The revival of the fur trade led to the organization of several fur companies in St. Louis. Among these was the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, organized by General William H. Ashley, a very prominent man, lieutenant governor of Missouri, and afterward for many years a member of Congress. Associated with Ashley was Major Andrew Henry, another man distinguished in his time. In 1822 Ashley and Henry went to the head waters of the Missouri and established trade there with the native tribes. Henry, with a considerable party of men, remained during the ensuing winter upon the Yellowstone, while Ashley returned to St. Louis to recruit more men and bring up additional cargoes of goods in the spring.
Early in the spring of 1823 Ashley set out from St. Louis to return to the mountains with a party of one hundred hunters, trappers, and river men, and a large stock of merchandise. At the end of May they had arrived safely at the Ree towns at the mouth of Grand River, where they stopped to trade and to purchase horses, for Ashley had determined to send half of his party overland to the Yellowstone by the Grand River route, which had been opened by the Astorians in 1811. The Rees gave them a hearty welcome, and they traded upon the most friendly terms for several days. Finally, on the evening of June 1, Ashley had secured all the horses he desired, and prepared to leave in the morning. Forty men were to go up Grand River, with the horses, and they were encamped on the shore just outside of the lower town. Ashley, with the remainder of the men, slept in the boats anchored in the stream near by.
