War Department,
Washington, D. C.,
January 29, 1894.
Sir:
As requested in your letter of the 22nd instant, I take pleasure in advising you that you will be afforded an opportunity at such time as you may call at the Department to examine for historical purposes such records as are on file covering the expedition of Z. M. Pike, a publication of whose travels you state first appeared in 1810.
Very respectfully,
[Signed] Daniel S. Lamont,
Secretary of War.
Dr. Elliott Coues,
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D. C.
[M-3] See beyond, [p. lix], for a document bearing on the Pike family, in connection with a letter of Zebulon M. Pike, both introduced in their proper chronological order in this memoir. But I find no better place than this for a letter from his father, which has never been published before and will be read with interest:
Indiana Territory
Dear born County
July 15th 1807
Sir
I have taken the liberty of making out my accounts of Pay Forrage and Subsistance from the 1t of January to the 31t inst and forwarded them to the Pay Master for payment which I pray may meet your approbation
Permit me to request the Honor of a few lines informing if Z. M. Pike received orders for His Government on His late exploring expedition, from The President, Yourself, or Genl Wilkinson, and if any or how late the last information or communications from Him. I need not mention how disagreeable a state of Suspense is, nor, to move your sympathy, to say more than that the anxiety and concern, exhibited for His safety, by an affectionate Mother and Wife, is Great. By way of consolation to the former, I have thought proper to extend the probable Period of His return, untill this month; Mrs Pike is now begining to lose confidence in my opinion, consequently my consolating influence is daily lesening, and Her afflictions increasing——