PIKE, ZEBULON AIONTGONIERY (1779-1813). An American soldier and explorer. born in Lam bertom N. .1. Ile was taken by his father, an army officer. to Bucks County. Pa.. and then to Easton. At the age of fifteen he was a cadet in his father's regiment. became ensign Mareli 3, 1799, and was made first lieutenant November 1. 1800. On August 9. 1805. he started from Saint Louis on an exploring expedition into part of the territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase. After suffering ninny hardships mid reaching the rpper Red Cedar (Cass) Lake, he returned to Saint Louis in April. 1806. He started on an other expedition on .Tuly 1st. ascended the Mis souri River and the Osage, into the present State of Kansas. and thence proceeded south to the Arkansas 11iver. He ascended this to the present site of Pueblo. Col.. viewed 'Pike's Peak' (named in his honor). and then went to the site of the present Leadville. While searching for the lied he reaehed the Rio Grande on Spanish territory, and was sent under guard by the Spanish Governor of New Mexieo to General Salcedo at Chihuahua. After some delay he was escorted to the boundary, and on .July 1, 1807, reached Natchitoches. He had been made cap tain in 1806 and was promoted to lie major in 1808. lieutenant-colonel in 1809, and colonel in
1812. On March 12, 1813, he was nominated brigadier-general (though he was not confirmed by the Senate before his death), and was assigned to the principal army as adjutant and inspector general. In the expedition against York (To ronto). Canada, he landed on April 27th. and stormed one of the redoubts. The retreating garrison blew up the magazine, and a descending fragment of rock crushed his spine and caused his death within a few hours. Pike published the results of his expedition in A n Account of an Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi, and Through the Western Ports of Louisiana, . . . and a Tour Through the Interior Parts of New Spain . . . (1810). This contains much valuable information, but is poorly arranged and full of repetition. It was rear ranged and reprinted in England in 1811. From this was made a French translation in 1812 and a Dutch translation in 1812-13. Consult The Expedition of Zebulon .1I. Pike to the Head waters of the Mississippi, 7'hrough Louisiana Territory, and in. New Spain (3 vDns,, New York. 1895). This contains the rearranged text, full notes. and an elaborate memoir by Elliott Cones.