Cincinnati, Kentucky, who bore him several children, only
one of whom, a daughter, survives.

Among other habits of mental discipline, Pike had a
practice of inserting upon the blank pages of some favour-
ite volume, such striking maxims of morality, or senti-
m.ents of honour, as occurred in his reading, or were sug-
gested by his own reflections. He used a small edition of
Dodsley's " Economy of Human Life,'' for this purpose.
Soon after his marriage, he presented this volume to his
wife, who still preserves it as one of the most precious me-
morials of her husband's virtues. An extract from one of
the manuscript pages of this volume was published in a
periodical work soon after his death. It was written as a
continuation of the article ' Sincerity,-' and is strono-ly
characteristic of the author. ^

^"Should my country call for the sacrifice of that life
which has been devoted to her service from early youth,
most willingly shall she receive it. The sod which covers
the brave shall be moistened by the tears of love and friend-
ship : but if I fall far from my friends, and from you. my
Clara, remember that ' the choicest tears which are ever
shed, are those which bedev/ the unburied head of a sol-
dier,' and when these lines shall meet the eyes of our

young let the pages of this little book be impressed

on liis mind as the gift of a father who had nothing to be-
queath but his honour, and let these maxims be ever pre-
sent to his mind as he rises from youth to manhood.

" 1. Preserve your honour free from blemish.

" 2. Be always ready to die for your country'.

''Z. M.'PlKE.

" Kaskaskias, Indiana Territory '"^

On the old peace establishm.ent of our army, then com-
posed only of a fevv^ regiments, and employed altog-ether in
garrisoning a few frontier posts, promotion was slow, and
the field of action limited and obscure. For several years.
Lieutenant Pike panted in vain for an opportunity of gra-
tifying that "all-rulinor passion," which, to use his own
23*



270 GLOflY OP AMERICA.

words, ' swayed him irresistibly to the profession of arms,
and the pursuits of military glory."

At length, in 1S05, a new career of honourable distinc-
tion was opened to this active and aspiring youth. Soon
after the purchase of Louisiana, the government of the
United States determined on taking measures to explore
tlieir new territory, and that immense tract of wilderness
included Vv4ihin its limits. Besides ascertainino- its g-eo-
graphical boundaries, it was wished to acquire some know-
ledge of its soil and natural productions, of the course of
its rivers, and their htness for the purposes of navigation
and other uses of civilized life, and also to gain particular
information of the numbers, character, and power of the
tribes of Indians who inhabited this territory, and their
several dispositions towards the United States. With these
views, while Captains Lewis and Clarke were sent to ex-
plore the unknown sources of the Missouri, Pike was de-
spatched on a similar expedition for the purpose of tracing
the Mississippi to its liead.

On the 9th of August, 1805, Pike accordingly embarked
at St. Louis, and proceeded up the Mississippi, v^^ith twenty
men, in a stout boat, provisioned for four months, but they
were soon obliged to leave their boats and proceed on their
journey by land, or in canoes, which they built, and car-
ried with them on their march, after leaving their large
boat. Pike's own journal has been for some time before
the public, and affords a much more satisfactory narrative
of the expedition than the narrow limits of a work of this
kind can allow. For eio;ht months and twenty days this
adventurous soldier and his faithful band were almost
continually exposed to hardship and peril, depending for
provisions upon the precarious fortunes of the chase, en-
during the most piercing cold, and cheerfully submitting
to the most constant and harassing toils. They were
sometimes for days together without food, and they fre-
quently slept without cover on the bare earth, or the snow,
during the bitterest inclemency of a northern winter. Du-
ring this voyage. Pike had no intelligent companion upon
whom he could rely for any sort of advice or aid, and
he literally performed the duties of astronomer, surveyor,



ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. 27i

commanding officer, clerk, spy, gnide, and hunter, fre-
quently preceding the party for many miles in order to re-
connoitre, or rambling for whole days in search of deer or
otiier game for prov-ision ; and then returning to his men
in the evening, hungry and fatigued, he would sit down in
tiie open air to copy by the light of a fire the notes of his
journey, and to plot out the courses of the next day.

His conduct towards the Indians was marked with equal
good sense, firmness, and humanity ; he every \\ here, with-
out violence or fraud, induced them to submit to the go-
vernment of the United States; and he made use of the
authority of his country to put an end to a savage v/ar-
fare, v/nich had for many years been carried on, with the
utmost cruelty and rancour, between the Sioux and the
Chippe\vays,tvvo of the most powerful nations of Aborigines
remainins: on the North American continent. He also
every v/here enforced with effect the laws of the United
States against supplying the savages with spirituous li-
quors. Thus, while he wrested their tomahawks from
their hands, and compelled them to bury the hatchet, he
defended them from their own vices, and in the true spirit
of humanity and honour, rejected with disdain that cruel
and dastardly policy, which seeks the security of the civi-
lized man in the debasement of the savage.

In addition to the other objects of Pike's mission, as
specifically detailed in his instructions, he conceived that
his duty as a soldier required of him an investigation of
the views and conduct of the British traders, within the
Hmits of our jurisdiction, and an inquiry into the exact
limits of the territories of the United States and Great Bri-
tain. This duty he performed, says the author of a former
sketch of his biography, with the boldness of a soldier and
the politeness of a gentleman ; he might have justly added,
with the disinterestedness of a man of honour, and the
ability and discretion of an enlightened politician. He
found that the North West Company, by extending their
establishments and commerce far within the bounds of the
United States, and even into the very centre of Louisiana,
were thus enabled to introduce their goods without duty
or license into our territories, to the very great injury of



272 GLORY OF AMERICA.

the revenue, as well as to the complete exchision of our
own countrymen from all competition in this trade. He
perceived, besides, that these establishments were made
subservient to the purposes of obtaining: an influence over
the savages, dangerous to the peace and injiu'ious to the
honour and character of our government ; and he thouo-ht
it evident, that in case of a rupture between the two powers,
all these posts would be used as rallying points for the en-
emy, and as places of deposit for arms "to be distributed to
the Indians, to the great annoyance, if not total ruin, of all
the adjoining territories.

An opportunity was now presented to him of enriching
himself for hfe, by merely using the power vested in him
by law, and seizing upon the immense property of the
company v/hich he ibimd illegally introduced within our
territory. But having been hospi'tably received at one of
their principal posts, his high sense of honour would not
permit him to requite their liospitality by a rigorous execu-
tion of the laws. It is probable, too, tliat he thoug^ht so
violent a measure might lead to collisions between the two
governments, without tending to produce any permanent
beneficial effect, and he che'erfully sacrificed all views of
personal interest to what he conceived to be the true in-
terest and honour of his country. By means of reprimands
and threats to the inferior traders, and a frank and spirited
remonstrance to the director of the Fond du Lac depart-
ment, he succeeded in procuring a stipulation, that in fu-
ture no attempt should be made to influence any Indian
on political affairs, or any subjects foreign to trade, and
that m.easures should be immediately taken to prevent the
display of the British flag, or any other mark of pov^^er,
within our dominion ; together with a promise that such
representations should be immediately made to the com-
pany, and such an arrangem.ent efiected with regard to
duties, as would hereafter "set that question at rest."

^ His conduct with regard to this subject was, at the time,
viewed with cold approbation : but tlie events that occur-
red in the ensuing war gave ample testim.ony to his sa-
gacity and foresight.

Within two months after his return from this expedi-



ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. 273

tion, Pike was selected by General Wilkinson for a second
perilous journey of hardship and adventure. The princi-
pal purpose of this expedition was, like that of the former,
to explore the interior of Louisiana. He was directed to
embark at St. Louis, with the Osage captives, about
forty in number, vv^ho had been rescued from their ene-
mies, the Potowatomies, by the interference of our govern-
ment, and to transport them to the principal village of
their nation ; and he was instructed to take this opportu-
nity to bring about interviews between the different savage
nations ; and to endeavoiu' to assuage animosities, and
establish a permanent peace among them. He was, after
accomxplishing these objects, to continue his route into the
interior, and to explore the Mississippi and its tributary
- streams, especially the Arkansaw and Red River ; and thus
to acquire such geographical information as might enable
government to enter into definitive arrangements for a
boundary line between our newly acquired territory and
North Mexico.

In the course of this second journey, our adventurous
soldier, after leaving the Osage village, encountered hard-
ships, in comparison to which, the severities of his former
journey seemed to him ease and luxury.

Winter overtook the party, unprovided with any clothmg
fit to protect them from cold and storms. Their horses
died, and for weeks they were obliged to explore their way
on foot, through the wilderness, carrying packs of sixty or
seventy pounds weight, besides their arms, exposed to the
bitterest severity of the cold, relying solely on the produce
of the chase for subsistence; and often, for two or three
days altogether without food. This part of his journal con-
tains a narrative of a series of sufferings sufficient to make
(he "superfluous and lust-dieted" son of luxury shudder
It the bare recital. Several of the men had their feet
frozri.n ; and all, except Pike, and one other, were in some
degree injured by the intensity of the cold. He thus re-
lates the history of two of these dreary days.

'' ISth January^ Sunday. The doctor and myself, who
formerly were untouched by the frost, went out to hunt
something to preserve existence ; near evening, we wound-



274 GLORY OF AMERICA.

ed a buffalo, with three balls, but had the mortification to
see him run off. notwithstanding. We concluded it was
useless to go home, to add to the general gloom, and ^\'ent
amongst some rocks, where we encamped, and sat up all
night: from the intense cold, it was impossible to sleep.
Huno-ry, and without cover.

' r9th January^ Monday. We again took the field;
and, after crawling about one mile in the snow, came near
enousfh to shoot eight times among a gang of buffaloes,
and could plainly perceive two or three to be badly wound-
ed : but by accident they took the vrind of us. and, to our
great mortification, all were able to run off. By this time
I had become extremely weak and faint, it being the fourth
day since we had received sustenance, all of which, we
were marching hard, and the last night had scarcely clos-
ed our eyes to sleep. We w^ere inclininor our course to a
point of woods, determined to remain ciJ3sent, and die by
ourselves, rather than return to our camp, and behold the
misery of our poor lads, when we discovered a o-ang of
buffaloes cominsf along at som^e distance. With great ex-
ertions, I made out to run, and place myself behind some
cedars ; and by the g-reatest good luck, the first shot stop-
ped one, which we killed in diree more shots : and by the
dusk had cut each of us a hea^yload. with which wo de-
termined immediately to proceed to the camp, in order to
relieve the anxietv of our men, and cany the poor fellows
some food. We arrived there about tv.^elve o'clock, and
when I threw my load down, it was with difficulty I pre-
vented myself from falling; I was attacked with a giddi-
ness of the head, which lasted for some minutes. On the
countenances of the men was not a frown, nor a despond-
ing eye : but all seemed happy to hail their officer and com-
panions ; yet not a mouthful had they eaten for four days.
On demanding what were their thouo;hts, the sergeant re-
plied, the most robust of them had determined to set out in
search of us on the morrow, and not return unless they
found us, or had killed something to preserve the fives ol
their starving companions."

In the course of this lonsf, toilsome, and perilous march,
Pike displayed a degree of personal heroism and hardi-



ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. 275

hood, united with a prudence and sagacity, which, had
they been exerted on some wider theatre of action, would
have done honour to the most renowned general. The
reader may, perhaps, smile at this remark, as one of the
^wild exag2:erations of a biographer, anxious to dignify the
character ^of his hero ; but the truth is, that great men
owe much of their splendour to external circumstances ; and
if Hannibal had made his famous march across the Alps,
at the head of a com.pany of foot, instead of an army, his
name, if it had reached us, would have come down to pos-
terity with much less dignity than that of our hardy coun-
tryman. There are passages in Pike's journal of his se-
cond expedition, wliich, had they been found, with proper
alterations of place and circumstances, related by Plutarch
or Livy, of one of their heroes, vrould have been cited by
every school boy as examples of mihtary and heroic virtue.
Take, for instance, the account of Pike's firm and prudent
CO .duct in repressing the first symptoms of discontent in
his little band, and his address, upon this occasion, to the
mutineer, and they wiU be found to need but little of the
usual embellishments of an eloquent historian, to be made
worthy of Hannibal.

'24Lh January^ Saturday. \^ a sallied out in the morn-
ing, and shortly after perceived our little band, marching
through the snow, (about two and a half feet deep,) silent,
and with downcast countenances. We joined them, and
learnt that they, findins: the snovv- to fall so thickly that it
was impossible to proceed, had en.camped about one o'clock,
the preceding;- day. As I found all the buffaloes had
quitted tiie plains, I determined to attempt the traverse of
the mountain, in which we persevered until the snovv^ be-
came so deep, it was impossible to proceed, when I again
^ turned my face to the plain ; and, for the first time in the
voyage, found myself discouraged ; and for the first time
I heard a man express himself in a seditious manner ; he
exclaimed, that ' it was more than human nature could
bear, to march three days without sustenance, through
snow three feet deep, and carry burdens only fit for
horses.'

" As I knew very well the fidelity and attachment of the



2T6 GLORY OF AMERICA.

majority of the men, and even of this poor fellow, and that
it was in my power to chastise him when I thought pro-
per, I passeci ]t L.y for the moment, determined to notice it
at a more auspicious time. We drago^ed our Vv^earv^ and
emaciated limbs along until about ten^'o'clock. The doc-
tor and myself, who were in advance, discovered som.e buf-
faloes on the plain, when Vv'e left our loads, and orders
written on the snow, to proceed to the* nearest v^^oods to
encamp. We went in pursuit of the bulFaloes, which
were on the move.

" The doctor, who was then less reduced than T v/as,
ran and hid behind a hill, and shot one dcvm, vrhich
stopped the remainder. We crawled up to the dead one,
and shot from him as many as tvv'eive or fourteen times
am.ong the gang, when they removed out of sig-at. V>'e
then proceeded to cut up the one we had shot : ^nnd after
procuring, each of us, a load of the meat, we marched for
the camp, the smoke of which v.^as in view. We arrived
at the camp, to the great joy of our brave lads, who im-
mediately feasted sumptuously. After our repast, I sent
for the lad A\'ho had presumed to speak discontentedlv in
the course of the day, and addressed him to the following
eilect: 'Brown, you this day presumed to use language
which v/as seditious and mutinous ; I then passed it over,
pitying your situation, and attributing it to your distress^
rather than to inclination to sow discontent amongst the
party. Had I reserved provisi'-^^.s for ourselves, v/nilst you
v/ere stanmrs; had we been marchino; alono; ligrht, and at
our ease, viiilst you v\^ere wei:rhecl down with your bur-
den ; then 3'ou would have liad some pretext for your ob-
servations : but v.'hen we were equally hunirry,' w^eary,
emaciated, and charged with burden, which I believe my
natural strength is less able- to bear than any mean's in the
party; vrhen v.^e vrere always foremost in breakinof the
road, reconnoitering, and the fatigues of the chase it was
the height of ingratitude in you to let an expression escape,
Avhich was indicative of discontent ; your ready compli-
ance and firm perseverance I had reason to expect, as the
leader of men, and my companions in miseries and dan-
gers. But your duty as a soldier demanded vour obedi*



i



ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. 277

ence to your officer, and a prohibition of such language,
which, for this time, I will pardon ; but assure you, should
it ever be repeated^ I will avenge your in2:ratitude, and
punish your disobedience by instant death. I take this
opportunity, likewise, to assure you, soldiers, of my thanks
for the obedience, perseverance, and ready contempt of
every danger, which you have generally evinced ; I assure
you, nothing shall be wanting on my part to procure you
the rewards of our government, and gratitude of your
countrymen.'

" They all departed, very much affected, and retired
with assurances of perseverance in duty."

Amidst these distresses, after a three months winter's
: march, they explored their way to what they supposed to
be the Red River. Here they were met by a party of
Spanish cavalry, by whom Pike was informed, to his great
astonishment, that they were not on the Red River, but on
the Rio del Norte, and in the Spanish territory. All op-
position to this force would have been idle, and he reluct-
antly submitted to accompany the Spaniards to Santa Fe,
to appear before the governor. Though, to liis great mor-
tification, his expedition Vv^as thus broken off, ail hardships
were nov;^ at an end. He vras treated on the road with
great respect and hospitality, though watched and guard-
ed with much iealousy ; but he still insisted on wearing
his sword, and that his men should retain their arms.
Indeed, it was his resolution, had he, or any of his peopl
been ill usfed, to surprise the guard, carry oif their horses
and make the best of their v/ay to Apaches.

AYhen he arriv^ed at Santa Fe, his whole dress- was a
blanket coat, blue trowsers, moccasins, and a scarlet cloth
cap, lined with a fox skin ; his men were in leather coats,
with leggins, and had not a hat in the v/hole party.
But he appeared before the governor with his usual spirit,
and insisted on being treated with the respect due to an
American officer. From Santa Fe lie "was sent to the
capital of the province of Biscay, to be examined by the
commandant-general, where he was well received, and en-
tertained for some time, after which, he was sent on his
way home, under the escort of a strong party of horse.

OA






278 GLORY OF AMERICA.

He arrived witli his little band at Natchitoches, on the 1st
ofJuly, 1S07.

Tiie most vexatious circumstance attending this unex-
pected sequel to his expedition was the seizure of all his
papers, excepting his private journal, by the Spanish go-
vernment. He had been fitted out with a complete setof
mathematical and astronomical instruments, and had made
frequent and accurate observations. He had thus ascer-
tained the geographical situation of the most important
points with much precision, and had collected materials
for an accurate map of a great part of the countrv which
he traversed. The seizure of these papers is a real loss
to the cause of science. It is. however, in perfect confor-
mity to that narrovr and purblind policy, which the old
Spanish government uniformly manifested in the adminis-
tration of its colonics.

Pike, upon his return, received the thanks of the govern-
ment : a committee of the house of representatives express-
ed their high sense of his - zeal, perseverance, and intelli-
gence,'" and the administration, much to its honour, be-
stowed upon him a more solid testimony of approbation,
by a rapid promotion in the army. He vv^as immediately
appointed captain : shortly after, a major ; and, on the fai-
ther enlargement of the army, in 1810, a colonel of infantry.

During the intervals of his military duties, he prepared
for tlie press a narrative of his two expeditions, accompa- .
nied by several valuable original maps and charts. This
was published in 8vo. in ISlO. The work is rather over-
loaded with unnecessary detail, and the lan^-uaofe is care-
less and often inaccurate ; the last fault is, FioAvever, in a
great measure to be attributed to several disadvantageous
circumstances under which the work went to press, while
the author was at a distance, ensfasfed in public service.
Still, it is sufficiently evident that the volume is not the
composition of a scholar. But it bears the strongest marks
of an acute, active, busy mind, unaccustomed to scientific
arrangement or speculation, but filled with a variety ot
Knowledofe, all of a useful, practical kind. Though en-
tirely unacquainted with botany, zoolog\\ and mineralogy,
as sciences. Pike had a liberal curiosity, which taugl t him



ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE. 279

to look upon every object with the eye of an observer, and
to despise no sort of knowledge, though he might not per-
ceive its immediate utility. Above all, the narrative has
that unstudied air of truth wliich is so apt to evaporate
away in the processes of the book-making traveller ; it
retains all the clearness and freshness of first impressions,
and we are never for a moment left in doubt, whether or
not the writer and the traveller are the same person.

Immediately after the declaration of war, Pike v/as sta-
tioned with his regiment on the northern frontier, and on
the commencement of the campaign of 1813, was appoint-
ed a Brigadier-General.

Pike's character was tinctured with an enthusiasm which
communicated itself to his whole conduct ; in whatever
pursuit he engaged, he entered on it with his whole soul.
But the profession of arms had been always his favourite
study his life's employment, and his leisure's charm."
Having served through every gradation of rank, almost
from a private, up to a general, "and very often employed
in separate and independent commands, he was intimately
acquainted with all the minutise of discipline. The vete-
ran of a peace establishment is too apt, from the want of
2:reater objects, to narrow his mind down to the httle de-
fails of a military life, until, at length, every trifle swells
up into ideal importance, and the cut of a coat, or the
tying of a neckcloth, seems big with the fate of nations.
Pike' was extremely attentive to all the particulars, even
to the most minute points, of discipline and dress, yet he
gave them their due importance, and no more. He did
not wish to degrade the soldier into a mere living machine,
and while he kept up the strictest discipline, he laboured
to make his men feel that this severity arose not from ca-
price or ill temper, but from principle, and that it had for
its sole object their own glory, their ease, their health, and
safety. Careless of popularity, and negligent of the arts
by which good will is often conciliated where there is no
real esteem, by the unassuming simplicity and franlmess