From Thomas Jefferson to William Dunbar, 17 July 1804
To William Dunbar
Washington July 17. 04.
Dear Sir
Your letter of June 1. to myself as well as that to the Secretary at War was recieved here the 12th. inst. in addition1 to the information contained in this last2 on the subject of our mission for exploring the Red & Arkansa rivers, is some of importance collected here. Capt. Choteau and 12 chiefs of the Osage nation are here at this time. among these is the Great chief of the whole nation. Capt Lewis’s conferences with them, their visit, and what has passed here, have I believe fixt their friendship permanently. they will go from hence to Baltimore, Philadelphia & New York, and will then return home, where they will probably be in the course of November. I mentioned to the Chief this mission. it seems there is a schism in their nation; about 400. warriors of it and their families under the direction [of] a chief called the Great track, having drawn off about two years ago to the Arkansa river. these will undoubtedly oppose the passage of our party and perhaps do worse. White hairs (the great chief) therefore earnestly desires this mission to be suspended. he has sollicited our mediation to heal this schism. we accordingly shall engage Capt. Choteau (who is to be our agent with the Osages) to go to the seceders in the winter or spring, to establish a good understanding with them on our part, and prevail on them to rejoin their nation. he will engage their consent to our mission and to furnish guides for the whole course of it. in the mean while we shall be able to remove Spanish impediments. on the whole therefore we conclude to suspend this expedition till the spring. but as you had proposed to go yourself some distance up the Red river, it is very desireable that you should make use of any part of the men or matters provided for the expedition, and go to what distance, and in what direction you please, return when you please, but in time to report to us the result of your researches, which report will probably induce Congress to enlarge the appropriation, and in the spring the party may start under better prospects. this delay gives us an opportunity too of appointing a person fully qualified to head the expedition. should this find you at home, & the party departed, you will be so good as to send after them any orders you think best, either to return, immediately, or from such point in their course as will enable them to get back to winter at Natchez, and report their progress in time for the consideration of Congress. should you be gone from Natchez with the party, I shall desire mr West to send this after you by express. Accept my friendly salutations and assurances of great esteem & respect
Th: Jefferson
PoC (DLC); at foot of first page: “William Dunbar esq.”; one word faint. Dupl (same); in a clerk’s hand, signed by TJ and with his notation at head of text: “Duplicate.” Enclosed in TJ to Cato West, 17 July.
The War department recorded receiving on 12 July a letter of 9 June from Dunbar related to the proposed expedition “to explore upper Louisiana.” Dunbar saved a letter of that day among his drafts, although he recorded it as intended for TJ. In his draft, Dunbar discussed how Spanish policies and the potential hostility of Indians, particularly the Osages, might impact an expedition along the Red and Arkansas Rivers (DNA: RG 107, RLRMS; Lb in Ms-Ar: William Dunbar Papers).
what has passed here: in addition to their audiences with the president, the Osage delegation visited the Washington Navy Yard, where they viewed several frigates. A discharge of guns saluted them, as flags and signals “were hoisted in a moment, but without exciting in them the least emotion, except an expression of satisfaction at this mark of distinction.” On the evening of the 17th, several Osages performed what was described as a war dance before a large crowd that included TJ and members of the cabinet. An account in the Washington Federalist described the “exhibition of naked Savages” and indicated that the president, “his red brother” White Hair, “and the Court Ladies occupied an elevated situation prepared for them, so as to ‘command a better view of the whole ground.’ ” The Federalist reporter added that the “Mammoth Toad,” that is, the horned lizard sent by Lewis and Clark and brought to TJ by the delegation, “with his seven horns & buffalo head, was not present” (Norwich Courier, 1 Aug.; Washington Federalist, 23 July; Vol. 43:451, 453n).
For the 17 July appointment of Pierre Chouteau as U.S. agent for Indian affairs in upper Louisiana and Dearborn’s instructions to him, see , 13:31-3.
1. Preceding two words interlined.
2. Preceding two words interlined in place of “that.”