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When did Hernando de Soto reach the Mississippi River, and what happened to his expedition?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map of the United States showing the Mississippi River and its major tributaries flowing south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. A shaded area marks the Mississippi River basin, and New Orleans is labeled near the river's mouth.
Mississippi River

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his expedition reached the Mississippi River on May 21, 1541, near present-day Memphis, Tennessee.1

The expedition faced significant hardships throughout their journey. After suffering heavy losses during a conflict at Mauvila in 1540, the party continued inland in a fruitless search for treasure, facing relentless attacks from Indigenous groups. Following their crossing of the Mississippi, the group traveled through Arkansas and Louisiana. In early 1542, de Soto turned back toward the river, where he eventually died of fever. His body was buried in the Mississippi River.1

Following his death, Luis de Moscoso assumed command of the remaining expedition members—roughly half of the original party. They constructed rafts to travel down the Mississippi River and eventually reached Mexico in 1543.1