.fllbortotVe History of IRebvaeha
Hutbcntic 1400 to 1900 Complete
(Copyrighted 1000. All rights reserved.) Dy courtesy of Editors and Publishers of Morton's Ilistury, the Publishers Newspaper Union of Lincoln, Nebraska. Is permitted its reproduction In papers of their Issue
CHAPTER II CONTINUED. (8)
"The party consisted of nino young
men from Kentucky, fourteen soldiers
of the United States army, who vol
unteered their services, two French
watermen, an Interpreter and hunter,
and a black sorvant belonging to
Captain Clark all of these, except the
last, were enlisted to- serve as pri
vates .during the expedition, and three
sergeants appointed from amongst
them by the captains. In addition to
these were engaged a corporal and
six soldiers, and nine watermen to
accompany the expedition as far as
the Mandan nation, In order to assist
In carrying the stores, or repelling an
attack, which was most to be appre
hended between Wood River and that
tribe. The necessary stores were sub
divided Into seven bales, and one box,
containing a small portion of each
article In case of accident. They con
sisted of n great variety of clothing,
working utensils, locks, Hints, powder,
ball, and articles of the greatest use.
To these were added fourteen bales
and ouo box of Indian presents, dis
tributed in tho same manner, and
composed of richly laced coats and
other articles of dress, medals, flags,
knives, and tomahawks Jtor the chiefs
ornaments of different kinds, par-
tlcularly beads, looking glasses, hand
kerchiefs, paints, and generally such
articles as were uoomed best calcu
lated for the taste of the Indians.
"The party was to embark on board
of three boats; tho first was a keel
boat .fifty-live feet long, drawing three
feet water, one large square sail and
twenty-two oars, a deck of ten feet
in tlie bow and stern formed a fore
castle and cabin, while the middle was
covered by lockers, which might be
raised so as to form a breast work
in case of attack. This was accom
panied by two perloques or open
boats, one of six and the other of-1
seven oars. Two horses were at. tne
same time to bo led along the banks
of the river for the purpose of bring
ing home game, or hunting in case
of scarcity. ... All the prepara
tions being completed, we left our
encampment on Monday, May 14,1804.
This spot is at the mouth of Wood
river, a sma ' stream which empties
itself Into the Mississippi, opposite
in tho entrance to the Missouri."
The expedition, following up the
Missouri river, came In sight of the
present Nebraska on the afternoon of
July 11, 1804. It camped on the Mis
tvRmirl side, immediately opposite the
.imouth of the Big Nemaha, and the
-next day some members of the com
pany explored the lower valley of that
river. , . , ,
J This expedition Js of particular inv
d& nnrranpfi as it elves the first hlstor-
ical glimpse oi the eastern border of
Nebraska; Prom the point where it
first touched the present state at tne
southeast corner to the point at tho
northeast corner, where the Missouri
river reaches its borders, the distance
is 277 miles as the bird flies. Accord
ing to the government survey, the
distance between these two points Is
441 miles, following the meanderlngs
of th river. The Lewis-Clark expe-
mrded 556 miles of river
front for the state in 1804.
On tho 8th of September tho ex
plorers left the present limits of Ne
braska and continued their voyage
up the Missouri, then crossed tho di
viding mountain chains, and launched
their boats on the swift Columbia,
following It to its mouth. Two years
later they returned xover tho same
route and gavo a graphic description
of the vast country tney naa u-av
The explorers first camped on Ne
braska soil July 15, near, the mouth
nf tho T.Htlfl Nemaha. Tho camp of
July 18 was not far from the present
alto of Nebraska City. Accoruing io
vinviVs Journal the camp of July 20
was on the Nebraska side, and under
a. hltrh bluff, three miles north of
Wettnlne Water creek. Oh the 21st
of July tho party passed the mouth
of the Platte river and encamped on
the Nebraska sldo (probably not far
from tho southeast corner or section
31, township 13, range 14 E.). Thdy
passed on up tho river for a distance
of ten miles tho next morning and
then camped on the eastern shore.
Rom thev remained for five days.
f Timv nvninrcfl the country5 In all dl
mnHnnR nnii soiit. for the surrounding
Indians to meet them In a council at
a point farther up tho river. While
they were here dispatches and maps
were prepared to bo sent to tho presi
dent. July 27, they swam their horsea
to tho Nebraska sldo and continued
the journey northward.
The camp of July 30 was at Coun
cil Bluff. This is the most important
camp ground of the Lewis-Clark ex
pedition within the state. Subse
quently (1819) It became the site of
the first military post established in
Nebraska. There Is no doubt that tho
recommendation of this site by the
captains, Lewis and Clark, determined
the location of what was afterward
known as Camp Missouri, Ft. Atkin
son, and finally Ft. Calhoun. Tho im
portance of this camp warrants a quo
tation from that part of the journal
describing Council Bluff: .
. . . The land hero consists of
a plain, above the high water level,
tha anil of which Is fertile, and cov
ered with a grass from five to eight
feet high, Intersporseu witn copses oi
large plums and a currant like those
of the United States. . . . Back of
this plain la a woody ridge, about
seventy feet above it, at the end of
which wo formed our camp. This
ridge separates tho lower from a
higher prairie, of a good quality, with
grass, of ten or twelve Inches In
height hnd extending back about a
mile to another elevation of eighty
or ninety feet, beyond which Is ono
continued plain. Near our camp, wo
enjoy from the bluffs a most beauti
ful view of the river, and tho adjoin
ing country. At a distance, varying
from four to ten miles, and of a height
between' seventy and three hundred
feet, two parallel ranges of high land
afford a passage to the Missouri which
enriches tho low grounds between
them. In Its winding course, it nour
ishes tho willow Isiands, the scattered
cottonwood, elm, sycamore, lynn, and
ash and tho groves are Interspersed
with' hickory, walnut, coffeenut, and
oak. Tho meridian altltudo of this
day (July 31) made tho latitude of
our camp 41 18' 1.4". ... We
waited with much anxiety tho return
of our messenger to the Ottocs. . .
Our apprehensions were at length re
lieved by the arrival of a party of
about fourteen Ottoo and Missouri In
dians, who came at sunset, on tho 2d
of August, accompanied by a French
man", who resided among them, and
nterpreted for us. Captain Lewis and
Clark went out to meet them, and
told them that we would hold a coun
cil in tho morning. The Incidents re
nted induced us to clvo to this nlaco
the name of tho Council-bluff; tho sit
uation of it is exceedingly favorable
for a fort and trading factory."
There were fourteen Indians present
at this council, six of whom were
chiefs. They were all Otoes and Mis-
sourls who formed one tribal organ
ization at a later date, and presum
ably at that time.
After concluding the council they
moved up the river five miles and
encamped August 3., On the 4th of
August they continued the voyage and
came to "a trading house, on the
south, (Nebraska side) where one of
our party passed two years trading
with the Malms." This too brief par
agraph is important in disclosing that
there were white traders In Nebraska
prior to 1804. The camp of August
4 was also on Nebraska soil, but the
exact point is not determined.
The next sojourn in Nebraska was
on the 11th of August, when they
paused to examine "Blackbird's
grave;" The description given is
worthy of repetition here:
We "halted on the south side, for
the purpose of examining spot where
one of the great chiefs of the Mahas,
named Blackbird, who died about four
years ago of the small-pox, was buried.
A hill of yellow soft sand-stone rises
from -the river In bluffs of various
heights, till it ends in a knoll about
three hundred feet above the waterj
on the top of this a mound of twelve
feet diameter at tho base, and six
feet high, is raised over the body of
the deceased king; a 'pole of about
eight feet high is fixed in the center;
on which, we placed a white flag, bor
dered with red, blue and white."
August 13 they reached a spot on
tho Nebraska side where "a Mr.
Mackay" had a trading house in 1795
and 179G whicn ho called Ft. Charles.
This same day men were sent out to
the old Maha village "with a flag and
a present, in order to induce them
to come and hold a council with us.
They returned at twelve o'clock next
day, August 14. After crossing a
prairie covered with high grass, they
reached tho Maha creek, along which
they proceeded to its three forks,.
which join near the village: they
crossed the north branch and went
along the south; the walk was very
fatiguing, as they were forced to
break their way through grass, sun
flowers, and thistles, all above ten
feet high, and interspersed with wild
pea. Five miles from our camp they
reached the position of the ancient
Maha village; it .had once consisted
of three hundred cabins, but was
burnt about four years ago, soon after
the smallpox had destroyed four hun
dred men, and a proportion of women
and children. On a hill, In the rear
of the village, are the graves of the
nation; to the south of which runs
tho fork of the Maha creek; this they
crossed whore It was about ten yards
wldo, and followed Its course to the
Missouri, passing along a ridgo of hill
for one and a half mile, and a long
pond between that and the Missouri;
they then recrossed the Maha creek,
and arrived at the camp, having seen
no tracks of Indians or any sign of
recent cultivation."
Probably the first large Nebraska
"fish story" originated on August 16,
when a seine was improvised with
which over four , hundred flsh were
taken from the Omaha creek. August
13 they made a camp near the old
Omaha village and remained until Au
gust 20. At this point another coun
cil was held with tho Otoes and Mis
sourls, who were then at war with
the Omahas and very much afraid of
a war with the Pawnees. After con
cluding this council, they continued
their journey, and the next day (Au
gust 20) Sergeant Floyd died and was
burled on the Iowa side near the
Floyd river.
On August 21 the camp was made
on the Nebraska side; also on the
23d. On the 24th of August they
came to tho Nebraska volcano, a bluff
or blue clay where they say the soil
was so warm they could not keep
their hands in it. These volcanic
phenomena woro probably duo to tho
action of water, at times of Inunda
tion, on Iron pyrlte, setting free sul
furic acid, which In turn attacked
limestone, producing hoatjand steam.
Similar phenomena havo "been ob
served In tho same locality In very
recent years. This night camp was
made in Nebraska, and mosquitoes
were numerous. On August 25 camp
was made very near tho Codar-DIxon
county line. August 28 a enmp was
mode in Nebraska, a Uttlo way below
whoro Yankton now stands. Tlfo
Yankton-Sioux had been called hero
for a council, and on August 31 tho
council was concluded. A number of
Sioux -chiefs arranged to accompany
Mr. Durlon to Washington whllo tho
expedition was in camp here.
On the 1st of September they again
set sail; on tho 2d they stopped to
examino an ancient fortification which
must havo been on section 3, 10, or
11 In the bond of tho river and quite
neaf tho bank. September 3 thoy
camped again on Nebraska soil, and
tho next day they reached a point
Just north of tho Niobrara river. Sep
tember 7 tho last camp in Nebraska
was pitched six miles south of tho
north line.
On tho roturn trip down tho Mis
souri river, tho expedition reached tho
northeastern corner of tho prosent Ne
braska on Sunday, August 31, 1806,
and loft tho southeast corner on tho
11th of September, having mado tho
uneventful journey ' in twolvo days.
Tho up-stream passago of this part
of the routo had required fifty-seven
days.
Orivtho 15th of July, 1806, Lieuten
ant Zebulon M. Pike's party, consist
ing of two lieutenants, ono surgeon,
one sergeant, two corporals, sixteen
privates, and an interpreter, sailed
from Belle Fontaine, four miles above
the mouth of the Missouri river, on
tho famous expedition which resulted
in tho discovery of Pike's Peak. The
object of the expedition, which was
sent out by Gen. James Wilkinson,
then commander-in-chief of the army
of tho United Spates, and also gov
ernor of the territory of Louisiana,
was ostensibly, and In fact partially,
to establish friendly relations with the
Indians of tho Interior, but It is sup
posed also to gain information about
the Spaniards, who, since our acqui
sition of Louisiana, out of which they
felt they had been cheated by Na
poleon, had been In a menacing atti
tude towards the Americans.
The route of Pike's expedition waB
up the Missouri river to the mouth
of "the Osage river, then up this
stream to tho Osage villages at a
point near its source. Here the party
abandoned their bateau and took a
northwesterly course across the coun
try, reaching the Republican, river at
a point which has not been deter
mined even approximately, and that
Interesting question Is now tho sub
ject of investigation by specialists.
Tho party camped on an eminence, on
the north Side of the river, opposite
the Pawneo village, and circumstances
favor the conclusion that they were
within the present bounds of Ne
braska, notwithstanding that in 1901
a monumont to marK tne nortnem
limit of Pike's route was erected with
in the Kansas lino about four miles
south of Hardy, Nebraska. Plko's
visit to the Republican Pawnees had
been preceded a short time before by
the expedition of the Spanish Lieu
tenant Maygares, whb had traveled
from Santa Fe with about six hundred
Boldiers and over two thousand horses
and mules; but Plko says that about
two hundred and forty men and tho
horses unfit for service were left at
the crossing of the Arkansas river.
The beaten down grass plainly dis
closed to Pike their line of march in
the Pawnee neighborhood. ThiB Span
ish expedition was sent to intercept
Pike and also to establish friendly
relations with the Indians, and the
American party found a Spanish flag
flying over the couucll lodge of the
Pawnees. These Incidents, together
with the fact that Pike was detained
in New Mexico, virtually a prisoner,
illustrate the lndeflniteness of the
boundary of tho Louisiana purchase
at that time and the insolence of
Spain, not yet conscious of her de
caying condition, toward tho young
Republic. The contrast between Plko's
Uttlo party and the considerable Span
ish army which had Just passed In
spired Insolent behavior on tho part
of the Pawnees, which led tho Intrepid
American explorer to give vent to his
feelings in his journal: "All tho evil
I wished tho Pawnees was that I
might be the Instrument in the hands
of our government to open their eyes
and ears, and with a strong hand con
vince thorn of our power." It would
no doubt have given the Indomitable
but persecuted Pike much satisfac
tion to know that within a very few
years the Insolont Spaniard, then in
vading American torrltory, would be
pushed off tho continent finally by
American aggression. Pike himself
was killed In battle In our war of
1812, but his services had been recog
nized and rewarded by promotion In
1795.
In' 1807 Ramsey Crooks and Robert
McLellan, two of tho most famous and
Intrepid explorers of the Northwest,
formed a partnership, and in the fall
of the year started up the Missouri
river with an expedition comprising
eighty men fitted out on shares by
Sylvester and Augusto Chouteau. On
the return of Lewis and Clark In 1806,
thoy brought with them to St. Louis,
Shuhaka, tho chief of tho Mandans,
on tho way to Washington for con
sultation with Presldont Jofferson and
under promise pf safo escort back to
his homo. The next summer, Ensign
Nnthaniol Pryor, who had boon a sor
geant In tho Lowls and Clark party,
undertook to escort tho chief up tho
river. Tho command consisted of
fourteen soldiers In all, but It was
united with a party of thirty-two, mon
lod by Plerro Chouteau. When thoy
attempted to pass tho lower Arlkara
vlllago tho Indians attacked thorn and
drove them back, and on their return
thoy mot Crooks and McLollan, who
then turned back and established a
camp probably near Bollovuo, whoro
thoy remained until tho spring of
1810. Lisa had safely passed tho
Arikaras beforo these parties arrived,
and, whether truo or not, tho charge
thut- he inspired tho Arlkara attack
is a concession to his ability and in
fluence as well as an illustration of
his reputation for Intrigue.
Commerce led to tho first explora
tion and clviazcd occupation in tho
Northwest, including Nebraska. Tho
French had led in oxploratlon and
tho fur trade until tho British wrested
Canada from them In 1762, and
Frenchmen continued to carry on act
ive commercial traffic in this region,
with St. Louis, then a Fronch town,
as their principal base. But about
tho beginning of the nineteenth cen
tury there was a stato of actual hos
tility botweon English and Amorlcan
traders. The d lsfcovcry of the mouth
of the Columbia river In 1792 by Cap
tain Gray of tho Amorlcan trading
ship Columbia was an Important fac
tor In tho long disputo over the Ore
gon boundary. In 1810 John Jacob
Astor, of Now York, organized tho
Pacific Fur Company, a partnership
including himself, Alexander McKay,
Duncan McDougal, Donald McKonzie,
David Stuart, Robert Stuart and Wil
son Price Hunt, for the purpose of
colonization and trade at thp mouth
of the Columbia river. Astor was en
couraged In his entorprlso by tho fed
oral government Tho partners named,
with the exception of Hunt, sailed In
tho ship' Tonquln In September, 1810,
and founded Astoria at the mouth of
the Columbia river in tho .spring of
the following year. In October of 1810
Mr. Hunt started up the Missouri river
with a party in three boats to reach
Astoria by the overland route. Tho
oxpedltion came to. tho mouth of the
Nodaway river in November,, and went
into winter quarters, though Hunt re
turned to St Louis, where he spent
the winter. He reached tho winter
camp again on the 17th of tho follow
ing April, and a few days later the
party set sail. It consisted of about
sixty men, five of them partners in
the enterprise, and thoy embarked in
four boats. On tho 28th of April they
breakfasted on an island at the mouth
of the Platto river, and they halted
for two days on tho bank of the Mis
souri, a Uttlo above tho mouth of
Papllllon creek, and thorofore on or
near tho site of Bellevue. In Irving s
account of this journey no mention is
made of any settlement at this point;
but he sot the example of writing en
thusiastically of tho beauty of the
landscape, which has been assiduous
ly practiced by travelors and settlors
ever since. On the 10th of May the
party arrived at the Omaha Indian
village, situated, by their measure
ment, about two hundred and thirty
miles above their Bellevue encamp
ment On the 12th of June they ar
rived at tho vlllago of the Arlkara
Indians, about tea miles above the
mouth of Grand river, now in north
em South Dakota. From this point
they proceeded by land to the Colum
bia river which they reached some
distance below tho junction of the
Lewis and Clark river. They fol
lowed down the Columbia In canoes,
and reached Astoria on the 15th of
February.
Lisa, who represented the Missouri
Fur Company, jealously watched the
operations of the now Pacific Fur
Company, and his successfuli attempt
to overtake Hunt resulted In a famous
keel boat race. Lisa explains that
this desperate exertion was caused by
a desiro to pass through tho dangerous
Sioux country In Hunt's company for
greater 'safety; blit It seems likely
that his primary object was to pre
vent Hunt from establishing advan
tageous trade relations with any of
the Indians on tho upper river. Lisa
traveled with great rapidity, at an
average rate of elghtcon miles a day,
and overtook Hunt's party.
There were twenty-six men on Lisa's
boat and it was armed with a swivel
mounted at the bow. Twenty mon
were at tho oars. Brackenrldge, who,
according to Irving, was "a young,
enterprising man, tempted by motives
of curiosity to accompany Mr. Lisa,"
gives an account of the starting of the
party:
"We sat off from the village of St.
Charles on Tuesday, the 28th pf April,
1811. Our bargo was the best that
over ascended this river, and manned
with stout oarsmen. Mr. Lisa, who
had been a sea captain, took much
pains in rigging his boat with a good
mast and main and top sail, these be
ing great helps in the navigation of
this river. . . . We are in all
twenty-five mon, and completely pre
pared for defense. There is besides,
a Bwivol on the bow of the boat,
which In caBe of attack would make
a formidable appearance; we have
also two brass blundorbuBsoa. . . .
Thcso precautions nro absolutely nec
essary from tho hostility of tho Sioux
bands. ... It is exceedingly dif
ficult to mako a start on those voy
ages, from the reluctance of the men
to tormlnnto tho frolic with their
friends which usually procedos their
doparturo. . . . The river Platte
Is regarded by tho navigators of the
Missouri as a point of ns much im
portance as tho equinoctial line
amongst mariners. All those who had
not passed It beforo woro required to
bo shaved unless they would compro
mise tho matter by a treat"
On tho 28th of June, 1812, Robert
Stuart started from Astoria with five
of Hunt's original party on a return
overland trip. At Ft. Henry, on the
north fork of Snako river, now in
southeastern Idaho, hot was joined by
four of tho flvo mon 'who had been
detached by Hunt on the 10th of the
previous October. After a journey of
torrlblo hardships thoy established
winter quarters, on tho North Platto
rivor not far cast of tho place whero
It issues from tho mountains. At the
end of six wooks thoy were driven
out by tho Indians and proceeded
three hundred and thirty miles down
tho Platto; and then, dospalrlng of
boing ablo to pass safely over the
desert plain covered with deep snow,
which confronted thorn, they went
back oer sovonty-sovon miles of their
courso until thoy found a suitablo win
tor quartors on the 30th of December,
1812. On tho 8th of March they tried
to navlgato tho stream in canoes, but
found'it lmpractlcablo, and proceeded
on foot to a point about forty-five miles
from tho mouth of tho Platte, where
thoy embarked, April 16, in a large
canoe made for their purpose by the
Indians.
Such Importance in Nebraska an
nals as may bo attributed to what Is
known as Long's expedition in 1818
is duo to tho fact that It was the oc
casion of thp passago of the first
steamboat up tho Missouri river, and
tho establishment Of the first military
post within tho limits of tho territory.
This post, at first called Camp Mis
souri, was dovolopod Into a fort of
the regular quadrangular form and
named Ft. Atkinson aftor Its founder.
General Atkinson, the commander of
tho Yollowstone expedition. It was
occupied until 1827 in the main by
tho 6th roglmqnt of infantry, and was
abandonod, Juno 27, 1827; when Ft.
Leavenworth was established and to
which the furnishings of Ft. Atkinson
were transferred. A reason assigned
for the abandonment of Ft. Atkinson,
namely, that the site was unhealthy,
does not seem plausible. A better,
and probably the real reason is that,
owing to tho insignificance or failure
of tho up-rlvor fur trading enterprise,
this fort was nowhere and protected '
nothing, while the new site chosen
by Colonel Leavenworth was virtually
at the beginning of the Santa Fe and
Oregon trails, where traffic was of
considerable and growing importance.
The failure of Astor's attempt to
effect stable American lodgment on
the Columbia, and of the Missouri
Fur Company and other private enter
prises, to overcomo or successfully
compete with British influence and
trade aggression in this new north
west, stimulated the federal govern
ment to send out what wag Intended
to be a formidable military and scien
tific expedition for the purpose of es
tablishing a strong post at the mouth
of the Yellowstone river, to ascertain
the natural features and resources of
the country, and, If practicable, the
important line between the United
States and the British possessions.
There were dreams, if ndt practical
Intentions, of establishing a trad
with the Orient by way of the Colum
bia river, across the mountains to the
Missouri, and down that, stream to the
Mississippi, but which were to be re-
allzed through the steam rauroa
across Nebraska lnBtoad of the steam
boat up the Missouri.
Flvo steamboats were proviaea ior
tho transportation of the military arm
of the expedition, comprising aoout a
thousand men under tho command of
Col. Henry Atkinson. Mismanage
ment and miscalculation chiefly dis
tinguished this pretentious enterprise
from first to last The wasjte of time
and money except as tho latter pro
vided a substantial lining for the
pocket of the contractor In attempt
ing to navigate the Missouri with ves
sels not specially adapted to Its very
peculiar demands, the lack of proper
provisions for tho troops at their win
tor quarters at Council Bluff, result- '
ing in appalling sickness and death,
the entire abandonment of the orig
inal and important design of the en- -terprise
to obtain a sure footing or
control v in the upper Missouri and
the failure of Major Long to reach the
Red river at all seem to Justify the
criticism which the expedition has re ,
celved. Two of the five boats were
not able to enter the Missouri at all;
and ::the Jefferson gave out and
abandoned tho trip thirty miles below
Franklin. The Expedition and the
Johnson wintered at Cow Island, a
little above the moiith of the Kansas, '
and returned to St. Louis In the fol
lowing spring." The troops did not
reach Council Bluff, where they estab
lished Camp Missouri, till the 26th of
September, 1819. Their condition In
tho spring, March 8, is shown in the
journal of Longs expedition:
1
v
