THE Johnson AND THE JOHNSONS.

Nov. 6. Note of "The new Steam-boat Johnson, built by Col. Johnson of Kentucky . . . She is intended as a regular trader from Kentucky on the Mississippi, and the Missouri as far up as Yellow Stone river. This boat will afford great facility in transporting troops or military stores intended for this post-and at once opens a quick and rapid water communication between the enterprizing citizens bordering on the great waters of the Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio... The Johnson was not able to reach Louisville in time to receive the provisions and other military stores destined for the Missouri, [and so] took in a cargo for New Orleans. In the spring she will ascend the Missouri."

Passed Shawneetown the first of this month bound for New Orleans.

There was more than the usual merit in the title of these two otherwise typical Kentucky colonels. Richard Mentor Johnson raised a regiment of a thousand mounted Kentuckian militiamen for service in the war of 1812. The decisive battle of the Thames, in the province of Ontario, some sixty miles east of Detroit and a mile from the hamlet of Moraviantown, which is thirty miles up the river from the city of Chatham, was fought on October 5, 1813, between Americans, under command of Major General William Henry Harrison and a British army supported by a large body of Indians, lead by Tecumseh, the great Shawnee chief. Colonel Johnson divided his regiment into two equal parts, one commanded by himself and the other by his brother, Lieutenant Colonel James Johnson. At a critical period the two Johnsons virtually took the lead, and with consummate dash and skill won the battle. There is little doubt that Colonel Johnson killed Tecumseh with his own hand and thus demoralized his followers. Colonel Johnson's life was given up to politics and holding high offices. He was United States senator, vice president, and for many years member of the House of Representatives. But these patriotic brothers in war used their great political influence in promoting the Yellowstone Expedition and in successfully grafting on it. Henry Clay, then a fellow political partisan of the Johnsons, very speciously defended them against the charges preferred by the War Department. McMaster's brief account of the battle of the Thames (A History of the People of the United States, IV, 39-40) is apropos.

Auguste Chouteau is at this time president of the "Bank of Missouri." It has $210,000 capital; debts due bank, $324,493.21; real estate, $4,700; deposits, $312,888.89; notes in circulation, $100,002.25. Cash on hand, $231,542.39; do. sent for specie, $65,544.49; sent to the branch at St. Genevieve, $40,000—this branch had that amount of stock-; total $337,086.88.

Nov. 13. Quotes from a letter "now going the rounds," saying that the government is fitting out an expedition to the Rocky Mountains and the northwest coast: "A steam boat [Western Engineer] is now building at Pittsburg for this expedition, and which it is expected will be able to proceed up the Missouri to its source. It is ascertained that there is a passage through the Rocky Mountains, and at the distance of about five miles after you pass the mountains, a branch of the Columbia commences running, to the Pacific Ocean!!! It is intended to take the steam boat to pieces at the mountains, and rebuild her in this river. The expedition is to traverse the continent by water, and to be absent about two years.-It will pass the first winter on this side of the Rocky Mountains! ! ! !'98

March 17, 1819. June 20, 1818, a treaty with the Pawnee Republic, concluded at St. Louis proclaimed by the president January 17, 1819; June 18, 1818, with Grand Pawnee, proclaimed January 7, 1819; June 19, 1818, with "Pitavirate [Pitahauerat] Noisy Pawnee tribe," proclaimed same date.

March 24, 1819. Notes that a treaty with the "Pawnee Marhar" tribe was concluded at St. Louis, June 22, 1818; proclaimed January 5, 1819.

William Clark and Auguste Chouteau, commissioners, negotiated these treaties of "peace and friendship," in which the several tribes acknowledged themselves to be

'For a history of this expedition, see Watkins, "First Steamboat Trial Trip up the Missouri," Nebraska State Historical Society, XVII, 162; also, Goodwin, “A Larger View of the Yellowstone Expedition," The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, IV, 299.

under the protection of the United States and no other power.

YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION.

April 21. A highfaluting article, by "X", on the vast influence and effect of the expedition.

April 28. Under date line Frankfort, Ky., April 9. "On Thursday evening the 2d instant [Thursday was the first], arrived at the lower ware house near this place the new and elegant Steam Boat EXPEDITION from Shippingport, built at Pittsburg, and purchased by the enterprizing and indefatigable Col. J. Johnson, for the Yellow Stone expedition. She carries about 200 tons, and brought up the Kentucky about fifty tons. Her accomodations are of the first order. The water was rapidly falling, in consequence of which all possible expedition was used in discharging her cargo and preparing her to descend the river. About ten o'clock on Friday she had received about 100 tons, which the Captain thought as much as could with safety be carried in her down the Kentucky. She arrived at the mouth of the Kentucky in nine hours, without meeting with any impediment."

"The U. S. Steam Boat, WESTERN ENGINEER, destined to explore the waters of the Mississippi, under the command of Maj. Long, was launched at the arsenal, near Pittsburg, on the 26th ult."

"On Thursday, the 20th, [18th] ult. the beautiful steam boat CALHOUN, of 100 tons burthen, was launched at the boat yard one mile from Frankfort. It is the property of Col. James Johnson & Co. [Ky. Gaz., April 9."]

Wednesday, May 12. "The STEAM-BOAT INDEPENDENCE, Capt. Nelson, arrived here yesterday with passengers and freight from Louisville."

Wednesday, May 19. "The EXPEDITION, Capt. Craig,

'Shippingport, now a village of about 125 inhabitants, is situated on the Ohio River, in Beaver county, Pa., about forty miles below Pittsburgh and ten miles east of the east boundary of the sharp northern projection of West Virginia.

arrived here on Wednesday last [May 12], destined for the Yellow Stone... The EXCHANGE, Capt. Whips, arrived here on Monday [17th], and will return to Louisville in a few days for a new set of boilers, she having burst her boiler in ascending the Mississippi."

FIRST STEAMBOAT AT UPPER MISSOURI.

Notes that the Independence, Capt. Nelson, "for Franklin on the Missouri," sailed on Sunday last [16th]. And then: "In 1817, less than two years ago, the first Steam-Boat arrived at St. Louis. We hailed it as the day of small things, but the glorious consummation of all our wishes is daily arriving. Already during the present season, we have seen on our shores 5 steam boats, and several more daily expected. Who could or would have dared to have conjectured, that in 1819, we would have witnessed the arrival of a steam boat from Philadelphia and New York. Yet such is the fact. The Mississippi and Ohio have become familiar to this great American invention & another new arena is now opening. A steamboat owned by individuals [the Independence], has started from St. Louis for Franklin, 200 miles up the Missouri, and two others are now here destined for the Yellow Stone. The time is fast approaching, when a journey to the Pacific will become as familiar, and indeed more so, than it was 15 or 20 years ago to Kentucky or Ohio."

"to

May 26. A communication to the Mercantile Advertiser, copied by the Gazette, says that it is intended that the Western Engineer will go as far as the Yellowstone, the object being" to obtain a thorough knowledge of that section of the country, with a history of the inhabitants, soil, minerals and curiosities. The expedition is under the direction of Major Stephen H. Long, of New Hampshire, of the topographical engineers, attended by Mr. James Graham, of Virginia, and Mr. Wm. H. Swift, of Mass. from the United States Military Academy; Major

Thomas Biddle, of the artillery, and the following gentle

men:

"Dr. Jessup, of Philadelphia, Mineralogist.

"Dr. Say of do., Botanist and Geologist.

"Dr. Baldwin, of Wilmington, Del., Zoologist and Physician.

"Mr. Peale, of Philadelphia, Landscape Painter and Ornithologist.

"Mr. Seymour, do. do. do.

"Major O'Fallon, Indian Agent.

"She is well armed, but carries an elegant flag, painted by Mr. Peale, representing a white man and an Indian shaking hands, the Calumet of Peace and a Sword. The boat is 75 feet long, and 13 feet beam, draws 19 inches of water, with her engine, which together with all the machinery, is placed below deck, entirely out of sight. The steam passes off through the mouth of the figure-head (a large serpent). The wheels are placed in the stern, to avoid the snags and sawyers which are so common in those waters. She has a mast to ship or not as may be necessary. The expedition will depart with the best wishes of the scientific part of our country."

This information was obtained from a young officer of the expedition.

Under the date line, "Pittsburgh, April 23", is an article giving the object of the expedition:

"The object of the expedition is principally to make a correct military survey of this river, and to fix upon a site for a military establishment, at or near the junction of the Yellowstone with the Missouri; to ascertain the point where the rocky mountains are intersected by the 49th degree of latitude, which forms the western [northern] boundary between the possessions of Great Britain and the United States; to enquire into the trading capacity and genius of the various tribes through which they may pass, and finally, to investigate whatever may be novel or interesting in the geology, botany, mineral