William A. Slacum | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1799 Alexandria, Virginia |
| Died | 1839 (aged 39–40) |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1829–1839 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | USSPotomac |
| Other work | worked for State Department |
William A. Slacum (c. 1799 - November 1, 1839) was an American sailor and diplomat. He served as a purser in theUnited States Navy and received a Presidential commission to gather information on theOregon Country. At that time the region was under the jurisdiction of both the United States andGreat Britain. Previously, Slacum served as a diplomat toMexico.
Slacum was likely born and raised inAlexandria, Virginia. Slacum's family included sister Mary Louisa Slacum Benham and brother George Washington Slacum who served as a consul in theState Department.[1]
On June 8, 1829, William Slacum joined theUnited States Navy.[2] During his naval career in 1831, Slacum was thepurser aboard theUSSPotomac as that ship spent four years at sea circumnavigating the globe.[3] Then from 1835 to 1836 Slacum served in Mexico as a Special Diplomatic Agent for the United States.[4] During this time Slacum sent a letter to PresidentAndrew Jackson praisingCalifornia, then under control of Mexico. This letter is credited with raising Jackson's interest in acquiring that region.[5]
In 1835 Lieutenant Slacum was selected by President Jackson to travel to Oregon Country to gather information on the affairs of the region.[6] Dated November 11, 1835, Slacum was ordered to inquire about the inhabitants and prospects of those white inhabitants living along theColumbia River.[7]Slacum then sailed fromGuaymas, Mexico on June 1, 1836, for theSandwich Islands, arriving there on November 5, 1836.[7] There he chartered the shipLoriot for the trip to the Columbia River sailing on November 24.[7] On December 22, 1836, the Loriot sailed into the Columbia.[8]
Slacum then spent time interviewingHudson's Bay Company officials such as Dr.John McLoughlin andJames Douglas atFort Vancouver.[9] After this he then spent four days onFrench Prairie with the missionaryJason Lee examining the settlements.[9] Here Slacum helped to convince pioneerEwing Young to give up his efforts to build a distillery and travel to California in order to purchase cattle that would then be driven overland back to Oregon.[6] After this brief stay and information gathering, Lt. Slacum prepared to leave. On February 10, 1837, Slacum left the Columbia and sailed for California.[7] By February 19, theLoriot with Slacum and some settlers in tow arrived atFort Ross in California.[10] Here the settlers and Slacum parted ways.[10]
While in theWillamette Valley, Slacum noted the dependency of the pioneers on the Hudson's Bay Company.[6] This was especially true when it came to cattle, as the HBC only leased cattle to the settlers.[6] Any offspring were the property of the HBC.[6] So the lieutenant offered to take any of the settlers to California to buy cattle, and even provided $500 for the venture.[7]
After returning to the United States, William Slacum prepared a report on the information he gathered on the Northwest Coast. In his report that was read inCongress on December 18, 1837, Slacum details the activities in the region and advocated that the United States extend jurisdiction over this area with a border of no further south than the49th parallel.[7] Amongst other things, one recommendation of his was to cut a channel throughCape Disappointment in order to improve accessibility to the Columbia River and avoid the dangerousbar of the river.[11]
On November 1, 1839, Slacum died.[2] After his death, Slacum's estate tried to receive funds from the United States government for Slacum's expenses from his trip to the Oregon Country.[12]
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