Zebulon Montgomery Pike

author

Zebulon Montgomery Pike

1779–1813

An early American explorer and army officer, he led ambitious expeditions into the Louisiana Purchase and gave his name to Pikes Peak. His life mixed frontier exploration, military service, and a dramatic death during the War of 1812.

3 Audiobooks

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

by Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Elliott Coues

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 3 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 3 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

by Zebulon Montgomery Pike

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 1 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 1 (of 3) To Headwaters of the Mississippi River Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain, During the Years 1805-6-7.

by Zebulon Montgomery Pike

About the author

Born in New Jersey in 1779, Zebulon Montgomery Pike followed his father into the U.S. Army and built his reputation on two major expeditions in the early 1800s. Sent west after the Louisiana Purchase, he explored the upper Mississippi region in 1805–1806 and then traveled through the Southwest in 1806–1807, where he encountered the mountain later named Pikes Peak.

Pike’s journeys helped expand American knowledge of lands that were still poorly understood by U.S. officials. His southwest expedition also brought him into Spanish territory, adding a layer of mystery and debate to his career that historians still discuss.

He later served in the War of 1812 and rose to the rank of brigadier general. Pike was killed in 1813 during the American attack on York, in present-day Toronto, at just 34 years old, leaving behind a short but memorable career in both exploration and military history.