In March 1852, he was ordered to report to Capt. Randolph B. Marcy at Fort Smith, Arkansas, to serve as second-in-command on an expedition to discover the sources of the Red River.
I marts 1852 blev han beordret til at melde sig hos kaptajn Randolph B. Marcy på Fort Smith, Arkansas, for at fungere som næstkommanderende på en ekspedition, der skulle finde Mississippi-bifloden Red Rivers kilder.