Day-by-Day / February 5, 1803

February 5, 1803

Kentucky militants

In Washington City, Secretary of State James Madison summarizes a letter from Spanish Minister to the United States, Carlos Martínez de Yrujo, asking him to do something about the militants from Kentucky who are organizing to open the port of New Orleans by force. A peaceful solution would be found that directly impacted the Lewis and Clark Expedition—the Louisiana Purchase.

Kentucky Long Rifles

Three slender, elongated rifles of the Kentucky Long Rifle type

© 2013 by Kristopher K. Townsend. Permission to use granted under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

The Kentucky long rifles, favorites of Kentucky settlers, were usually made in Philadelphia. See Hunting and Muskets and Rifles.

On this date, this executive summary of a letter from Carlos Martínez de Yrujo to James Madison is docketed “An hostile party to intend to descend the Mississippi.”:

5 February 1803, Washington.

Understands that the inflammatory articles that have been published in the newspapers regarding the action of the intendant at New Orleans have created ferment in western Pennsylvania and that a certain Wilson has made efforts to collect volunteers who will assemble in Kentucky and Tennessee to attack Louisiana.

. . . . .

JM will quickly foresee the conflagration which could result from sparks ignited on the banks of the Allegheny and Monongahela . . . . JM will realize that the only way to frustrate these sinister views is by prompt and decisive measures.[1]James Madison from Carlos Martínez de Yrujo, (Abstract), Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/02-04-02-0363. [Original source: The Papers of James Madison, … Continue reading

Thomas Jefferson suggests that the Kentucky governor arrest the leader(s). See February 8, 1803.

 

Notes

Notes
↑1 James Madison from Carlos Martínez de Yrujo, (Abstract), Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/02-04-02-0363. [Original source: The Papers of James Madison, Secretary of State Series, vol. 4, October 1802–May 1803, ed. Mary A. Hackett, J. C. A. Stagg, Jeanne Kerr Cross, Susan Holbrook Perdue, and Ellen J. Barber. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998, pp. 303–304.] accessed 8 May 1803.

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).