Pike's Stockade

Lieutenant Zebulon Pike came west three years after the Louisiana Purchase. His commission: to explore the new territory as far as the headwaters of the Arkansas River. By the late fall of 1806, Pike and his command had reached the Arkansas River crossing. Here he had a log breastwork built opposite the mouth of Fountain Creek, this to hold the remainder of his men, while he and three companions attempted to climb the mountain later named for him. Pike’s was the first in a series of temporary structures built near the Arkansas Crossing.

Zebulon Pike, 23-30 November 1806.

“23d November, Sunday. - Marched at ten o'clock...and encamped at night in the point of the grand forks [confluence ot the Arkansas and Fountain Creek]. As the river appeared to be dividing itself into many small branches and of course must be near its extreme source, I concluded to put the party in a defensible situation, and ascend the north fork [Fountain Creek] to the high point of the blue mountain [Pikes Peak], which we conceived would be one day's march, in order to be enabled from its pinical to lay down the various branches and positions of the country ....

“24th November, Monday. - Early in the morning cut down 14 logs, and put up a breast work, five feet high on three sides and the other was thrown on the river. After giving the necessary orders for their government, during my absence, in case of our not returning, we marched at one o'clock with an idea of arriving at the foot of the mountain ....

“27th November, Thursday. Arose hungry, dry, and extremely sore...The summit of the Grand Peak [Pikes Peak], which was entirely bare of vegetation and covered with snow, now appeared at the distance of 15 or 16 miles from us. It was as high again as what we had ascended, and would have taken a whole day's march to have arrived at its base, when I believe no human being could have ascended its pinical. This, with the condition of my soldiers, who had only light overalls on, no stockings, and were in every way ill provided to endure the inclemency of the region; the bad prospect of killing anything to subsist on, with the further detention of two or three days which it must occasion, determined us to return.

“29th November, Saturday...arrived at our camp [on the Arkansas] before night; found all well.

“30th November, Sunday. - Marched at eleven o'clock, it snowed very fast, but my impatience to be moving would not permit my lying still at that camp ....”

Source: The Expeditions of John Charles Fremont, ed. by Donald Jackson and Mary Le Spence. (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1970).