The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike: To the Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7

Originally published in 1810, these volumes present observations from Pike's military explorations into the Louisiana Purchase territory during the first decade of the nineteenth century. The first of these trips was from St. Louis up the Mississippi River to its headwaters, for the purpose of siting military posts and negotiating with Indian tribes. Although Pike traveled only a short distance up the Minnesota River from its mouth, this edition includes several extensive editorial notes on the history of the discovery of the river and the various European and Indian names for it. Pike comments on the desirability of the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers for the establishment of a military post, an opinion which led to the construction of Fort Snelling.