▁a ▁cost ly ▁failure , ▁st alling ▁near ▁Council ▁Bl uff s , ▁Iowa . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Secretary ▁Cal h oun ▁stated ▁the ▁expedition ▁was ▁a ▁" part ▁of ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁measures " ▁to ▁maintain ▁north western ▁trade , ▁describing ▁its ▁objects ▁as ▁" the ▁protection ▁of ▁our ▁north western ▁front ier ▁and ▁the ▁greater ▁extension ▁of ▁our ▁fur ▁trade ." ▁The ▁economic ▁condition ▁had ▁halt ed ▁in ▁the ▁states ▁due ▁to ▁growing ▁diss ent ▁over ▁state ▁issues ▁that ▁were ▁to ▁lead ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁this ▁gave ▁the ▁expedition ▁military ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁economic ▁purpose . ▁ ▁Starting ▁from ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri , ▁the ▁expedition ▁aim ed ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁for ts ▁along ▁the ▁Missouri ▁River ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁up stream ▁to ▁the ▁Y ellow stone ▁River , ▁the ▁principal ▁trib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁upper ▁Missouri , ▁which ▁meets ▁the ▁Missouri ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁western ▁North ▁Dak ota . ▁These ▁for ts ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁increase ▁the ▁American ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁fur ▁trade ▁and ▁to ▁counter act ▁British ▁influence ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁pla ins . ▁The ▁first ▁fort ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁the ▁Council ▁Bl uff ▁( not ▁to ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁Council ▁Bl uff s , ▁Iowa , ▁ 2 0 ▁miles ▁to ▁the ▁south ), ▁the ▁site ▁previously ▁used ▁for ▁an ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁council ▁between ▁the ▁Lewis ▁and ▁Clark ▁Ex ped ition ▁and ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁O to ▁and ▁Miss ou ria ▁Native ▁American ▁tribes