THE FIRST MILITARY ESCORT ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL 1829 From the Journal and Reports of Major Bennet Riley and Lieutenant Philip St. George Cooke

Glendale, CA.: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1952. First edition. With illustrations from contemporary sources, these being two portraits, a military scene, a facsimile from Riley's journa,l and a fold-out map of the Santa Fe Trail. Tall 8vo, in the publisher's original red cloth, the spine gilt lettered. 222pp. A very fine copy but for a little cosmetic scarring to the endpaper along the front fold line, otherwise pristine. FIRST EDITION OF THIS FINE ACCOUNT OF EARLY TRAVELS ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL. An often overlooked aspect of American History, the trail was one of the first major route west; connecting Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Beginning in 1822, the trail was used to take advantage of new trade opportunities with Mexico, which had just recently won its independence from Spain. This caught unwelcome attention from the Plains Indians. By 1829 it was decided the caravans needed a military escort, a decision which was extremely controversial at the time.
The escort consisted of four companies of the Sixth United States Infantry commanded by Captain (brevet Major) Bennet Riley, after whom Fort Riley of Kansas is named. Major Riley had fought as a young officer in the War of 1812. While well intentioned, the military escort, and a number of armed clashes along its route, complicated United States relations not only with the Plains Indians, but also with the Republic of Texas and with Mexico.
This work is drawn directly from the journals of Major Riley and the reports of Lieutenant George Cooke; very early and important accounts of Americans in regions previously controlled by Spain.