▁N utt all , ▁a ▁scient ist . ▁ ▁Both ▁expl ored ▁the ▁K iam ichi ▁River ▁valley , ▁which ▁N utt all ▁described ▁in ▁detail . ▁ ▁The ▁Red ▁River ▁became ▁an ▁international ▁boundary ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁concluded ▁the ▁Adams - On is ▁Tre aty ▁with ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Empire . ▁ ▁Fort ifying ▁the ▁front ier ▁from ▁Spanish ▁inc urs ion , ▁and ▁se cur ing ▁it ▁against ▁potential ▁u pr is ings ▁by ▁American ▁Indians , ▁was ▁important ▁to ▁United ▁States ▁policy . ▁The ▁federal ▁government ▁established ▁a ▁chain ▁of ▁for ts ▁along ▁its ▁southern ▁border . ▁ ▁Fort ▁Tow son , ▁established ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁G ates ▁Creek ▁on ▁the ▁K iam ichi ▁River , ▁just ▁up stream ▁from ▁its ▁confl u ence ▁with ▁the ▁Red ▁River , ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁providing ▁security ▁for ▁the ▁region ▁en comp ass ing ▁modern ▁P ush m ata ha ▁County . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁fort ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁considered ▁front ier ▁w ilder ness , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers ▁constructed ▁a ▁military ▁road ▁connecting ▁Fort ▁Tow son ▁with ▁Fort ▁Smith , ▁Ark ansas ▁for ▁purposes ▁of ▁supply ▁and ▁provision . ▁ ▁Pass ing ▁through ▁the ▁Little ▁River ▁valley , ▁this ▁military ▁road ▁was ▁P ush m ata ha ▁County ’ s ▁first ▁modern ▁road way . ▁ ▁It ▁la ps ed ▁into ▁dis use ▁after ▁Fort ▁Tow son ▁was ▁abandoned ▁after ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁