Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-27
COUNTRY OF THE ST. PETERS.

81. Peters RiDer, NoO. ~, 1919.
GAS the public interest is connected with
our establishment here, you will probably lie
pleased to hear something of this remote cor
ner OF our territory, and Of our expedition 10
it.
"The junction of this River with the Mis-
sissippl is nine miles below the Falls OF An
thopy, and, according to the best calcaia-
tons, with quadrant Of our own construc-
tion in latitude "a degrees So minutes north.
The climate has been this season dry and
pleasant. On the 9th inst. the ice began TO
run in the Mississippi: there is none in the
ST. Peters.
"The soil on the bottoms is alluvial and
rich, but narrow in width. The country
there rises 80 or 100 feet, and is one inn
mense rolling prairie, of thin light soil, and
very little timber, principally oak, and short
and scrubby These prairies are covered
with grass which is very good for cattle, and
in the low places, is sufficiently tall and thick
TO be moved to good advantage, and makes
very good hay for cattle accustomed to this
kind of grass.
The greatest part of the stone about here
is limestone the remainder sandstone.--
But there is but small proportion of the
limestone which will make lime. 1t has the
appearance OF having been acted upon by
heat and also by water.
"Our men, in quarry ing the stone for our
chimnes, have found several pieces Of pure
copper, and ore Of several metals combined,
the principal which is copper. They have
also found considerable iron ore Of good
quality,
eve are, according TO the calculation OF
boatmen and voysgers, three hundred miles
above Prairie du Chen, and eleven hundred
above St. Louis and twelve hundred from De-
troit.
eve left Detroit on the 18th day Of May
last, in sehooners, which took US to Green
Bay of Lake Michigan. Here we took bat
teaux, We left Green Bay on the 18th June.
and assembled the Fox River. This stream
cannot, with much propriety, be called ma
vigable 1t is very rocky and shallow, and
very rapid current. In three places it is
wholly impossible with loaded boat for
nearly one mile in each place. The portage
between this river and the OuisconSin is,
believe. about two miles. | did not mea.
sure it for want of time The Ouiscensin is
very easy 10 descend, bat it is difficult TO as
cend, on account of numerous sand bars, and
a rapid current. The same may be said of
the Mississippi from Prairie du Chen to this
place. We arrived at Prairie du CHEN on
the 50th June. Here we remained until the
9Th of August, waiting for supplies, and our
recruits from ST. Louis On the LIST of Au
gust two boats arrived one with stores, and
the other with provisions. The recruits had
not yet come. We set out with what men
we had, after leaving two companies al Prai
RE du Chen, and sending one to Reck ISL
and. This left US force of about one hun
dred men. The river being low we found
some difficulty in getting over several sand
bars. We, however, arrived at the mouth OF
the river St. Peter, or St. Pierre, on the 93d
of August.
" On the 9Th of September 1870 Of our re-
cruits arrived. 90 of our men were transfer
red TO the rife regiment at Saint Louis for
the benefit of the Yellow Stone expedition.
-" We have now got Cur barracks erected
for the winter and shall be very comfortable
We have commenced ploughing and intend,
the next season, by order of major general
Macomb, to raise sufficient for the subsistence
OF our regiment.
"Of our expenses from Detroit 10 Green
Bay, | am uniformed, as they were paid by
an officer of the Quarter Master Generals
Department From Green Bay to Prairie du
Chen Cat the carrying places and portage)
FIVE hundred dollars. From Prairie du Chi
en- to this place including transportation of
ordnance, and ordnance stores and proyis-
ons, two hundred dollars, making the i'm
mense sum of seven hundred dollars.
/" When this post is we'll established the
only expense will be, (if it is correctly mana
ged) The pay and clothing of the troops.
" Would not the employment ofthe troops
in the manufacture of Copper and Iron, be
advantageous TO the government %