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Jefferson letter
123kb
Written from Monticello on August 30,
1807, this is a letter from President Thomas Jefferson to his then Secretary of
State (and future President) James Madison in which Jefferson tells Madison to
deny rumors that Zebulon Pike or his men were spies. He also writes that Pike
was under orders to explore and discover the headwaters of the Arkansas and Red
Rivers. Lastly, Jefferson tells Madison to repay the Spanish for bringing Pike
and his injured men back the United States. Undoubtedly, Jefferson wanted
information about New Spain and where exactly the Spanish forces were, but no
evidence other than conjecture has ever been unearthed proving that Pike was
anything other than an honorable, young lieutenant committed to fulfilling his
orders to the best of his ability. |
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Pike's map 3.5Mb Pike's map
1.5Mb
Map of the far northwestern part of Pike's second
Western Expedition, the "Arkansas Expedition". The map covers Pike's travels
from Western Kansas through Colorado and down to Santa Fe. This shows the
rivers, mountain ranges and of course shows the "highest peak" which later
became known as Pike's Peak. It was created from Pike's information and that of
other early explorers who followed him. Of note is the dashed line showing the
route of Pike's expedition through the region, while the "X's" note where they
camped, and major encampments have written notations near where they stayed for
more than a single day or two. Though claimed on paper by the Spanish, numerous
Indian tribes many of whom were encountered by Pike's force in fact dominated
this region. Pike returned some Kansa and Osage Indian captives back to tribes
in what is now North Central Kansas and South Central Nebraska while
negotiating a treaty between the tribes. Later, Pike had to negotiate with the
Grand Pawnee twice in order to head west and fulfill his orders of finding the
headwaters of the Arkansas and Red Rivers. |
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Pike's Notebook
175Kb
A page from Pike's notebooks in
which Pike kept notes from his first Western Expedition to near the headwaters
of the Mississippi and the second Western Expedition through what is now the
Southwestern United States. This notebook was among the items, which were
confiscated by the Spanish when Pike was held in New Spain. Knowing the extreme
cold and wet blizzard conditions which Pike and his men survived as they passed
through the wintry mountains of Colorado, it is in surprisingly good
condition.. |
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Pike's Published Journals
140Kb
The title page from his 1810
account which made Pike internationally famous. Some historians disparage Pike
when comparing him to other early American explorers. Actually in light of his
slight education, his early life on the frontier, and his pure grit in
following his duty though not receiving any additional material support for his
orders, Pike is rightly honored for giving America (and Jefferson) it's very
first credible information about the vast region which is now the Southwestern
United States and Northern Mexico. |
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Santa Fe Trail map
149Kb
This is a map of the Santa Fe
Trail in Pike's own hand, which was one of the items confiscated by the
Spanish. This map is thought not to show Pike's route, but rather used as him
as a reference as to what he might encounter on the Arkansas Expedition. Anyone
who knows this region can only marvel at what a disadvantage Pike was at with
such a dearth of accurate information. This lack of information undoubtedly
contributed to his actions, which are sometimes disparaged, and the numerous
problems in surviving a horrendous winter in the heart of the Colorado
wilderness in what were merely light summer uniforms and supplies meant for a
much shorter expedition. |
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