Major Stephen H. Long
Stephen H. Long was born at
Hopkinton, New Hampshire, December 30, 1784. He graduated at Dartmouth
College in 1809 and entered the army as a lieutenant of Engineers in
1814. He was transferred to the Corps of Topographical Engineers in
1816 with the brevet rank of major. From 1817 to 1823 he was constantly
engaged in western explorations. He remained in the military service,
though often engaged in civil engineering work, and was retired with the rank
of Colonel in 1863. His death occurred at Alton, Illinois, September 4,
1864.
Major Long's Expedition
into Oklahoma. - In 1819-20 an exploring expedition under the command
of Major Stephen H. Long, of the Topographical Engineers passed up the
valley of the Platte River to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
Skirting the eastern base of the mountains, the expedition then went
southward, crossing the valleys of the Arkansas and Cimarron, and
entering that of the South Canadian. Believing it to be the
source of the Red River, and mindful of the failures of Sparks and
Pike, Major Long turned and followed the Canadian and did not learn of
his mistake until he had nearly reached its mouth. He entered
Oklahoma from the west, just north of the Canadian River, in August,
1820, and left it at Fort Smith, in September. The greater part
of his course through Oklahoma was on the divide between the two
Canadian Rivers. Believing that he was following the course of
the Red River he was naturally very much puzzled that he did not
arrive at the Washita, Boggy and other tributaries of that stream.
Source: A
History of Oklahoma by Joseph B. Throburn and Isaac M.
Holcomb, Doub and Company San Francisco 1908.
|
