Before reviewing this book I should disclose that the author, Jared Orsi, provided me a complimentary copy and used some of my research on the Pike family for its content. I hasten to add that no one asked me to review this book and that I like it so well that I have purchased a Kindle version and an additional hardbound copy which I gave away as a gift. I expect to purchase additional copies as gifts.
I own a collection of books about Zebulon Montgomery Pike, and this one excites me the most. There are several qualities that distinguish Orsi's book from the other biographies: First, Orsi was able to draw from the latest research about Pike and his times. Second, Orsi actually re-hiked some of Pike's wanderings and thereby got a personal sense of the hardships Pike and his men endured. Third, as a history professor Orsi is well qualified to assess Pike's contribution within the larger menagerie of American history, and he does this very thoroughly.
The result is a scholarly work that will appeal to readers with a serious interest in American history. The book contains maps, photos and copious footnotes (although a timeline would have been nice). As a serious work, I don't think the book is suited for, say, high school students with only a casual interest in history. But I would not discourage anyone from reading it who has a serious desire to understand what motivated early Americans. Those unacquainted with less well known incidents of history will enjoy learning about the Whisky Rebellion, the massacre of St. Claire's army, the Aaron Burr conspiracy, the notorious General James Wilkinson, and the competition for dominance of western lands by rival empires of America, Britain, France, and Spain. Zebulon Montgomery Pike was an exceptionally bold and tenacious individual whose life intersected with all these events and characters. In those years America underwent national expansion and significant controversy as the young nation continuously redefined itself through a series of internal and external struggles.
Today, when we hear the words "Louisiana Territory" and "explorer" we immediately think of Lewis and Clark. We have largely forgotten the courageous efforts of many others who explored that vast wilderness. Pike's contemporaries actually considered him to be more important than Meriwether Lewis. In accordance with orders from General Wilkinson, Lieutenant Pike led two expeditions, one up the Mississippi River and the other into the southwestern territory. Pike proved himself a tenacious (if sometimes foolhardy) explorer who was loath to give up and go home until he found the prize he sought. In the second expedition, Pike literally hiked in circles seeking legendary but non-existent geographic features and became lost. Orsi details the extreme physical hardships of winter, hunger, and fatigue endured by Pike and his men.
Orsi also describes how Pike dealt with delicate and sometimes dangerous negotiations with Indians, British traders, and Spaniards. In all these situations, Pike's opponents clearly had the upper hand in power and resources even as Pike steadfastly advocated (albeit awkwardly) for the interests of the American government. Pike did not prove himself much of a negotiator in these one-sided situations, but he did show himself to be a sly and canny improviser. After Pike and his men strayed into Spanish territory and were taken into custody by Spanish dragoons, Pike underwent repeated interrogations by Spanish authorities. They accused Pike of reconnoitering their territory preparatory for war, an accusation Pike adamantly denied. Yet, even as Pike worked to convince Spanish authorities that he had trespassed by accident, he discretely gathered intelligence on New Spain.
Pike's arrest by the Spanish occurred at the same time the Aaron Burr conspiracy came to light, and this provoked great controversy and questions about Pike's intentions. When Pike was finally released and returned home, he had to convince his government and fellow citizens of his loyalty to America. For years Pike's reputation was tarnished by his unflinching personal loyalty to the scheming General Wilkinson, but all doubts were laid to rest when Pike became a national martyr while conquering York, Canada during the War of 1812.
The book thus describes the adventures of a fascinating man. But it is more than pure biography; it portrays Pike as an archetype of the nationalist character of Americans that emerged during the thirty years or so that followed the Revolutionary War. The core question that arises again and again is of loyalty to country - a sentiment we often mistakenly assume that first generation of Americans simply possessed. But loyalty was actually a very complicated question at the time (just as it can be now). Why did Pike and his family remain loyal to the federal government when so many of other Americans wavered in this regard? How did Pike balance self-interest and national interest? Orsi discusses this subject in great depth, not only in terms of events in Pike's life but also in the context of the country as a whole.
Here is a small sample of some the questions the book explores. Readers who find these questions interesting will surely enjoy the book.
1. How did the federal government fail Americans living in frontier areas, and how did this affect their sense of loyalty? How did the Pike family respond to these issues?
2. Leaders at the time (including President Jefferson, Spanish colonial authorities, and tribal chiefs) understood relationships between political power, land use, economy, and ecology. But they had different and incompatible values and visions for using the land. What was President Jefferson's vision and how was it connected to ideas of liberty? How did Pike's expeditions serve Jefferson's vision?
3. In what ways could Pike's second expedition be construed to support the private schemes of James Wilkinson and Aaron Burr? Both these men were later suspected and investigated for treason. What rationale does Orsi offer to argue that Pike was not a co-conspirator with their schemes?
4. In what ways were Pike's naive views of New Spain similar to his inaccurate understanding of geography and how were these views challenged? What was the Black Legend and what role did it play in Pike's perceptions and writings?
5. What was Pike's view about the link between nationalism and duty? What did he expect the country to give in exchange for sacrifice and military service? How did Pike's death help influence national policy regarding war veterans?
The book is well written, although I agree with another reviewer who found some of the discussion about energy expenditure a bit abrupt and awkward. Maybe subsequent editions can polish the narrative in those few places. Even with this minor blemish, however, I gladly recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in the life and times of Zebulon Montgomery Pike.
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