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Lewis and Clark
Corps of Discovery

Cover: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1803 to 1806, A Portrait of Army Leadership



 


Painting: Keelboat sketch

Keelboat sketch by Mark Eastman, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Park Ranger,
retired, Walla Walla District

Discoveries and Exploration

Throughout history, humans have explored
their horizons, which has led to many dis-
coveries. Explorations of our world were
bold and dangerous adventures with
many impacts and consequences.

The "discovery" of North America result-
ed in the establishment of European set-
tlements here in the new land. As
Europeans continued to explore and
occupy the continent they found it
already inhabited.

By 1800, the United States of America
had developed and fought to gain inde-
pendence, and the young country was
steadily expanding westward.


CREDITS

Cover Image: Lewis and Clark: The
Departure from the Wood River
Encampment
, May 14, 1804, by Gary Lucy,
courtesy of the Gary Lucy Gallery, Inc.

Portraits of Lewis and Clark by Alan Archambeau, Director of Ft. Lewis Army Museum, Ft. Lewis, Washington

Graphic Design: Mark MacKay, NWIA
 

 
Painting: Sergeant John Ordway in full regimental dress and armament.

[1]



 

THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION

The Lewis and Clark Expedition is often called the greatest adventure in American history. What is it about the successful efforts of this small Army unit that interests people from around the world? Is it because this was the first diplomatic mission of the United States government to the native peoples of the West? Or is it because this adventure into the unknown was filled with dangers, hardships, bravery, enlightenment, and excitement? The Lewis and Clark Expedition cer- tainly was all of that! No other journey has had more influence on the national destiny of the United States of America. Nor has any expedition


Painting: Captain Lewis with Seaman in full regimental dress and armament.
 

Painting: Captain Lewis with Seaman in full regimental dress and armament.provided such thorough
documentation of the inhabi-
tants, terrain, plants, and
animals in such a vast region
of the country.
     Whatever your reasons are for
reading about the Lewis and Clark
Expedition, the United States Army
invites you to explore some of the daily struggles and routines of this his-

 

Painting: Captain Lewis with Seaman in full regimental dress and armament.toric Army mission so you can
capture the spirit of this amaz-
ing military adventure!

Sergeant John Ordway (left) and Captain Lewis (with Seaman on right) in full regimental dress and armament. Paintings by Alan Archambault.
 

[2]



 


President Thomas Jefferson, painting courtesy of the White House Historical Association.

President Thomas Jefferson, painting courtesy of the White House Historical Association.

 

 

 

Lewis and Clark gave Jefferson Peace Medals as tokens of friendship to Indian chiefs and other important tribal members.

Lewis and Clark gave Jefferson Peace Medals as tokens of friendship to Indian chiefs and other important tribal members.

JEFFERSON'S VISION

Throughout his early political career, Thomas Jefferson sought support
for an exploration of the west in search of the illusive "Northwest
Passage," a possible water route across the country. In 1803, two years
into Jefferson's presidency, Congress approved his long-desired visionary
project. President Jefferson turned to the Army to lead the expedition,
knowing that if it were to succeed, it would take military teamwork,
logistics, and discipline. Jefferson officially named the expedition "The
Corps of Volunteers of North Western Discovery" (Corps of Discovery)
and selected Captain Meriwether Lewis, his private secretary, to lead it.

The Louisiana Purchase was negotiated just as Captain Lewis was
preparing to depart on the expedition. The Louisiana Territory was
purchased with very little knowledge about its inhabitants, terrain, flora
and fauna, or even how much land it included. Jefferson knew that sev-
eral countries were exploring the lands northwest of the Louisiana
Territory by sea, while others were attempting to reach the region over
land. Jefferson believed that if the Corps of Discovery could be the first
overland expedition to reach the Northwest through the newly
acquired territory, his dream of a united country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific would be assured.

PREPARATIONS

While Captain Lewis was serving as Jefferson's personal secretary, the
President arranged for him to be tutored by some of the country's
greatest minds. Lewis received instruction in medicine, botany, zoolo-
gy, and celestial observations. He studied maps and journals of traders
and trappers who had previously journeyed up the Missouri River into
what would become North Dakota. Between studies, Lewis began
acquiring tools, equipment, and arms for the journey.

Lewis wrote to his friend and former Army colleague, William
Clark, and invited him to join the expedition as co-leader. Clark, then
living in Kentucky, wrote back:

This is an undertaking fraited with many difeculties, but My friend I do assure you that no man lives whith whome I would perfur to undertake Such a Trip.

The journey began as Lewis left Washington D.C. on July 5, 1803.
At the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry he obtained rifles, muskets,
and other supplies. He continued on to Pittsburgh to oversee the con-
struction of a 55-foot keelboat. Once it was completed, he and a few

[3]



 


soldiers from Pennsylvania floated and pulled the keelboat
down the Ohio River to the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville,
Kentucky. Along the way, Captain Lewis recruited expedi-
tion members. At the falls, Lewis met Captain Clark and
his recruits, known as the "nine young men from
Kentucky." They proceeded on to their first winter camp
near Wood River, Illinois. There, at Camp DuBois, some-
times called Camp Wood, the captains prepared the men
for the trip ahead.

THE U.S. ARMY INFLUENCE

For this military mission, Lewis was permitted to add any
regular Army soldier to the Corps of Discovery roster,
along with militiamen (today's National Guard), who vol-
unteered. Lewis recruited in the east, but also asked Clark
to find men "on the frontier" with the skills and fortitude
to make this arduous journey. The mission was funded by
the War Department, today's Department of Defense.
Supplies, provisions, and equipment were procured
through the Army Quartermaster.

Members of the expedition followed the Army chain of
command, and discipline was strict. The men were formed
into squads, or "messes," of eight men. Each mess split up
the daily duties of harsh frontier camp life. The men
drilled daily and underwent frequent inspections. Courts-
martial, with harsh punishments, were held for acts of mis-
conduct.

 

Header: Was Captain Clark Really a Bad Speller?

Reading the journals written
by members of this expedition
can be both challenging and
entertaining. Captain Clark
was especially creative in
spelling, grammar, and punc-
tuation. Few young boys of
Clark's time had formal
schooling beyond the age of
13, if they had any at all. Until
Noah Webster's Bluebook
Speller
was published in 1783,
the accepted spelling rule
was "spell it as it sounds."
Clark and most other journal
writers followed the old rule,
spelling words based on their
sound. In order to demon-
strate the written language of
    the period, the journal

 

Soldiers were in uniform throughout the entire expe-
dition and wore hats issued according to unit assign-
ments. Infantrymen wore round hats. Artillerists and offi-
cers wore a hat called a chapeau des bra. Dress uniforms,
commonly called regimentals, were stowed away in
waterproof containers, and used only during special
occasions. Most of the time the men dressed in their
issued work garments- frocks or overshirts, vest, overalls,
or pantaloons and gaiters. When the work uniforms
wore out, they were dismantled and used as patterns to
make leather clothing. Dressed in leather garments, they
maintained a tailored military uniform appearance, not
the slipshod, rough-and-tumble backwoodsmen image
This type of inkwell and quills were used by Lewis and Clark to record their experiences on the trail.
This type of inkwell and quills were used by Lewis and Clark to record their experiences on the trail.
   entries in this publication
    have not been revised to
     meet today's standards.



This type of inkwell and
quills were used by
Lewis and Clark to
record their experi-
ences on the trail.

[4]



 


that filmmakers have led us to believe.

Each soldier was well armed, carrying either an Army-issue rifle or
musket. Some of the hired French boatmen brought along personal
weapons, such as trade rifles, Kentucky long rifles, or English Fusils
(shotguns). A swivel gun, or small cannon of 1.5 inch bore (one-half-
pounder), was mounted on the bow of the keelboat, and a large-bore
shotgun, called a blunderbuss, on a swivel guide was mounted on the
stern. The pirogues (flat-bottomed boats for hauling supplies on inland
waters) each had a blunderbuss mounted on its bow. Captain Lewis
carried a spontoon, a lance-like device, and his remarkable air gun.

MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION

Most members of the expedition were U.S. Army soldiers, chosen for
their specific skills such as gunsmithing, hunting, or blacksmithing. The
expedition left Camp DuBois and traveled to the Knife River Indian
Villages in what is now North Dakota. They built Fort Mandan and
wintered near the friendly Mandan and Hidatsa Indians for six months.
Some of the expedition's members were chosen to return the keelboat
 

 

Header, The Air Rifle
 
 

The air rifle was made in 1803 by Isaiah Lukens, a Philadelphia clockmaker and gunsmith. This weapon has astounding power, enough to be able to dispatch deer-sized animals with one well placed shot. It is estimated that the power from this air rifle is about 14 times greater than that of air rifles produced today.

This .31 caliber muzzleloading air rifle was quiet and didn't frighten animals when fired. There was no smoke to foul the lock and no barrel to clean. Since it used compressed air there was no need to keep gun powder dry. An air rifle could fire between 20-40 shots before recharging with the air pump.
 
 
The Air Rifle
 
 


Buttstock Air Reservoir

The buttstock is a sheet metal flask welded together to hold pressurized air. A valve traps air within after pumping is completed. The reservoir is capable of containing 600 to 900 pounds per square inch of air pressure—about 30 times that of a car tire.
 


The Unique Air Pump

The air rifle pump screws onto the air reservoir butt-stock. To pump, the large screw is screwed into a tree and the operator leans into the buttstock and rocks back and forth to pump air into the air reservoir.
 

[5]



 


back down the Missouri River Painting: Corps of Discovery in Camp, by Kathy Dickson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Park Ranger, St. Louis District
to St. Louis with a shipment
of samples, specimens, and
journals for President
Jefferson. The 33 remaining
members became the perma-
nent party and departed from
Fort Mandan heading
upstream toward the Rocky
Mountains, bound for the
Pacific coast.

Although the names of


Painting: Corps of Discovery in Camp, by Kathy Dickson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Park Ranger, St. Louis District
 
 

Lewis and Clark are well known, other members of the expedition
have received far less recognition for their efforts. In fact, 12 members
of the permanent party are scarcely noted in the journals. Only brief
notes about them occur when they were injured, ill, facing courts-mar-
tial, or when their assignment was mentioned. What follows is a sam-
pling of some of the other members' efforts during the expedition.

The only regular Army non-commissioned officer to join the expedi-
tion was Sergeant John Ordway, recruited from Fort Kaskaskia in
Illinois. He was routinely put in charge when the captains were away
from camp. After the expedition, he accompanied the captains to
Washington D.C. to meet with the President. Ordway was the expedi-
tion's only member to faithfully make daily entries in his journal.

Private Patrick Gass was also recruited at Fort Kaskaskia. His skills as
a carpenter proved to be an enormous asset throughout the expedition.
Following the death of Sergeant Charles Floyd from an apparent
ruptured appendix, the men of the Corps of Discovery voted to pro-
mote Gass to the rank of sergeant. He was the first to publish a journal,
in 1807, and was the last surviving member of the expedition. He died
in 1870 at the age of 99.

At age 19, Private George Shannon was the youngest member of
the expedition, and one of the party's best hunters. In September 1804,
he became lost for 16 days while hunting. Shannon thought he was
behind the expedition and tried to catch up, but he was, in fact, ahead
of them. Without bullets for 12 days, and surviving on wild grapes and
plums, Shannon stopped for a long rest on the riverbank. While he was
resting, the expedition caught up with him. After the expedition, he
studied law and eventually became a Missouri State Senator.
 

Corps of Discovery in Camp, by Kathy Dickson, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Park
Ranger, St. Louis District.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pencil Sketch: Patrick Gass in his later years.
Patrick Gass in his later
years. Pencil sketch by
Dick Cassidy,
Environmental Engineer,
Northwestern Division, US
Army Corps of Engineers.

 

[6]



 
Sacajawea at the Big
Water
, by John Clymer,
courtesy of Clymer
Museum of Art
 


Private John Colter
, also a skilled hunter, was one of the "nine young
men from Kentucky," recruited by Clark. On the return trip, after
reaching the Pacific coast, he received permission to resign from the
Army at Fort Mandan. He decided to return up the Missouri River
with a group of trappers. Colter became a famous "mountain man" and
is known as the first white man to explore what would become
Yellowstone National Park.

Private Pierre Cruzatte, half-Omaha Indian and half-French, was
recruited for his trading skills and ability as an interpreter. During a
visit with the Teton Sioux, Cruzatte spoke with Omaha captives, who
informed him that the Teton Sioux planned to attack the expedition.
The attack was avoided due in part to Cruzatte's communication skills.
He played the fiddle and often entertained his fellow expedition mem-
bers as well as groups of Indians.

York, Captain Clark's life-long slave companion, was a valued member
of the expedition. Clark acquired York when his father died in 1799. He
was the first black person that most Indians had seen, and they consid-
ered him to be "big medicine." Although not an enlisted member of the
Army, York shared full duties and privileges with expedition members.

The member of the group who put more miles on his feet than any
other was Captain Lewis's pet Newfoundland dog, Seaman. Seaman
had his own challenges along the trip. One episode involved a wound-
ed beaver. Lewis wrote:
 

 
Image Omitted from Online Version

[7]


 


one of the party wounded a beaver, and my dog as usual swam in to catch it; the beaver bit him through the hind leg and cut the artery; it was with great difficulty that I could stop the blood; I fear it will yet prove fatal to him.

Seaman survived and earned his keep, in part, by serving as a watch-
dog, alerting the men of approaching visitors and dangers.

Sacagawea, a teenage Shoshone, was the only woman to accompany
the expedition. She joined the permanent party at Fort Mandan when
her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, was hired as an interpreter.
Sacagawea, who had been captured from her Shoshone tribe a few
years earlier by a Hidatsa war party, was fluent in the Shoshone and
Hidatsa languages. Sacagawea gave birth to her first child, Jean Baptiste,
called Pomp by Clark, just two months before the expedition left Fort
Mandan, and carried the infant on her back for much of the journey.

Sacagawea proved invaluable to the party. The Indians they encoun-
tered were inclined to believe that the expedition was friendly since a
war party never traveled with a woman, especially one with a baby.

In August 1805, after weeks of searching, Lewis finally found the
Shoshone Indians, with whom he hoped to negotiate for horses to be
used in crossing the distant mountains. In one of history's great coinci-
dences, the Shoshone leader, Cameahwait, turned out to be
Sacagawea's brother, whom she had not seen since her capture by the
Hidatsas. Sacagawea helped persuade the chief to provide the horses.

MODES OF TRANSPORTATION

Several modes of transportation were required for the accomplishment
of this military mission. The party traveled nearly 8,000 miles by boat,
horseback, and on foot over rivers, plains, and mountains. Whenever
possible, the expedition took to the water, using a variety of boats,
including a keelboat, pirogues, dugout canoes, and bullboats (small
wood-framed boats covered with buffalo hides).

The keelboat was 55-feet long, 8-feet wide, and was equipped with a
sail and 22 oars. It traveled from Pittsburgh, where it was built, to Fort
Mandan and back to St. Louis, a distance of 2,000 miles. The keelboat
was equipped with large storage boxes with lids that could be lifted for
added protection from attack. These boxes stored supplies and gifts for
the Indians. After wintering at Fort Mandan, Corporal Warfington and
his crew returned the keelboat to St. Louis as planned.
 

 

Photograph: Expedition members were in the U.S. Army. They wore their uniforms until they wore out and then used the remnants to make exact copies out of elk or deerskin. Photo by Rich Deline.
Expedition members were
in the U. S. Army. They wore
their uniforms until they
wore out and then used the
remnants to make exact
copies out of elk or deer-
skin. Photo by Rich Deline.

 

[8]



Photograph: This is a replica of a pirogue, one style of boat used on the expedition. This replica was built by Butch Bouvier, Onawa, Iowa.

This is a replica of a
pirogue, one style of boat
used on the expedition. This
replica was built by Butch
Bouvier, Onawa, Iowa.

 

 

 

Photograph: Dugout canoes (above) and pirogues (top of page) were used to navigate rivers along the expeditions route. Dugout canoes were easy to maneuver in fast waters; however, it was challenging to keep them upright.

Dugout canoes (above) and pirogues (top of page) were
used to navigate rivers
along the expeditions route.
Dugout canoes were easy
to maneuver in fast waters;
however, it was challeng-
ing to keep them upright.

 


The two pirogues were used as far as the upper reaches of the Missouri River in what would become Montana. The smaller white pirogue was 39-feet long, had six pairs of oars, held six people, and eight tons of cargo. The larger red pirogue was 42-feet long, had seven pairs of oars, held eight people, and nine tons of cargo. The men cached the red pirogue near the mouth of the Marias River and contin-ued on for a few days with the white pirogue. Upon reaching the Great Falls they concealed the pirogue for the return trip and portaged the canoes around the falls.

On several occasions, progress meant portaging around stretches of the rivers that could not be navigated by boat. Portaging was a long and tiring process. The crew would remove all the cargo, which they then transported by horse or on their backs across land. The boats were either carried or placed on crude makeshift carts and hauled over rough terrain until they could be put back in the water.

After crossing the Rocky Mountains, the expedition had the luxury of floating downstream with the river currents, through rapids that even the natives feared.

The captains obtained horses and mules from Indians by trading supplies and equipment, or in exchange for medical treatment. Horses carried members of the expedition, equipment, and supplies. At times they were even eaten. Though invaluable, particularly when crossing the Rocky Mountains, the horses required much attention; they fre-quently wandered away and were the cause of some frightful accidents.

Horses and watercraft were not always available on the long trip. The men walked many miles, carrying personal gear and supplies, wearing only leather moccasins made along the way.

ENCOUNTERS WITH THE INDIANS

President Jefferson instructed the captains to document information about each tribe they encountered, explain their purpose of friendly commerce, and treat them in the most kind and conciliatory manner.

As Lewis and Clark prepared for encounters with the Indians, they learned about the types of trade goods they should carry from experi-enced traders. As a result, they purchased peace medals, beads, buttons, knives, cloth, garments, and so forth to give as offerings of peace.

When Lewis and Clark encountered new tribes, they participated in a council meeting. Each council included smoking a peace pipe, a mili-tary parade, a lengthy speech by Captain Lewis, and presentation of
 

 

[9]



 


Painting: Meeting with the Mandans , by Kathy Dickson.gifts to the chiefs and leaders. In Lewis's
speech, he explained that the new govern-
ment would trade with and care for its new
patrons as long as they remain friendly to
the government and to each other. The
response was usually acceptable, yet most
tribes were only concerned with the con-
tinuation of trade.

Although many tribes readily accepted
the expedition, their presence was not
always welcome. For example, a heated
encounter with the powerful Teton Sioux
threatened the progress of the mission.

Painting: Meeting with the Mandans , by Kathy Dickson.
Meeting with the Mandans
, by Kathy Dickson.
 
 

With weapons drawn and tensions high, bloodshed was averted
through restraint on both sides, and the intervention of one of the
chiefs. News of this outcome traveled quickly, and many tribes realized
that these soldiers would not easily be deterred from their mission.

On their return trip, the expedition made brief stops among the
Indians to renew friendships and invite chiefs to visit Washington D.C.
The most disheartening encounter on the trip home was the miscom-
munication with the Piegan Blackfeet Indians that led to the death of
two tribal members.

The expedition encountered and documented nearly 50 different
tribes, and with few exceptions successfully carried out Jefferson's wish-
es. Overall, the Corps of Discovery proved to be outstanding ambassa-
dors of the United States.

BLOOD, SWEAT, AND FEARS

We can only imagine the hardships and fears the members faced dur-
ing the expedition. Through uncharted lands with extremes in weather,
the men labored every mile of the way in areas of unknown inhabitants
and dangers. They relied on their combined skills and teamwork to
accomplish their mission.

Every day was a struggle. For half of the journey, the men were mov-
ing heavily-laden vessels against strong currents and shifting sandbars
upstream along some of the most powerful rivers in the country.
Moving the keelboat up the Missouri River involved rowing, poling
(men using long poles to push the boat), and oftentimes cordelling
(pulling through shallows or from shore with ropes). Moving down-
 

 

 

[10]




Painting: Lewis's Grizzly Encounter, by Kathy Dickson.

Lewis's Grizzly Encounter,
by Kathy Dickson.

 


stream was easier but still dangerous; rapids, sandbars, and hidden
obstacles in the water posed hazards. On several occasions, Indians
lined the banks and looked on as the men negotiated treacherous rapids
in canoes, expecting the expedition to perish in the turbulent waters.

Weather and terrain caused many hardships for the party. They
endured sudden thunderstorms, extreme heat, bitter cold, raging bliz-
zards, hail, and dust clouds. Imagine how frightening the Rocky
Mountains must have appeared, with mountain peaks as far as the eye
could see, rather than the narrow range, similar to the Appalachians,
that they expected. They trekked range after towering range through
extremely cold, snowy, and wet conditions with little food to be found.
Captain Clark described the huge mountains they were to climb:

           The Hills or mountains were not like those I had Seen but like
           the Side of a tree Streight up.

The winter of 1805-1806 at Fort Clatsop, near the Pacific coast, had
to be the most miserable winter the men ever experienced. It rained
every day but 12 of the 106 days they were there. Their clothes rotted
off their backs and basic comforts were scarce.

During a hunt on the return trip, Cruzatte accidentally shot Captain
Lewis in the buttocks. Cruzatte denied having shot Lewis, though his
poor vision in one eye perhaps caused him to mistake Lewis for an elk
in the brush. The bullet missed all major bones and arteries, and
Captain Clark's medical skills prevented complications. Captain Lewis
spent the final leg of the journey on his stomach.

The most-mentioned pest in the men's journals was the pesky mos-
quito. Many of the daily journal passages contained remarks such as,
The misquiter verry bad. Sergeant Ordway wrote:

           the Muquetoes and Small flyes are verry troublesome. My face
           and eyes are Swelled by the poison of those insects which bite
           verry Severe indeed.

Grizzly bears were the most dangerous animal confronted during the
mission. The river, which was the expedition's highway, was also the
grizzlies' kitchen, leading to at least 40 fierce challenges with the giants.
In one of many meetings with grizzly bears, Lewis escaped by running
into a river. He had forgotten to reload his rifle and had only his spon-
toon to defend himself.
 

 

[11]



 


EXPEDITION CUISINE: FEAST OR FAMINE

The story of the expedition's diet may not be pleasant for
those who have queasy stomachs. Game was plentiful dur-
ing good times and each man ate as much as nine pounds
of meat per day; that's 36 quarter-pounders on today's
scale! Both Lewis and Clark wrote that without the excel-
lent skills of Drouillard, the expedition's best hunter, they
might not have survived. Lewis wrote:

           [I]t requires 4 deer, an Elk, and a deer,
           or one buffaloe, to supply us plentifully for 24 hours.

This gives us some idea of how they must have exerted
themselves as they trudged along the way.

Food was scarce so often that they ate horses and even
dogs. In the worst times, they resorted to eating roots, rot-
ten elk, and candles made from animal-fat. Whiskey must
have helped soothe their ails along the way until they ran
out at the Great Falls on the Fourth of July 1805.

As they emerged from the Bitterroot Mountains, they
met the Nez Perce Indians who offered them salmon and
camas roots. The digestive systems of the expedition
members were not accustomed to handling these types of
foods, and they became violently ill.

Salt Makers, by John Clymer, courtesy of the Clymer Museum of Art.
 

 

Header: The Necessity of Salt

Salt was an important supply
item. It was needed to flavor and
preserve meat. It may have also
been used to cure hides. In the
winter of 1805, to replenish their
supply, five men were directed
to set up a salt-making camp
south of the mouth of the
Columbia River (Seaside,
Oregon). The salt-making party
kept a fire going in an oven day
and night for almost two months.
They lugged nearly 1,400 gallons
of seawater from the surf, and
boiled it down, eventually pro­
ducing 28 gallons of salt. Twelve
gallons, packed in two small
ironbound kegs were set aside
for their return trip. Lewis felt
salt was a 'great treat.' Clark,
however, was indifferent to it.

 
 
Image Omitted from Online Version
 
Image Omitted from Online Version
 
 

[12]




 

 

 

 

 

 

Clark's rapport with the Indians combined
with Lewis's training in the standard prac-
tices of medicine provided benefits to the
expedition. Pictured are examples of med-
ical instruments used in the early 1800s that
were quite possibly part of Lewis's field
physician's kit.


Photograph: The two tools above are dental instruments. The T-shaped tooth-key was used for extraction.

The two tools above are dental instruments.
The T-shaped tooth-key was used for
extraction.


Photograph: This short knife was used as a scalpel.

This short knife was used as a scalpel.


MEDICAL ASPECTS OF THE EXPEDITION

It is not surprising that during the expedition, the members
encountered a staggering range of ailments: boils, head
colds, toothaches, malaria, frostbite, snow blindness, sexu-
ally transmitted diseases, dysentery, snakebites, exhaustion,
and heatstroke, to name just a few. The captains treated
the ailments of the men, and were also responsible for the
well being of Sacagawea and her infant son.

The most advanced medical practices at the beginning
of the 19th century would make most of us cringe today.
The philosophy at the time was that if one were ill it was
because bad things were inside the victim's body, and they
needed to be removed. Therefore, making a patient vomit
was thought to be a cure for a variety of ills, and it was
often accompanied by bloodletting. Constipation was
treated with Dr. Rush's patented pills, appropriately called
'Rush's Thunderbolts,' which contained mercury. We now
know that mercury is poisonous, but at the time, it was
used to treat many illnesses.

Clark's practice of medicine was beneficial to both the
expedition's members and the various tribes they encoun-
tered. Lewis had better medical training, thanks to his pre-
expedition instruction in
Philadelphia; however, Clark
established better rapport with the Photograph: Medicines that were thought to be helpful at the time were often poisonous, for instance, mercury was used as a remedy for constipation.
Indians. In exchange for medical
treatments, the expedition received
horses and food.

On one occasion the captains
treated a 13-year-old Mandan boy
for frostbitten feet. Infection led to
the necessary amputation of some
of his toes. Their care most likely
saved the boy's life.
 

 
A saw like the one pictured below may have
been used for amputation. Photograph: A saw like the one pictured below may have been used for amputation.Photograph: A saw like the one pictured below may have been used for amputation.
Photograph: Medicines that were thought to be helpful at the time were often poisonous, for instance, mercury was used as a remedy for constipation.Medicines that were thought to be
helpful at the time were often poison-
ous, for instance, mercury was used as
a remedy for constipation.


Photograph: A saw like the one pictured below may have been used for amputation.
 

[13]



 


SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS Painting: Viewing Bison, by Kathy Dickson.
OF THE EXPEDITION

Jefferson's letter to Lewis in June
1803 describes the scientific
nature of the expedition. He
instructed Lewis to take note of
things not of the U.S. His list
included:

the soil & face of the country
(it's growth & vegetable pro-
ductions); the animals, the
remains and accounts of any
which may be deemed rare or

 
 
Painting: Viewing Bison, by Kathy Dickson.

Viewing Bison
,
by Kathy Dickson.
 

extinct; mineral productions of every kind; volcanic appear-
ances; climate; and seasonal observations of plants and animals.

The known ‘discoveries’ of Lewis and Clark include 178 plants and
122 animals not previously recorded for science. Some of the animal
species identified include the coyote, pronghorn, mule deer, and many
bird species, two of which were named after the explorers: Lewis's
Woodpecker and Clark's Nutcracker.

In September 1804, the expedition came upon a prairie dog village,
and tried to capture a specimen by flooding burrows. They eventually
succeeded in catching one that was shipped back to Jefferson in April
1805, along with four live magpies, and a liveing hen of the Prarie. Indian
corn, Indian artifacts, animal skins, skeletons, and mineral samples were
also sent back. The prairie dog and one magpie survived the trip, and
Jefferson received them in August. He sent them to the Natural Science
Museum in Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

The Corps of Discovery marveled at the wonderland they encoun-
tered, from prairies and plains to mountain ranges, and they found
great pleasure in naming their "discoveries." When they entered the
remarkable sandstone formations (in present-day Montana) that the
men compared to the ruins of an ancient city, they called them the Painting: The black-tailed prairie dog or "barking squirrel" as Lewis called it was one of many specimens, both plant and animal, not known to science at the time of the Expedition. Drawing by Kathy Dickson.
White Cliffs of the Missouri. Of this area Lewis wrote:

As we passed on, it seemed as if those scenes of visionary
enchantment would never have an end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The black-tailed prairie dog
or "barking squirrel" as
Lewis called it was one of
many specimens, both plant
and animal, not known to
science at the time of the
Expedition. Drawing by
Kathy Dickson.

Painting: The black-tailed prairie dog or "barking squirrel" as Lewis called it was one of many specimens, both plant and animal, not known to science at the time of the Expedition. Drawing by Kathy Dickson.

[14]



 

Photograph: A chronometer (above) was used to determine longitude and the two-pole chain (below) measured short distances (33 feet).

A chronometer (above) was
used to determine longitude
and the two-pole chain
(below) measured short dis-
tances (33 feet).
Photograph: A chronometer (above) was used to determine longitude and the two-pole chain (below) measured short distances (33 feet).


CARTOGRAPHY

One of President Jefferson's goals was to map the west. It was Captain
Clark's responsibility to map the landscape. His experience as a survey-
or prior to the expedition was extremely helpful. Clark's maps were
one of the greatest achievements of the expedition. Clark had a meticu-
lous ability to put what he saw onto paper. He possessed a keen sense
for estimating distances; what he recorded proved to be remarkably
accurate, even using today's sophisticated devices.

To determine latitude, an artificial horizon and a sextant or octant
were used. It was more difficult to find the longitude; the most accurate
method involved the use of a portable clock or chronometer along
               with celestial observations. Other instruments, such as a sur-Photograph: A chronometer (above) was used to determine longitude and the two-pole chain (below) measured short distances (33 feet).
  veying compass, allowed the men to record bearings
    from one point to another. In addition, a two-pole chain
   measured distances, and a magnetic compass helped the
captains determine direction of travel.

After the expedition, Clark continued his work on a map
of the continent and published it in 1814. Using information he
had recorded during the expedition and data gathered by other Army
missions to the southwest, Clark's map was the most accurate depic-
tion of the western portion of the new nation for the next 30 years!
 

 
Map: The Lewis and Clark Trail

[15]



 


THE RETURN TRIP

With great excitement, the expedition headed homeward on March 23,
1806. At Travelers' Rest (near Missoula, Montana) the Corps of
Discovery separated into smaller groups to explore and map more of
the Louisiana Territory. Clark went south to the Yellowstone River,
and while passing a large sandstone formation, he carved his name and
date. Clark named it Pompy's Tower after Sacagawea's son. Lewis led
his detachment north, up the Marias River, which led to the unfortu-
nate incident with the Blackfeet Indians. Through advance planning
and some good luck, the groups reunited near the confluence of the
Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.

Going with the current, the expedition traveled between 40 and 80
miles a day on their way swiftly down the Missouri River. Upon reach-
ing St. Louis on September 23, 1806, there was joy and celebration,
and all members of the Corps of Discovery were heralded as heroes.

JOURNALS

Scholars call the Lewis and Clark Expedition members the "writingest
explorers of all time." President Jefferson had instructed Lewis to keep
journals, and "Several copies of these, as well as of your other notes,
should be made at leisure times." Today, the journals pro-Photograph: Clark names the landmark shown below Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son. While there he carved his name into the stone. This signature is the only physical remnant of the Expedition remaining along the trail. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Billings, Montana.
vide a window to the past, and allow the expedition's chal-
lenges and achievements to remain vibrant and alive.

In a letter to Jefferson, Lewis revealed that seven enlist-
ed men were keeping journals, but only those of Sergeants
Ordway, Gass, Floyd, and Private Whitehouse survive. It
appears that Lewis did not keep a journal for long periods
of time throughout the expedition, yet during those times
he assisted Clark. Captain Clark wrote in the journals
nearly every day, missing entries only while away
hunting. Photograph: Clark names the landmark shown below Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son. While there he carved his name into the stone. This signature is the only physical remnant of the Expedition remaining along the trail. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Billings, Montana.

The captains reported to Washington D.C.
after the expedition and both were rewarded
with high positions in the new territory of
Louisiana. Lewis remained in the east for over a
year, where he made unsuccessful attempts to
get his and Clark's journals published.
Unfortunately, Lewis was never able to pro-
vide any journal manuscripts to a publisher.
  Photograph: Clark names the landmark shown below Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son. While there he carved his name into the stone. This signature is the only physical remnant of the Expedition remaining along the trail. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Billings, Montana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clark names the landmark
shown below Pompy's
Tower, after Sacagawea's
son. While there he carved
his name into the stone.
This signature is the only
physical remnant of the
Expedition remaining along
the trail. Photo courtesy of
the Bureau of Land
Management, Billings,
Montana.

 
Photograph: Clark names the landmark shown below Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son. While there he carved his name into the stone. This signature is the only physical remnant of the Expedition remaining along the trail. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Billings, Montana. 

 



 

Photograph: Clark names the landmark shown below Pompy's Tower, after Sacagawea's son. While there he carved his name into the stone. This signature is the only physical remnant of the Expedition remaining along the trail. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Billings, Montana.

[16]



 
Photograph: This is one of the journals kept by members of the expedition, which preserved the events the men endured. The journals are considered national treasures. Photo by Rich Deline.

This is one of the journals
kept by members of the
expedition, which pre-
served the events the men
endured. The journals are
considered national treas-
ures. Photo by Rich Deline.


Photograph: This is one of the journals kept by members of the expedition, which preserved the events the men endured. The journals are considered national treasures. Photo by Rich Deline.Patrick Gass published his journal in 1807
against the wishes of the two captains. His jour-
nal was greatly altered by his editor, and it
lacked a vast amount of information that had
been acquired on the journey.

It was not until after Lewis apparently took
his own life in 1809, that Captain Clark assumed
the responsibility of getting the journals pub-
lished. Clark was fortunate to meet Nicholas
Biddle, and convinced him to compile and edit
the journals. Biddle worked exhaustively on
them, and in 1811, was satisfied that his two-vol-
ume journal was ready for publication. The War
of 1812, and the collapse of the publishing com-
pany originally contracted by Lewis, delayed the
publication of Biddle's work until 1814. Unfortunately, Biddle's edition,
like that of Gass, contained very little scientific data obtained by the
explorers.

Over the years after the Biddle publication, many embellished and
counterfeit stories of the expedition were printed. Some authors fabri-
cated their versions, and others had never read accounts of the journey!

The subject of the Lewis and Clark journals is complex, and many
historians have written about them. Questions that may never be
answered still inspire research in hopes of discovering more. As written
accounts concerning the expedition turned up over the intervening 200
years, numerous writers labored to edit and publish them. Elliott Coues
(1893), Rueben Gold Thwaites (1901), Milo Milton Quaife (1916),
Bernard De Voto (1953), and Ernest Staples Osgood (1964) published
accounts about this epic journey. Gary E. Moulton completed a com-
prehensive 13-volume edition in 2001. It includes not only the journals
of Lewis and Clark, but also those of Gass, Floyd, Ordway, and
Whitehouse; photos and descriptions of the scientific data; an atlas;
and much more.

BRIDGING THE YEARS

Why is the story of the Corps of Discovery still exciting and extensive-
ly studied? The Lewis and Clark Expedition was an awesome adven-
ture. It continues to capture our interest and sparks the spirit of explo-
ration that still exists today. This amazing journey into unknown lands
was bold, challenging, and inspiring. It can be compared to our own
 

 

[17]



 
Painting: Lewis's Escape, by Kathy Dickson.
 
 


space exploration—searching for information in uncharted places. The
success of the expedition can be contributed to many factors including
the leadership abilities of Lewis and Clark. It was a military mission;
the Army provided an organizational structure that lent the traits of
discipline, order, service, and sacrifice, all necessary for the successful
completion of this courageous journey.

Opportunities abound to gain a new appreciation of the U.S. Army
and to forge renewed relationships with the tribes that Photograph: A gold coin portraying Sacagawea and baby Pomp was produced by the U. S. Mint to honor the contributions of Native Americans to the expedition.
were encountered by the Corps of Discovery.
Without the assistance of the tribes, the mission
may have failed. The story is still unfolding;
future research and investigation may lead to a
better understanding of the cultures that
Lewis and Clark encountered.

The Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
Commemoration serves as encouragement
for us to reexamine relationships, gain new
appreciation, foster pride, and bridge the two
hundred years between now and the time
when a small Army unit set off on a mission to
explore a vast, uncharted territory.
 


Lewis's Escape,
by Kathy Dickson.

 

A gold coin portraying
Sacagawea and baby
Pomp was produced
by the U. S. Mint to
honor the contributions
of Native Americans
to the expedition.

Photograph: A gold coin portraying Sacagawea and baby Pomp was produced by the U. S. Mint to honor the contributions of Native Americans to the expedition.

 

[18]


Back Cover: US Army Corps of Engineers


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