Diary of Wilkes in the Northwest

"The United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842, deserves much more attention than it has ever received in the Pacific Northwest. During the summer of 1841 it did much exploration work in this region and added extensively to the world's geographical knowledge of the Puget Sound and Columbia River areas. The squadron was in command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, of the United States Navy, and for that reason the enterprise is most often referred to as the Wilkes Exploring Expedition... While the results were being prepared for publication, President Buchanan (February 8, 1859), complied with a resolution of Congress asking for a statement of all expeditions 'on account of the preparation and publication of the work known as Wilkes's Exploring Expedition.'