has rendered you. It shall be deposited
with other treasured relics in our museum.
"I have also to express to you the high appreciation in which the
Society holds the valuable contribution to geographical knowledge
resulting from your explorations among the headwaters of the
Mississippi River, and your discovery of the remotest lake that
contributes to the perennial birth of this hydra-headed 'Father of
Waters,' whose genesis near the Arctic regions gives it a length of
more than three thousand miles to the tropical gulf, to which it
bears upon its ample bosom in safety the freightage of an empire.
"I desire, too, to thank you for the interesting lecture just given
us upon the achievements of the heroic old explorers, who have, in
centuries past, preceded you in investigations of the
characteristics of this river. But whilst past investigations have
made us familiar with the general character of the stream, and the
peculiarities of its many mouths, yet we know very little of its
source; and should be gratified, I am sure, if you could give us,
this evening, a brief account of the circumstances attending your
explorations in that direction, and of the difficulties you had to
encounter in the accomplishment of your object."
In compliance with Captain Bent's request that he would give some
account of the events connected with the expedition to the source of the
Mississippi, Captain Glazier then briefly narrated the leading incidents
of his voyage and explorations. At the conclusion, several gentlemen
came forward to congratulate him upon the practical results of his
undertaking and expressed their appreciation of the work he had
accomplished. The _Itasca_, which occupied a prominent position on the
platform, was duly inspected, and afterwards removed to the rooms of the
Historical Society.
III. LETTERS PERTINENT TO THE SUBJECT.
A letter from Captain Glazier which appeared in the Saint Paul _Pioneer
Press_ in December, 1886, and was copied into several Eastern papers, is
here introduced as an epitomized narrative of the discovery. The journey
to the headwaters of the Mississippi, the launch of the canoes on Lake
Itasca, the search for its feeders and the finding of one larger than
the others which the Indian guides said flowed from another lake to the
south of it; the passage of the canoes up this feeder and the entrance
of the explorers upon a beautiful lake which they ascertained by
sounding and measurement to be wider and deeper than Itasca, and _the
veritable source of the Great River_; all this is succinctly told in the
following letter of the leader of the expedition, and we respectfully
commend its perusal to the reader:
"_To the Editor--Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, Minnesota_:
"I solicit the favor of replying through your columns to articles
in one or two New York dailies calling in question my claim to have
definitely located, in 1881, the true source of the Mississippi
River.
"When my attention was first drawn to the articles of those who
seem so much exercised by my expedition to the headwaters of the
Mississippi, I had no intention of replying, but have finally
yielded to the reasoning of friends who feel that longer silence
might possibly be construed to my disadvantage.
"I am well aware that I assume grave responsibility in locating the
source of the greatest river of North America and correcting a
geographical error of half a century's standing, especially since I
follow in the footsteps of such eminent explorers as Pike,
Beltrami, Schoolcraft and Nicollet; and in view of the fact that I
have presumed to pass the limit of their explorations.
"For many years prior to 1881, I had been of the opinion that Lake
Itasca occupied an erroneous position in our geography. In fact I
had become satisfied through conversations with straggling
Chippewas in the Northwest, that the red man's ideal river did not
rise in the lake described by his white brother, but that there
were other lakes and streams beyond that lake and that some day the
truth of their statements would be verified.
"Thoroughly convinced that there was yet a field for exploration in
the wilds of Northern Minnesota I resolved, in 1876, to attempt a
settlement of the vexed question concerning the source of the
Mississippi at an early day. Finding the opportunity I sought in
1881 I proceeded to Saint Paul in June of that year accompanied by
Pearce Giles, of Camden, New Jersey. Here I was joined by my
brother George, of Chicago, and Barrett Channing Paine, then an
attache of the _Pioneer Press_.
"Having completed arrangements we moved from Saint Paul on the
morning of July Fourth with Brainerd as our immediate objective.
Short stops were made at Minneapolis, Monticello, Saint Cloud and
Little Falls on our way up the river. Brainerd was reached July
seventh. This enterprising town is situated near the boundary of
the Chippewa Indian Reservation and is the nearest place of
consequence to Lake Itasca. Here I again halted to further inform
myself concerning the topography of the country; to decide upon the
most practicable route to our destination, and to provide such
extra supplies of rations and clothing as might be considered
adequate to the requirements of our undertaking.
"After consulting our maps I concluded that while Schoolcraft and
Nicollet had found Itasca by going up the river through Lakes
Winnibegoshish, Cass and Bemidji, a more direct course would be by
way of Leech Lake and the Kabekanka River.
"A careful study of the route to Leech Lake, with a few valuable
suggestions from Warren Leland, of Brainerd, one of its oldest
pioneers, led us to seek conveyance to the former place over what
is known in Northern Minnesota as the Government Road. This road
stretches for seventy-five miles, through immense pine forests, and
the only habitations to be seen from it are the 'half-way houses'
erected for the accommodation of teamsters who are engaged in
hauling government supplies; and the occasional wigwams of
wandering Indians.
"While at the Leech Lake Agency it was our good fortune to meet the
post-missionary, Rev. Edwin Benedict; Major A. C. Ruffe, the Indian
Agent; Paul Beaulieu, the veteran Government Interpreter;
White-Cloud, chief of the Mississippi Indians; Flat-Mouth, head
chief of the Chippewas, and others well known at the Agency.
Through conversations with these parties I learned that pioneers of
that region were of the opinion that the lake located by
Schoolcraft was the source of the Mississippi, but that the Indians
invariably claimed that the Great River had its origin above and
beyond Itasca, in a beautiful lake known to them as Pokegama,
signifying the 'place where the waters gather.'
"Beaulieu, who is perhaps the best authority in Minnesota, having
lived for more than sixty years within its borders, said that
Chenowagesic, who afterwards became my chief guide, was the most
intelligent Chippewa of his acquaintance, had made his home for
many years in the vicinity of the headwaters of the Mississippi,
and that he had always asserted, when maps were shown him, that a
lake above Itasca would in time change a feature of those maps and
confirm his statement that Lake Itasca could not longer maintain
its claim to being the fountain-head of the Great River.