Spanish troops were dispatched to seize the expedition

Did you know that the tale of Lewis and Clark included espionage? That's accurate. The American border was also in the sights of the Spanish. They were resolved to halt American expansion after the Louisiana Purchase. The main objective of Lewis and Clark's expedition was to find a water route to the Pacific, which would increase trade opportunities and help solidify an American claim to the far Northwest. Jefferson frequently referred to their expedition as a scientific mission to study the lands acquired in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. For the Spanish, who worried that the expedition may result in the capture of their gold-rich lands in the Southwest, that was troubling news.

Here comes James Wilkinson, a hero of the American Revolution who is also heavily indebted. He started offering Spanish buyers American secrets. This provided information about the westward voyage to locate a path to the Pacific Ocean. based on American suggestions The governor of New Mexico sent four different groups of Spanish soldiers, Comanche Indians, and Army General James Wilkinson—a spy for the Spanish—to capture the explorers and send them home in chains. The Corps of Discovery was pursued by Spanish patrols, who at one point came within 100 miles of them. Lewis and Clark were fortunate that the hostile search parties were unable to find them in the expanse of the frontier.