Benjamin Bonneville

Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville (April 14, 1796-1878) was a French-born officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West. He is noted for his expeditions to the Oregon Country and the Great Basin, and in particular for blazing portions of both the Oregon Trail. Benjamin Bonneville This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... US Army Seal HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit Insignia The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... The fur trade was a huge part in the early economic development of North America. ... The Western United States, also referred to as the American West or simply The West, traditionally refers to the region constituting the westernmost states of the United States (see geographical terminology section for further discussion of these terms). ... Oregon Country was a region of western North America that originally consisted of the land north of 42°N latitude, south of 54°40N latitude, and west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. ... Map showing the Great Basin in orange The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States, commonly defined as the contiguous watershed region, roughly between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, that has no natural outlet to the sea. ... The route of the Oregon Trail is shown in red in the western United States Map from The Ox Team or the Old Oregon Trail 1852-1906 by Ezra Meeker. ...

He was made famous during his lifetime by an account of his explorations in the west, written by Washington Irving. Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American author of the early 19th century. ...

Early career

He was born in or near Paris, the son of civil engineer and publisher Nicholas Bonneville and his wife Marguerite. In 1803 his family moved to the United States. Their passage was paid by Thomas Paine who had lodged with the Bonnevilles in Paris. In his will, Paine left the bulk of his estate to Marguerite, including 100 acres (400,000 m²) of his farm so she could maintain and educate Benjamin and his brother Thomas. In 1813 he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated after only two years, receiving a commission as brevet second lieutenant of light artillery. In his early career he served at posts in New England, Mississippi, and at Fort Smith in the Arkansas Territory. In 1824, he was transferred to Fort Gibson in the Indian territory and promoted to Captain. While travelling to France, he was a guest of General Lafayette. After returning from France, he was transferred in 1828 to Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... The term civil engineer refers to an individual who practices civil engineering. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Crest of the United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy, also known simply as West Point and USMA, is a U.S. military academy and former Army fort. ... West Point painting West Point is a federal military base (and a census-designated place) located in the Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York. ... While the states marked in red show the core of New England, the regions cultural influence may cover a greater or lesser area than shown. ... State nickname: Magnolia State Official languages English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour (R) Senators Thad Cochran (R) Trent Lott (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 32nd 125,546 km² 3 Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 31st 2,697,243 23. ... Fort Smith, situated at the junction of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, is a city and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas. ... Arkansas Territory was a historic, organized territory of the United States from July 4, 1819 to June 15, 1836, when it was admitted as Arkansas, the 25th U.S. state. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Fort Gibson is a town located in Oklahoma. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Territory in 1891 Indian Territory, also known as Indian Country, Indian territory or the Indian territories, was the land set aside within the United States for the use of American Indians (Native Americans). The general borders were set by the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. ... Marie-Joseph-Paul-Roch-Yves-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (September 6, 1757 – May 20, 1834), was a French aristocrat most famous for his participation in the American Revolutionary War and early French Revolution. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Jefferson Barracks Military Post was open in 1826 to replace Fort Bellefontaine 1806-1826. ...

While in Missouri, Bonneville was inspired by the writing of Hall J. Kelley, as well as editorials in the St. Louis Enquirer (edited at the time by Thomas Hart Benton) to join in the exploration of the American West. Bonneville met with Kelley, who was impressed by him an appointed him to lead one of the expeditions to the Oregon Country that were to leave in early 1832. The lack of volunteers for the expedition forced the delay and eventual cancellation of the expedition, leaving Bonnevile unrequited in his ambitions. Hall Jackson Kelley (February 28, 1790-January 17, 1874) was an American settler and writer known for his strong advocacy for U.S. settlement of the Oregon Country in the 1830s. ... Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782–April 10, 1858), nicknamed Old Bullion, was an American Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. ... Oregon Country was a region of western North America that originally consisted of the land north of 42°N latitude, south of 54°40N latitude, and west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

In order to pursue his desire to explore the west, he petitioned General Alexander Macomb for a leave of absence from the military, arguing in his request that he would be able to perform valuable reconnaissance among the Native Americans in the Oregon Country, which at the time was under a precarious joint occupation of the U.S. and Britain and largely controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company. Macomb granted his request, instructed him to gather all information that might be useful to the government. Alexander Macomb can refer to: Alexander Macomb (1748 - 1831), American merchant and land speculator Alexander Macomb (1782 - 1841), Son of the above, Major-General in command of the U.S. Army 1828-1841. ... Assiniboin Boy, an Atsina Native Americans in the United States (also Indians, American Indians, First Americans, Indigenous Peoples, Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal Americans, Amerindians, Amerinds, or Original Americans) are those indigenous peoples within the territory that is now encompassed by the continental United States, and their descendants in modern times. ... The Hudsons Bay Company (HBC) TSX: HBC is the oldest corporation in Canada (and the second oldest in North America) and is one of the oldest in the world still in existence. ...

Expedition of 1832

The expedition that would become the most famous accomplishment of his life began in May 1832, when he left Missouri with 110 men, including Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth. The voyage was financed by John Jacob Astor, a rival of the Hudson's Bay Company. The expedition proceeded up to the Platte River and across present-day Wyoming. They reached the Green River in August and built a winter fort, which they named Fort Bonneville. Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth (January 29, 1802–August 31, 1856) was an American inventor, ice harvester, and explorer and trader in the far west. ... John Jacob (originally Johann Jakob) Astor (July 17, 1763 - March 29, 1848) made a fortune in fur trading and real estate. ... This article is about the Platte River in Nebraska. ... State nickname: Equality State Official languages English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Senators Craig Thomas (R) Mike Enzi (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 10th 253,554 km² 0. ... The Green River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States The Green River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 730 mi (1,175 km) long, in the western United States. ...

In the spring of 1833 he explored along the Snake River in present-day Idaho. He also sent a party of men under Joseph Walker to explore the Great Salt Lake and to find an overland route to California. Walker discovered a route along the Humboldt River across present-day Nevada, as well as Walker Pass across the Sierra Nevada, a path that later became known as the California Trail, the primary route for the emigrants to the gold fields during the California gold rush. Much speculation has surrounded Bonneville's motivations for sending Walker to California. In particular some historians have speculated that Bonneville was attempting to lay the groundwork for an eventual invasion of California, then part of Mexico, by the United States Army. 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Snake River in the northwestern United States. ... State nickname: Gem State Official languages English Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Senators Larry Craig (R) Mike Crapo (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 14th 216,632 km² 0. ... Joseph Walker can refer to more than one person of note, including: Joseph A. Walker U.S. military aviator Joseph Marshall Walker governor of Louisiana in the 1850s Joseph Walker (explorer) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Satellite Photo of the Great Salt Lake as it looked in the summer of 2003 Great Salt Lake is an endorheic saline lake in northern Utah, much saltier than the ocean. ... State nickname: The Golden State Official languages English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 4. ... The Humboldt River is a river in northern Nevada in the United States, approximately 300 mi (483 km). ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Official languages None Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Senators Harry Reid (D) John Ensign (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 7th 286,367 km² 0. ... Walker Pass (elevation 5,250 ft/1,600 m) is a mountain pass in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in eastern California. ... California Trail The California Trail was a major overland emigrant route across the American West from Missouri to California in the middle 19th century. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... A California Gold Rush handbill The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by mass hysteria concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ... US Army Seal HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit Insignia The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

John McLoughlin, the director of the Columbia operations of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River, heard of Bonneville's mission and forbade his traders from doing business with Bonneville and his men. Bonneville reported that many of the Native Americans he encountered in the Snake River were also reluctant to displease the Hudson's Bay Company by trading with the Americans. John McLoughlin (NSHC statue) Dr. John McLoughlin (pronounced mc-lock-lin, October 19, 1784 – September 3, 1857), the Father of Oregon, was a fur trader and early settler in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest. ... Fort Vancouver Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudsons Bay Company in the Oregon Country. ... Columbia River Gorge, Washington or North side The Columbia River is a river situated in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ... Assiniboin Boy, an Atsina Native Americans in the United States (also Indians, American Indians, First Americans, Indigenous Peoples, Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal Americans, Amerindians, Amerinds, or Original Americans) are those indigenous peoples within the territory that is now encompassed by the continental United States, and their descendants in modern times. ...

In the summer of 1833 Bonneville ventured into the Wind River Range in present-day Wyoming to trade with the Shoshone. By this time he realized that he would not be able to fulfill his obligation to return east by October. He wrote a lengthy letter to Macomb summarizing some of his findings and requesting more time, specifically in order to survey the Columbia and parts of the Southwest before his return. The Wind River Range is shown highlighted on a map of the western United States The Wind River Range is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. ... Shoshone around their tipi, probably taken around 1890 Shoshone Indians at Ft. ...

Trying to reach Oregon

After spending the early winter at Fort Bonneville, he set out westward in January 1834 with the goal of reaching the Willamette Valley. He and his men traveled up the Snake River, through Hells Canyon, and into the Wallowa Mountains, where they found a hospitable welcome by the Nez Perces along the Imnaha River. 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence from mountains near Eugene to its confluence with the Columbia River. ... Hells Canyon is a canyon created by the Snake River. ... The Wallowa Mountains are a mountain range located in the Columbia Plateau of northeastern Oregon in the United States. ... Nez Perce photographed in the 19th century The Nez Perce or Nez Percé (pronounced /n3z pVrs/, or /ne perse/ as in French) are a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the Pacific Northwest region of North America and adjoining regions at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. ...

On March 4, 1834 they reached Fort Nez Perces, the outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company at the confluence of the Walla Walla River with the Snake. Pierre C. Pambrun, the HBC commander of the fort welcomed him but refused to do business with him. Emptyhanded, Bonneville and men retraced their course back to southeast Idaho and made camp on the Portneuf River. March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Walla Walla River is a tributary of the Columbia River located in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington in the United States. ... The Portneuf River, seen from U.S. Highway 30 west of Soda Springs The Portneuf River is a tributary of the Snake River, approximately 96 mi (156 km) long, in southeastern Idaho in the United States. ...

In July he made a second trip west, determined to trade with the Hudson's Bay Company. He followed an easier route across the Blue Mountains, where he met Nathaniel Wyeth once again and camped along the Grande Ronde River. By this time he and his men had become desperate for food and supplies. At Fort Nez Perces, they found the same rejection from Pabrun. Instead of returning immediately east he and men journeyed down the Columbia towards Fort Vancouver. Along the river, he attempted to trade with Sahaptins but without success. He came to realize that he would probably receive the same rejection from McLoughlin at Fort Vancouver and decided to turn back east. The Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains are a mountain range located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington in the United States. ... The Grande Ronde River is a tributary of the Snake River, approximately 180 mi (290 km) long, in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington in the United States. ... Sahaptin is a Sahaptian language (of the Plateau Penutian family) spoken in southern Washington and northern Oregon. ...

He spent the winter of 1834-1835 with the Shoshone along the upper Bear River. In April 1835 began the voyage back to Missouri. He reached Independence by August and discovered that although his letter requesting an extension had arrived, it had not been delivered to Macomb. In the meantime, his commission had been revoked. 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Bear River is a river, approximately 350 mi (563 km) long in southwestern Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern United States. ...

Washington Irving

Bonneville journeyed east hoping to be able to recover his commission. On the way to Washington, D.C., he stopped in New York City where he was received by his patron John Jacob Astor. While staying with Astor, Bonneville met Washington Irving. Bonneville regaled Irving with tales of his adventures, tales that Bonneville planning on capturing in a book he was working on. Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, and the most densely populated major city in North America. ...

A month or two later, Irving visited Bonneville again, at the Washington D.C. barracks where the latter was staying. Bonneville was having difficulties writing his adventures. The two of them agreed that for the sum of $1000, Bonneville would turn over his maps and notes so that Irving could use them as the basis for his third "Western" book. The result was The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, published in 1837. See also: 1836 in literature, other events of 1837, 1838 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

More military service

In Washington, Bonneville petitioned tirelessly to Secretary of War Lewis Cass to have his commission re-instated. In early 1836 he was successful, and in subsequent years was given assignments on the western frontier at Fort Kearny in the Nebraska Territory and in the New Mexico Territory. He also served in the Mexican-American War, taking part in the Veracruz campaign of Winfield Scott. He also served in the occupation of Mexico City, during which he was court martialed for "misbehavior before the enemy" Ironically, one of later assignments in the 1850s included a post in the Oregon Territory as a colonel at the Columbia Barracks next to Fort Vancouver, which had become a U.S. Army post in 1849. The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... Lewis Cass Campaign poster for 12th United States Presidential campaign, 1848. ... 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Fort Kearny was a historic outpost of the United States Army founded in 1848 in the western U.S. during the middle and late 19th century. ... Nebraska Territory was a historic, organized territory of the United States from May 30, 1854 until March 1, 1867 when Nebraska became the 37th U.S. state. ... The New Mexico Territory became an organized territory of the United States on September 9, 1850, and it existed until New Mexico became the 47th state on January 6, 1912. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Strength 60,000 40,000 Casualties KIA: 1,733 Total dead: 13,283 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 (Mexican government estimate) The Mexican-American War was fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848. ... Veracruz is the name of both a state in Mexico and that states largest city. ... Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 – May 29, 1866) was a United States Army lieutenant general, diplomat, and presidential candidate. ... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México) is the name of a megacity located in the Valley of Mexico (Valle de México), a large valley in the high plateaus (altiplano) at the center of Mexico, about 2,240 metres (7,349 feet) above sea-level, surrounded on most sides... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ... // Events and Trends Technology Production of steel revolutionised by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Science Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species, putting forward the theory of evolution... The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain, as well as to the organized U.S. territory formed from it that existed between 1848 and 1859. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

He retired from the military in 1861 but was soon recalled to duty during the American Civil War, reaching the rank of Brevet Brigadier General. He retired a second time in 1866 and moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he died at age 82 in 1878. 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought in North America within the United States of America, between twenty-four mostly northern states of the Union and the Confederate States of America, a coalition of eleven southern states that declared their independence and claimed the right of secession from the... In the US military, brevet refers to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. ... 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ... Fort Smith, situated at the junction of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, is a city and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas. ...

Namesakes

Bonneville's namesakes include: If a person, place, or thing is named after a different person, place, or thing, the latter is said to be the namesake of the former. ...

• Bonneville County, Idaho
• Bonneville Dam, after which the Bonneville Power Administration was named
• Bonneville Slide
• Lake Bonneville, the Pleistocene ancestor of the Great Salt Lake
• Bonneville Salt Flats
• Bonneville Peak in the Portneuf Range

Pontiac Bonneville, a car Bonneville County is a county located in the state of Idaho. ... Bonneville Lock and Dam is several dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the US states of Oregon and Washington at River Mile 146. ... The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is a US self-financed federal agency headquartered in Portland, Oregon which transmits and sells wholesale electricity to Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana. ... The Bonneville Slide was a large landslide that took place in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, blocking the Columbia River. ... A butte in the Great Salt Lake Desert Lake Bonneville was a prehistoric pluvial lake that covered much of North Americas Great Basin region. ... The Pleistocene Epoch is part of the geologic timescale. ... Satellite Photo of the Great Salt Lake as it looked in the summer of 2003 Great Salt Lake is an endorheic saline lake in northern Utah, much saltier than the ocean. ... Categories: Stub | Great Basin ...

External links

• EndofTheOregonTrail.org: Benjamin Bonneville
• Works by Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville at Project Gutenberg