r o'clock in the afternoon reached the
mouth of the Minnesota River. On the morning of Tuesday, August 24,
1819, Colonel Leavenworth arrived in his barge ahead of the troops and
spent almost the entire day in looking over the sites available for a
camp. Finally, he decided upon a spot on the right bank of the Minnesota
River, just above its mouth. There was no rest for the troops when their
boats reached the chosen place. "They were immediately set to work in
making roads up the bank of the river, cutting down trees, etc."[70]

If the soldiers had any spare time in their labors in which to become
interested in their surroundings, there was novelty in everything about
them. During the next few days all the nearby chiefs came to call upon
their new neighbors: they left satisfied with the presents and the
whiskey which they had received. On Saturday a party ascended to the
Falls of St. Anthony; and on Sunday a visit was made to the Indian
villages up the Minnesota River. It was on Monday that Major Forsyth
began his return trip, and as the supplies in store were few and the
long-expected recruits were needed for the erection of the camp
buildings, Colonel Leavenworth set out with him for Prairie du Chien. On
September 1st they met on Lake Pepin two boats and a bateau with one
hundred and twenty soldiers on board. But Colonel Leavenworth continued
to Prairie du Chien, where he remained some time to urge on any boats
which might arrive. On September 5th the one hundred and twenty
recruits landed at the new camp.[71]

Log cabins and a stockade were erected while the party still lived in
the boats on the river. By November the temporary barracks were ready
for occupation. Looking forward to a pleasant winter, the name
"Cantonment New Hope" was applied to the embryo fort. The more
scientific among the men examined the country round about, and saw in
the hills visions of mines of precious metals. "Would not the employment
of the troops in the manufacture of Copper and Iron be advantageous to
the government?", wrote one of these energetic soldiers. But the
succeeding months were not to give an opportunity for such
occupations.[72]

Added to the natural monotony of a wilderness post, there was
homesickness and suffering during the first winter. The quarters that
had been built were inadequate for protection from the cold of that
climate. "Once during that memorable six months", runs the account of
one of the inhabitants of Cant