Zebulon Pike: Thomas Jefferson's Agent for Empire: Thomas Jefferson's Agent for Empire

by George R. Matthews

Overview

In 1806, the United States was on the brink of war with Spain over the disputed western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase and anticipated invading New Mexico. Possessing only meager information on the terrain as well as Spanish troop numbers and fortifications, President Thomas Jefferson and General James Wilkinson needed an agent who could cross the continent to Spanish territory all the way to the capital of Santa Fe, provide a plausible "cover story" for being there, and return with the vital information. Zebulon Pike: Thomas Jefferson's Agent for Empire is the story of how Pike carried out his mission as a prelude to an American invasion of New Mexico.

This unique book is the first to fully chronicle Pike's 1806–1807 expedition to the Rocky Mountains and beyond, addressing both the exploratory and the clandestine purposes of Pike's western journey. By carefully examining the evidence available in primary documents, which shows that Pike prepared and carried a map showing a route to Santa Fe on his journey, the author overturns the conventional wisdom that Pike became lost searching for the Red River and mistakenly wandered into Spanish territory. This book also presents the Spanish perspective and response to Pike's invasion of Spanish territory and provides historical context to understand the role of Pike's expedition in Thomas Jefferson's quest to build an American "empire for liberty."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440844324
Publisher:	ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date:	02/22/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

George R. Matthews is a historian who has received the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies Research Grant and twice been awarded the Historical Society of New Mexico and Office of the State Historian Research Fellowship.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Map: Pike's Santa Fe Trail Map xi

Prologue: The Questions to Be Answered xiii

1 Mr. Jefferson's Quest for Empire 1

2 For Spanish Eyes 19

3 Camp Independence 33

4 Contested Colors 47

5 Hurray for the Mexican Mountains 63

6 "Is Not This the Red River?" 79

7 Spies and Lies 99

8 Politics, Religion, and Fandangos 113

9 A Question of Honor 131

Notes 151

Bibliography 169

Index 179

What People are Saying About This

Rick Hendricks

"Matthews challenges the standard narrative that Zebulon Pike was lost when Spaniards captured him in present-day Colorado in February 1807. This groundbreaking study argues convincingly that Pike had a map. This proves he knew where he was and reveals what he was up to—spying for President Thomas Jefferson."

Frances Levine

"George Matthews skillfully captures the era of international intrigue that surrounded America's western expansion. He unpacks the political dimensions of Jefferson's dream of an 'empire for liberty' and Pike's deep exploration of the vast interior of North America. With wit and eloquence Matthews connects the diplomacy and duplicity of American, Spanish, and French operatives in the emergence of the nation."

Meg Frisbee

"Matthews clearly explains complex intrigues and easily balances the many moving pieces of the Pike story."

Jay H. Buckley

"Matthews' Zebulon Pike reconstructs Pike's southwestern excursion to Santa Fe, revealing how Pike aided James Wilkinson's nefarious schemes and expanded Jefferson's 'Empire of Liberty.' The map to Santa Fe that Pike carried reveals that he may not have been quite so lost after all!"