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Exploring and Surveying the Louisiana Purchase
When the United States purchased Louisiana in 1803, the extent of the territory was very much uncertain. President Jefferson authorized multiple expeditions to explore this newly acquired land. While most folks know about the Lewis and Clark expedition to investigate the northern reaches of the Purchase, other expeditions came through Arkansas and are much less well known.
Dunbar-Hunter Expedition of 1804-1805
The William Dunbar and George Hunter expedition explored and officially documented the Ouachita river from the confluence of the Ouachita, Black, and Mississippi rivers to the hot springs located in present day Hot Springs, Arkansas. In addition to Dunbar-Hunter; servants, slaves, family (i.e., George Hunter’s son), and a complement of soldiers left St Catherine’s landing south of Natchez in mid October 1804 and by mid November had arrived at current day Monroe, Louisiana. At Monroe, the original vessel was stored and a vessel with a shallower draft was leased. The expedition arrived near the hot springs in early December, spent the next four weeks making scientific studies and notations, and left the first week of January 1805. The expedition exchanged boats at Monroe and arrived back at Natchez by early February 1805. Official reports of this expedition were the first look at the Louisiana Purchase.
. . . See a map of the Ouachita River . . .
. . . See a drawing of the first boat used in the expedition . . .
Freeman-Custis Expedition of 1806
This expedition left in two 25' boats from Ft. Adams on April 19, 1806 to find the source of the Red River. Using bayous and connecting lakes, the expedition bypassed the great blockage of logs, The Great Raft, at present day Shreveport, traveled through the tribal lands of the Caddo and was halted on July 29th, by the Spanish military about 30 miles northwest of present day Texarkana. Along the way, the expedition was accompanied by various Indian and local hunter guides. Co-leader Thomas Freeman was a civil engineer and surveyor, with Peter Custis as the first American-educated naturalist to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Capt. Richard Sparks and Lt. Enoch Humpreheys commanded 2 sergeants and 17 privates. A slave accompanied Custis. Due in part to the Burr conspiracy, the shortened expedition nevertheless was able to catalog 270 species and to establish diplomatic relations with the Caddo Tribe.
. . . See a map of the expedition . . .
Robbins-Brown 1815 Survey of the Louisiana Purchase
Without the survey (beginning in 1815) there was no way for the government to sell the unsettled land of the Louisiana Purchase. Selling the land was necessary to recover from the 1812 war debts and other expenditures. The government tried to sell 160-acre tracts of land for two dollars an acre, payable in four years. When too many settlers failed to pay, the plan was abandoned. Smaller parcels, within the grasp of the settlers, were later legalized, which increased sales. Prospect K. Robbins was contracted to lead a survey party north (5th Principal Meridian) from the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers starting on October 27, 1815. The same day Joseph C. Brown left the confluence of the St. Francis and Mississippi Rivers heading due west (Baseline). Their intersection formed the “Initial Point” from which other surveys were to be referenced. The Baseline was completed across Arkansas in 1841.