authorities of New Spain of Pike's contemplated expedition, and steps
were immediately taken to defeat its objects. The command of the Spanish
force was assigned to Lieutenant Don Facundo Malgares, an officer of
reputation in Indian warfare, who collected one hundred dragoons and
five hundred militia at Santa Fé, N. M. Each man was mounted, had three
led animals and six months' supply of ammunition. First they descended
the Red River about seven hundred miles, with the expectation of meeting
and turning back Pike, but learned that no force had passed that way.
The Spanish commander, after holding a council with the Comanches for
the purpose of winning them over to the interests of New Spain, then
turned north to the Arkansas. Here Malgares put in camp two hundred and
forty of his men, with the worn-out and disabled stock, and with the
rest proceeded to the Pawnee village, where he distributed medals,
Spanish flags, etc., and after prejudicing them against Americans and
drawing the Pawnee chiefs as closely to Spain as possible returned to
Santa Fé, arriving there in October. This armed invasion of the
acknowledged territory of the United States and deliberate tampering
with the Indian tribes probably arose from the strained relations
between the two countries, which nearly resulted in hostilities on the
frontiers of Texas and Orleans territory in 1806, when the local forces
tacitly agreed to regard the Sabine River as the temporary boundary.
Pike first made the Osage and Kaws smoke the pipe of peace and then held
a council with the Pawnees. These latter Indians, strongly impressed by
the grand show made by the Spanish cavalry, regarded with doubt the
small force of Americans. What Pike lacked in numbers and display, he
made up in boldness of demands and in display of self-confidence. He
obliged them to take down the Spanish flag and hoist the American
ensign, but gave them permission to retain the foreign flag for
protection if the Spaniards should return.
The chief, however, insisted that the Americans must turn back, and said
that he would resist any advance by force of arms. Captain Pike, already
indignant at the unauthorized raid of the Spaniards into the territory
of the United States, listened with impatience to this threat, and
answered that so far he had not seen any blood on his path, but the
Pawnees must know that the young warriors of their great American father
were not women, to be turned back by words; that they were men, well
armed and prepared as braves to sell their lives dearly; that they
should go on, and if the Pawnees opposed, the great American father
would send other warriors to avenge the dead. This bold talk had its
effect, and the onward march met with no active opposition.
Striking southwest, and following as well as he could the broad trail
left by the Spaniards, Pike reached Arkansas, where he stopped long
enough to build canoes, in which Lieutenant Wilkinson with five soldiers
and two Osages descended the river. This officer reached the post of
Arkansas on January 6, 1807, after a journey marked by many hardships,
but no great dangers.
Captain Pike and Doctor Robinson pursued their route up the Arkansas
with the party, now reduced to fourteen soldiers and the interpreter,
Vasquez. On the 2d of November, they fell in with a large herd of wild
horses, beautiful bays, blacks, and grays, whom they were unable to
capture even with their fleetest coursers. Here also the buffalo were
present in numbers beyond imagination, as Pike thought.
The 15th of November was a marked day, for Pike records that "at two
o'clock in the afternoon I thought I could distinguish a mountain to our
right, which appeared like a small blue cloud.... In half an hour they
appeared in full view before us. When our small party arrived on the
hill they with one accord gave three cheers to the Mexican mountains."
The peak, first seen by Pike, remained in view from that day to the
27th of January, and in eternal commemoration of the hardships and
dangers of the discoverer in that journey fittingly bears in our day the
name of Pike's Peak.
Here they first strikingly realized the transparency and purity of the
mountain air, which to the eye quite annihilates distance. He writes:
"Marched at our usual hour, pushed with an idea of arriving at the
mountains, but found at night no visible difference in their appearance
from what we did yesterday." It may be added that eight days' march
brought the party only to the base of the mountains.
On November 22d he fell in with an unsuccessful war-party, composed of
sixty Pawnees, returning from a foray on the Comanches. The savages at
first acted in a friendly manner, but receiving some small presents,
demanded ammunition, corn, blankets, kettles, and indeed everything they
saw. Being refused they threw away in contempt the articles given. Pike
ordered the horses packed, when the Pawnees encircled the small party
and commenced stealing everything they could, when Pike commanded his
men to stand to arms, and to separate themselves from the savages. This
done an order was given to kill the first Indian who touched any piece
of baggage, when the Pawnees, realizing that further misconduct meant
fight, filed off and allowed them to depart.
The party was now at the present city of Las Animas, where the Arkansas
forks, and as the Spanish troops followed the main stream instead of
the Purgatory, Pike took the same route. At the Herfuano he decided to
put the main party in camp while he explored the surrounding country, so
he threw up a small breastwork, opening on the river, somewhat to the
east of the present city of Pueblo. Starting to ascend the north fork
(the main Arkansas) to the high point of a blue mountain, which he
conceived would be one day's march, it took two days to reach the base
and more than another day to reach its summit. He records that his men
had no stockings, were clad only in light summer overalls, in every way
unprovided for the inclement surroundings, the snow to their hips, the
temperature nine degrees below freezing, while in forty-eight hours the
four men had for food only one partridge and a piece of deer's rib, but
adds that they were amply compensated for their toil and hardships by
the sublimity of the view--an unbounded prairie overhung with clouds.
The summit of Grand (Pike's) Peak, bare of vegetation, snow-covered, and
double the height of the peak ascended, he thought no human being could
then have ascended, even had it been near instead of a day's march to
its base.
The December journey up the narrow, cliff-bound valley of the Arkansas
is a continuous record of hardship and suffering. The horses with
difficulty found grazing in the snow-covered valley, while the fearless
ravens lighting on the men seized meat from them, and, despite the
kicking and plunging of the horses swooped down on them and picked
their sore backs till they bled. The thermometer fell to thirty-eight
degrees below freezing, while the badness of the trail obliged the party
to cross and recross the ice-filled river, from which several froze
their feet badly. Had the weather continued so cold "some of the men,"
says Pike, "must have perished, for they had no winter clothing; I wore
myself cotton overalls."
Here the returning Spanish expeditionary column under Malgares had
turned south, skirting the mountains until it reached a practicable pass
through the Cimarron range to Taos; but the main Spanish trail failing
in the snow-covered plain Pike pursued a side trail to the northwest,
and crossing a dividing ridge came on an ice-covered stream, which, to
his surprise, ran to the northeast, and proved, as he thought, to be the
head-waters of the Platte, the south fork rising in the South Park,
where he then was. Here he found evidences of the park having been
lately frequented by large parties of Indians. Beyond this he doubtless
crossed into the Middle Park, and saw the head-waters of the Colorado
Grande, and so was the second party to reach from the Atlantic
tide-water the sources of streams draining into the Pacific.
Pike was now lost in the maze of snow-covered mountains under most
adverse circumstances, as he recites: "Eight hundred miles from the
frontiers of our country; not one person clothed for the winter, many
without blankets, having been obliged to cut them up for socks, etc.;
laying down at night on the snow or wet ground, one side burning, while
the other was pierced with cold; endeavoring to make of raw buffalo-hide
a miserable substitute for shoes;" the men falling sick, and, finally,
the country so broken and precipitous, that even the Indian horse could
not carry a pack, and three animals were lost from falls and bruises.
Pike was disconsolate, but not discouraged. He sent ahead the
interpreter and two soldiers travelling light to find a way out, while,
making five small sleds to carry the baggage and be dragged by the men,
he followed. Struggling on, nearly perishing from cold, and almost
famished for food, the 5th of January found Pike, greatly to his
mortification, in the same old valley of the Arkansas, in sight of his
camp of December 10th. Realizing that he could expect nothing further
from his few worn-out horses, and burning with mortification at his
egregious error in considering the Arkansas as the Red, Pike decided to
try on foot that journey which had failed on horseback. He at once
strengthened the small fort, left therein heavy baggage, horses, etc.,
with the interpreter and one man, while with the rest he started to
cross the mountains with packs in search of the Red River, where he
intended to send back a party to guide the pack-train to it. This in the
belief that the Red River had its sources to the southwest, instead of
in its true location hundreds of weary miles to the southeast.
Humboldt's map of New Spain, compiled from data in the City of Mexico in
1804, plainly indicates that the Spanish labored under the same error
as Pike, they also thinking the sources of the Red River to be some two
or three hundred miles northwest of their true position. This map shows
that although the main Red was well known, yet the head-waters of the
Canadian were believed to be, and were charted as, the northwest
extension of the Red to within fifty miles of the place where Pike was
later arrested. It may be added, as showing the extent of geographical
knowledge in New Spain at that time, that the upper Arkansas was known
under the name Rio Napestle, although its connection with the lower
Arkansas was only suspected. The Pecos, Colorado, Trinity, and Sabine
Rivers were also known, but the Llano Estacado, of Texas, and the plains
of Colorado, Indian Territory, and Kansas, though they had been crossed
here and there prior to 1805, were practically unknown lands, given over
to the buffalo and savages, who were popularly and correctly associated
with them.
Impressed with the belief that he finally was on the right track,
Captain Pike, on January 14, 1806, started on the eventful journey that
was to carry him into New Spain, and lead him into the hands of the
Spaniards he was charged to avoid. They marched in heavy order, every
one--man, doctor, and commander--carrying forty-five pounds of regular
baggage, besides arms, ammunition, and such food as he thought proper;
the average burden being seventy pounds per man, to be carried over a
snow-covered and mountainous country.
The general direction followed was to the southwest, and fifty miles
were made good in three days. The fourth day all wet their feet crossing
a stream, and before fire could be had no less than nine of the men,
including the two hunters, had their feet badly frozen; the temperature
fell that night to forty-three degrees below the freezing point, while
the lack of game left them without food. The next morning two men went
hunting in one direction, while Pike and the doctor went in another. The
latter two wounded a buffalo three times, but he escaped, when, says
Pike: "We concluded it was useless to go home to add to the general
gloom, and went among the rocks, where we encamped and sat up all night;
from intense cold it was impossible to sleep, hungry and without cover."
The next morning they struck a herd and wounded several buffalo, all of
which escaped. "By this time," continues Pike, "I had become extremely
weak and faint, being the fourth day since we had received sustenance.
We were inclining our course to a point of woods, determined to remain
absent and die by ourselves rather than to return to our camp and behold
the misery of our poor lads, when we discovered a gang of buffalo."
Fortunately they killed one and returned at once to camp with a heavy
load of meat, Pike arriving in such a state of exhaustion that he almost
fell fainting as he dropped his burden. "The men," he adds, had "not a
frown, nor a desponding eye--yet not a mouthful had they ate for four
days." It was found that two soldiers were so badly frozen that it was
impossible for them to proceed, and indeed it was probable that one
would lose his feet. To remain was apparent death for all, so Pike
decided to march, and left the two men, John Sparks and Thomas
Dougherty, provided with ammunition, and given all the buffalo meat
except one meal for the marching column. It was like parting with the
dying. Pike bade them face their possible fate with soldierly fortitude,
assured them that relief would be sent as soon as possible, and then
they parted, as we may well believe such comrades would, with
tears--more, doubtless, from those who marched than from those who
remained behind.
The main party under Pike struggled on over the barren, snow-covered
mountains, and after nine days, two of which without food, a march of
ninety-five miles (from the vicinity of Saguache to the neighborhood of
Del Norte) brought them quite exhausted to the banks of the Rio Grande,
which was, however, hailed as the long-expected Red River.
Descending the stream some distance, Pike established a picketed
stockade, surrounded it by a water ditch and made it quite impregnable
to any ordinary attack. On February 7th Corporal Jackson and four men
were sent back across the mountain, to bring in the baggage and see if
the frozen men were yet able to travel. The same day Dr. Robinson left
the expedition to visit Santa Fé, ostensibly carrying the papers in a
Spanish claim, but in reality to gain a knowledge of the country, the
prospects of trade, the military force, etc.--in short, as a secret
agent.
While Pike was strengthening his position and securing game, the party
returned with word that the frozen men could not yet travel, and
possibly might be crippled for life. Volunteers were called for, as the
only method now was to send to the fort in the forks of the Arkansas,
(near Pueblo) where the recuperated horses and the rear-guard were
available to bring over the snow-clad mountains the helpless soldiers.
Regarding this last journey Pike writes: "I must here remark the effect
of habit, discipline, and example in two soldiers (Sergeant William E.
Meek and private Theodore Miller). Soliciting a command of more than one
hundred and eighty miles over two great ridges of mountains covered with
snow, inhabited by bands of unknown savages, these men volunteered it,
with others, and were chosen; for which they thought themselves highly
honored."
The steadfast endurance and unfailing fortitude which enabled Pike's men
to withstand and overcome the horrors and hardships of famine, frost,
and fatigue, form but a single page of the annals of our army. Rarely
has the American soldier failed, in war or peace, for military or civic
ends, to give to the accomplishment of any important trust his utmost
endeavor, subordinating thereto comfort, health, and life, lavishing
thereon resources of helpfulness which have so often crowned with
success the most hopeless of enterprises. If the American has
individuality, assertiveness, and self-reliance, he has also, in its
good time and place, a spirit of obedience, subordination, and
solidarity which make him the typical soldier.
On February 16th, Pike was visited by a Spanish dragoon and an Indian;
and some ten days later by a Spanish officer and fifty dragoons, by whom
he was escorted to Santa Fé, where he was examined by the Spanish
Governor, Don Allencaster, on March 3d. Pike had been informed by the
Spanish lieutenant that he would be conducted to the head-waters of the
Red River, but at Santa Fé he learned that there was no intention of
permitting a geographical exploration of these unknown regions. Pike was
astonished to find in Santa Fé an American, a Kentuckian, named James
Pursley, from Bairdstown, who had made a hunting trip to the head of the
Osage in 1802, and in 1803 made a journey up the Missouri with a French
trader. Sent on a trading trip on the plains with a roving band of
Kioways, the hunting party was attacked and driven by the Sioux into the
parks of the Rocky Mountains, at the head of the Platte and Arkansas,
where Pike had seen traces of the band and their stock. From this point
the Indians sent Pursley and two of their number to Santa Fé to trade.
Here they arrived in June, 1805, eight months before Pike, and Pursley
decided to remain.
Governor Allencaster decided to send Pike and his party to Chihuahua.
Accompanied by Robinson, who rejoined him at Albuquerque, Pike passed
down the valley of the Rio Grande, through El Paso, under escort of the
gallant and courteous Malgares, and was taken before Salcedo, the
Commandant-General of Chihuahua, on April 2d. Leaving here late that
month, still under escort, he crossed the Del Norte on June 1st, passed
through San Antonio, and on July 1st was within the United States, at
Natchitoches, when he exclaimed "Language cannot express the gayety of
my heart, when I once more beheld the standard of my country!"
It is astonishing what an amount of valuable and accurate information
concerning New Spain was collected by Captain Pike during his journey
through the country. If he had been permitted to return by the way of
Red River his stock of knowledge would have been vastly inferior. His
journey was tedious, unpleasant, and humiliating, but Pike knew how to
make the best of the situation, and in so doing justified the confidence
of his superiors in sending him on so dangerous and important a service.
His field notes in New Spain were made by Pike with great difficulty, as
the Governor gave orders to Malgares not to permit the making of
astronomical observations nor the taking of notes, Pike was determined,
however, to make the best of his opportunities, and so recorded his
observations while making pretext to halt, and kept his boy as a vedette
while writing. Later he feared the loss of such notes as he had already
made, when, he continues: "Finding that a new species of discipline had
taken place, and that the suspicions of my friend Malgares were much
more acute than ever, I conceived it necessary to take some steps to
secure the notes I had taken, which were clandestinely acquired. In the
night I arose, and, after making all my men clean their pieces well, I
took my small books and rolled them up in small rolls, and tore a fine
shirt to pieces, and wrapped it around the papers and put them down in
the barrels of the guns, until we just left room for the tompions, which
were then carefully put in; the remainder we secured about our bodies
under our shirts. This was effected without discovery and without
suspicions."
Pike draws a lively and striking picture of the manners, morals,
customs, and politics of the people of New Spain, whom he characterized
as surprisingly brave, and in hospitality, generosity, and sobriety
unsurpassed by any other people, but as lacking in patriotism,
enterprise, and independence of soul.
The subsequent career of Captain Pike was short and brilliant. He
received the thanks of the Government, had his zeal, perseverance, and
intelligence formally recognized by a committee of the House of
Representatives, rose to be major, lieutenant-colonel, and
deputy-quartermaster-general in rapid succession; in the reorganization
of the army in 1812 was made colonel, and in the following year was
appointed brigadier-general a few weeks before his death, at the capture
of York (Toronto), Canada.
The day before he left for the attack on York (Toronto), General Pike
wrote to his father: "I embark to-morrow in the fleet at Sackett's
Harbor at the head of 1,500 choice troops, on a secret expedition.
Should I be the happy mortal destined to turn the scale of war, will you
not rejoice, oh my father? May Heaven be propitious, and smile on the
cause of my country. But if I am destined to fall, may my fall be like
Wolfe's--to sleep in the arms of victory." His wish was prophetic.
The orders issued to his troops indicate the high professional honor
which ever characterized Pike's life. In part they ran thus: "It is
expected that every corps will be mindful of the honor of American arms
and the disgraces which have recently tarnished our arms, and endeavor,
by a cool and determined discharge of their duty, to support the one and
wipe out the other. The property of the unoffending citizens of Canada,"
he continues, "must be held sacred; and any soldier who shall so far
neglect the honor of his profession as to be guilty of plundering the
inhabitants, shall, if convicted, be punished with death. Courage and
bravery in the field do not more distinguish the soldier than humanity
after victory; and whatever examples the savage allies of our enemies
may have given us, the general confidently hopes that the blood of an
unresisting enemy will never stain the weapon of any soldier of his
column."
Owing to the sickness of General Dearborn, Pike took command of the land
forces, and on April 27, 1813, carried the outer battery by assault, and
having silenced the fire of the main work was awaiting a white flag
when the main magazine was exploded. Pike, who had a minute before
assisted in making a wounded soldier comfortable, was fatally injured,
but his martial spirit impelled him to yet encourage his troops. A
soldier to the last, he smiled as the standard of the enemy was handed
to him, and, putting it under his head, died serenely.
Laboring under the disadvantage of insufficient instruction in youth,
Pike supplemented his deficiencies by assiduous application, and his
journal shows him studying French and other languages in the interludes
of his desperate journeys in the Northwest and Southwest. Simple-minded
and warm-hearted, he won the devotion of his men without relaxing
soldierly habits or impairing discipline. He was intelligent,
indefatigable, brave, capable of great endurance, fertile in expedients
and never distrustful of his own capabilities or of the ultimate success
of his undertakings. His early death precluded judgment as to his
qualities as a general, but certainly he had the power of origination,
organization, and administration which are essentials to military
success.
It should be recorded of his explorations that, taking into
consideration his small force, and almost inadequate means, no other man
ever contributed to the geographical knowledge of the United States an
amount comparable to that which the world owes to the heroic efforts and
indomitable perseverance of Zebulon Montgomery Pike.
FOOTNOTE:
[1] He obtained his captaincy in August, 1806.
VII.
CHARLES WILKES,
THE DISCOVERER OF THE ANTARCTIC CONTINENT.