at ▁of ▁its ▁day . ▁Its ▁h ull ▁drew ▁only ▁ ▁of ▁water ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁ ▁of ▁most ▁steam bo ats ▁of ▁the ▁era . ▁Its ▁basic ▁design ▁( sh allow ▁draft , ▁rear ▁p addle w heel , ▁narrow ▁beam , ▁amid ships ▁engine ) ▁later ▁became ▁the ▁prototype ▁for ▁western ▁river ▁steam ▁vessels . ▁ ▁A ▁description ▁in ▁the ▁Missouri ▁Gazette ▁of ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁stated ▁that ▁" The ▁Western ▁Engine er ▁is ▁well ▁armed ▁and ▁car ries ▁an ▁elegant ▁flag ▁representing ▁a ▁white ▁man ▁and ▁an ▁Indian ▁sh aking ▁hands , ▁the ▁cal um et ▁of ▁peace ▁and ▁the ▁sword . ▁The ▁boat ▁is ▁ 7 5 ▁feet ▁long , ▁ 1 3 ▁feet ▁beam ▁and ▁draw s ▁ 1 9 ▁inches ▁of ▁water . ▁The ▁steam ▁passes ▁off ▁through ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁a ▁larger ▁figure - head ▁( a ▁ser pent ). .. ". ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁steam bo at ▁to ▁travel ▁up ▁the ▁Missouri ▁River ▁into ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁P urchase ▁territory ▁all ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁Neb r aska . ▁ ▁Ex ped ition ▁departure ▁The ▁ 6 th ▁U . S . ▁Infantry ▁and ▁ 1 st ▁R if le ▁Reg iments ▁made ▁up ▁the ▁expedition ' s ▁military ▁component . ▁They ▁depart ed ▁from ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 1 9 , ▁when ▁Colonel ▁At kin son ▁led ▁his ▁force ▁of ▁ 1 , 1 2 6 ▁rif le men ▁up river ▁on