St. Charles & War of 1812-- Part 2: Benjamin Howard

William Becknell was appointed ensign by order of General Benjamin Howard.  James Callaway at the same time was appointed captain of the company of U.S. Mounted Rangers.

In 1810, Benjamin Howard had been appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory by President Madison.  That territory was later renamed the Missouri Territory.  In 1812, he resigned his position to become a brigadier general and assumed command of American troops west of the Mississippi River, including the U.S. Mounted Rangers.

Becknell and his company then spent the majority of the next two years in service northwest of St. Charles, Mo. in an area between the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers.

In the mid-summer of 1814, the company was at Cap au Gris, where the Cuivre River flows into the Mississippi near present-day Troy.

--Brock-Perry